Europe’s Broken Media Business Model

The author argues that the European media business model is broken due to falling advertising revenues, the rise of algorithmic polarisation, and opaque ownership structures. This has led to a decline in rigorous investigative journalism and the rise of 'fake news' and state-sponsored disinformation. The text suggests that current technical and legal fixes are insufficient and that governments must provide financial support, such as grants and subsidies, to ethical, fact-based journalism to protect democratic norms.

• The shift toward cable news and internet platforms has moved audiences away from balanced coverage toward partisan views that reinforce political differences.
• Media ownership in Europe is characterized by high concentration and opacity; in two-thirds of European countries, 80% of the media is controlled by fewer than four owners.
• In several European countries, including Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Spain, political interference in media ownership is common, with some governments using state-owned companies to provide advertising to supportive outlets.
• While some media outlets have successfully implemented paid models (paywalls, subscriptions, or co-ownership), these models are inherently elitist and can contribute to the creation of information bubbles.
• The information gap left by the decline of quality media is being filled by three types of actors: giant media groups with vested interests, click-driven polarising media, and activist media funded by states or corporations to pursue specific agendas.
• The European Commission's December 2018 action plan on disinformation has been criticised for focusing on technological, educational, and legal measures rather than supporting robust media.
• To preserve democratic accountability, newsrooms should be treated as public goods rather than purely commercial entities, requiring support through grants, subsidies, and tax leverages.

APA

Sadouskaya-Komlach, M. (2019). Europe’s Broken Media Business Model. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/.pdf

Chicago

Sadouskaya-Komlach, Maryia. Europe’s Broken Media Business Model. Green European Journal, 2019. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sadouskaya-Komlach |first1=Maryia |title=Europe’s Broken Media Business Model |publisher=Green European Journal |date=13 August 2019 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sadouskayakomlach2019europes, author = {Sadouskaya-Komlach, Maryia}, title = {{Europe’s Broken Media Business Model}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2019}, month = aug, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }