Can digitisation help overcome linguistic and strategic disadvantages in international media markets? Exploring cross-border business opportunities for German-language media companies

Abstract

The media economy and production literature offers insights into the international activities of media companies that provide products in ‘world languages’. Researchers point out that English-language content and, thus, English-language companies have a linguistic advantage and dominate the global media market. In comparison, there is limited knowledge of how companies that originate from non-dominant-language territories expand their activities abroad. This is all the more relevant as digitisation and fragmentation transform markets and new business opportunities arise. Against this background, we ask whether media companies from non-dominant-language markets can benefit from new constellations and business models to overcome linguistic and strategic disadvantages. We use the example of German-language media companies to explore whether and how digitisation and, to some extent, fragmentation mediate the cross-border activities of non-dominant-language media companies. Using qualitative interviews with top media managers, we address their market perceptions and strategies regarding cross-border activities. In sum, market hierarchies remain persistent, as new challenges, such as portfolio redefinition and rising competition, emerge. However, companies focusing on generic products or niche markets can benefit from digitisation, as can companies that have already grew large and overcome their linguistic constraints.

Patterns of structural and sequential ambidexterity in cross-border media management

“…The cultural trade barriers at the market level depend on the size of the home market (Wildman & Lee, 2015), the existence of transnational consumer cultures (Couldry & Hepp, 2012) and, especially, the reach of the company's native language (Von Rimscha et al, 2018). A common language fosters media exchange beyond national borders (Gershon, 2006), as languages constitute regional clusters of media consumption (Ksiazek & Webster, 2008), production and transfer (Sánchez-Tabernero, 2006).…”

“…At the same time, media offerings constituting cultural products (Doyle, 2013) require local adaptation. Thus, an adequate balance of economic standardisation and cultural adaptation is particularly rewarding for the cross-border activities of media companies (Chalaby, 2009;Shrikhande, 2001;Von Rimscha et al, 2018). Working towards such a balance is in accordance with achieving ambidexterity (Han, 2007).…”

RRI Tanjungpinang’s public relations strategy in increasing loyality in the era of disruption

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IntroductionThe level of media competition, especially broadcasting institutions such as radio stations, is currently quite high in an effort to grab the attention of the audience (von Rimscha et al, 2019). The beginning of the emergence of competitive competition in capturing the attention of the audience remains and becomes the only practical and affordable source of information chosen by the audience (Ekström & Westlund, 2019).

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