The future of national news agencies in Europe - case study 4: business model innovation in media-owned national news agencies

This study examines business model innovation in media-owned national news agencies through a case-study analysis of the Press Association (PA) (UK), TT News Agency (Sweden), and Austria Presse Agentur (APA). Responding to growing competition and technological changes, all these agencies have pursued a search for new business models. We argue here that these agencies have diversified their business in two key ways: by building new value-added products and services and by searching for new corporate and institutional customers. They have all adopted an innovative, diversified model that can be conceptualised as a multi-sided platform. The nature of this business model means that, while the subsidising of one side of the platform may be necessary, operating a news wire service at the core of the company, even with a negative margin, may be a financially viable business model.