Shedding Light on Public Service Media Politics of Disclosure: A Framework for Assessing Public Broadcasters and Transparency

This chapter examines the evolving relationship between public service media (PSM) and transparency in the European context. It acknowledges the growing pressures on PSM due to changes in independence, funding, and the increasingly fragmented media environment. The shift from public service broadcasting to media is highlighted, along with the need for public broadcasters to continuously legitimize their existence in society. The chapter proposes a new model to study the politics of disclosure within PSM, drawing on interdisciplinary insights from transparency research. This model uses a neo-institutionalist lens to assess the dynamic interaction between public media organizations and their environments in constructing transparency practices. Key aspects covered include the influence of reform paradigms and the European Commission on PSM, the role of transparency in building legitimacy, and the implementation of new reporting and performance management requirements. The chapter also critically examines the focus on effectiveness of these transparency mechanisms in achieving their intended outcomes. It suggests that future research on PSM transparency should adopt a holistic approach, considering the strategic, cognitive, and institutional perspectives in assessing the complex dynamics of transparency in public broadcasting.