Who Is There? Publics, Citizens, Consumers or Users?: ‘Imagined Platform Audiences’ by Swiss Public Service Media

This study examines the characteristics of the imagined audiences of public broadcasting in Switzerland. It is based on a document analysis in combination with 40 half-standardised expert interviews with representatives of the management, producers, journalists and former employees of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR). The study illustrates how journalists and strategic managers envision their audiences in the platform age. Overall, the results indicate that within the Swiss PSM—like in many other European PSM institutions—there is a certain friction between public service awareness and commercial pragmatism regarding imagined audiences of PSM on digital platforms. Thus, most of the interviewees for this study see audience measurement data as a critical element in delivering better and more appealing digital PSM services. In turn, there has been less discussion about how audience members can be empowered as citizens in a platform environment.