Public Value

This chapter explains what is meant by public value, or the concept of public value, and what role it plays, especially against the background of current public service media developments. First, the origin of the term public value or the concept is presented along with its application in the context of current management approaches to public services and especially public service media. In addition, the term is defined more precisely, and the manner in which public value can be evaluated is considered. The discussion then moves to the direction taken by the current public value discourse in the media sector, which is closely linked to aspects of journalistic media quality, particularly with regard to the assessment of public value. Additionally, the possibilities of audience involvement and the role of audience evaluations are discussed, as these are further aspects emphasized by the public value management concept. In the final section, the focus is on the future of the approach.