Media Meritocracy: A Question of Preferences- Interpretations of the Context of Need Decide on the Supply Policy of Mass Media

Are (mass) media per se merit goods? No! Fundamental statements which, for example, describe “the press” in its entirety as a merit good (cf., e.g., Haller, M., Informationsfreiheit und Pressevertrieb in Europa. Nomos, Baden-Baden, 2004, p. 61), cannot basically be formulated in this way, especially since both daily newspapers and journalistically oriented online media prove that, in addition to the content-related aspect, the (required) market-balancing aspect of the definition for merit goods is not fulfilled. After all, regulatory intervention is not necessary for daily newspapers – not yet, one might add. Instead, it must be said: media can possess both – aspects of merit and of demerit goods (cf. Heinrich, J., Medienökonomie. Band 1: Mediensystem, Zeitung, Zeitschrift, Anzeigenblatt. überarb. Neuaufl. Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen, 2001, p. 101), or, perhaps even better: media offerings are able to meet merit wants. This article gives emphasis on that fact that for the media industry meritocracy requires a demand-led concept. This means: media can satisfy merit wants such as “being informed” or “being encouraged to form own opinions”; they are an important pillar of sustainable forms of society ruled by democracy. Accordingly, mass media communication does not a priori create offers for to stabilize democratic societies, but it might be able to satisfy merit wants as well as action-guiding preferences. From the author’s point of view, the literature on media economics – although originally conceived in this way by financial science – has not adequately comprehended this to date.