Digital Disruption in the Media Industry

Abstract

Understanding digital disruption is essential to understand changes in companies dealing with it. The aim of this study is to identify common factors in the response to digital disruption. This thesis is inspired by the lack of studies on digital disruption within the media industry. Digital disruption has been significant in this industry, forcing companies to make severe changes to their activities. This proves the importance of the matter and the need for knowledge of common factors to respond. A comparative case study of three media companies is the foundation for the discussion and for the identification of the common factors. The Business Model Canvas is the theoretical foundation of the study, and it tries to fill the gap in the literature about responses to digital disruption in media companies. This study has found that technology is a driver and a threat in digital transformation. And other critical common factors are the independent role of media, their fostering of innovation by having a high degree of ability to learn from the environment, allowing their employees to make mistake and learn from them fast, and the role of third-party platforms. These common factors are identified for several reasons discussed throughout this thesis.