A Framework for Public Service Media

Abstract

In order to evaluate European policies on public service media it seems both inescapable and desirable to elaborate on the normative position taken in this book. It has already been hinted at before that a social democratic perspective is followed. In particular, the approach in this book can be situated within the strand of more evidence-based models of public service media (see Barwise, 2002; Collins, 2002). This chapter aims to discuss the analytical framework used to evaluate the impact of European policy on public service broadcasting (PSB). The chapter starts with a discussion of the assumptions on which the analytical framework is based. An overview of the main building blocks of the analytical framework follows. Finally, some provisional conclusions on the strengths and weaknesses of the framework are outlined.