Public Value and Liberal Democracies: The Potential of Public Service Media as Islands of Trust in the Digital Public Sphere

Abstract

Digitization and platformization have aggravated the problematics that have traditionally been linked to the functioning of the public sphere and, thus, for healthy liberal democracies. As the digital environment brings their own complications to the table, in this chapter it is argued that Public Service Media should pursue their recognition as islands of trust within the Digital Public Sphere, that is, a key source of information for all citizens and a reliable actor that can help the public navigate the news environment. First, the problems that have been part of the discussion on the public sphere are presented and transposed to the digital realm. Second, by applying a public value approach, it is argued how the ideal of PSM can contribute to reinforcing the public sphere. It is concluded that for the ideal of PSM to materialize, greater external consensus and internal efforts have to be addressed.