Medialer Public Service als Garant für Demokratie? Sechs Wegmarken für eine Mediengesellschaft mit Zukunft – ein Essay

Providing people with reliable information so that they can form their own opinions, offering them a forum for discussing issues of societal concern, and critically scrutinizing those in power: these are the features that make journalism systemically important in a democracy. In this way, journalism can fulfill a Public Service that generates Public Value, contributing meaningfully to society. When people talk about “Public Service” in the context of media, they often think exclusively of Public Service Broadcasting (PBS), which is legally obliged to deliver such services. Yet other types of media—privately funded and foundation-supported outlets—also contribute to this mission. This essay argues that the concept of Public Service in the media should not be confined to specific institutional forms. Instead, it should be understood as a guiding principle for journalistic work that is systemically important, i.e., conducive to democracy. Adopting this broader understanding also holds potential to counter the ongoing erosion of democratic values. The argumentation follows key principles that traditional institutions such as ARD [Germany’s public broadcaster], ORF [Austria], and SRG [Switzerland] use to justify their Public Service mandate and journalistic role: democratic relevance; responsiveness to audience needs such as information, representation, and regionality; and a commitment to the common good and public value. The analysis draws on proposals for reforming Public Service media to better align it with a digitally transformed media landscape. It concludes with six waypoints for shaping a democratic media society, underpinned by journalism committed to medial Public Service in the broader, inclusive sense.