The Effect of Digitalization on the Funding of the Media in Minority Language: Ten European Cases

Abstract

In a context in which the study of the media in minority languages, whether minoritized or indigenous, has a long story already - the digitalization process has not yet been widely studied. This study addresses how the changes imprinted by digitization have been perceived on the funding of the media of European communities of minority languages. This is a transnational analysis that encompasses ten European language communities: Basque, Catalan, Galician, Corsican, Breton, Frisian, Gaelic-Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Sami, with a global population of speakers of around 12 million individuals. A representative sample of 144 traditional media of press, radio and television were selected, which were then analyzed by way of questionnaires used to interview the individuals responsible for these media, in which they respond regarding the effects of the digital conversion on their funding and where they evaluate these changes. The findings confirm that the funding is largely perceived as the most negative aspect that has been influenced by the digital migration, although it is necessary to highlight the inability to provide clear answers on these effects by a significant number of managers interviewed. However, they also highlight other productive areas where the effect is being considered as being positive: nearly 70% believe that digitization has a favorable effect on the contents, and 77% that it also is beneficial to the audience. The quantitative data was combined with the qualitative part of the statements given by each community.