Rolling News as Disruptive Change A Managerial Perspective on TV 2 and VG in Norway

Abstract

In the present article, we compare the models that the management in two leading com- mercial Norwegian media organizations, one with a foothold in the written press, Verdens Gang (VG), and one in television, TV 2, have used in dealing with the disruptive change in news caused by the introduction of rolling news. Both started with an experimental internal phase but later used different models to organize their news production. By establishing a spin-off, separate from the printed newspaper, VG retreated from synergies between online and offline productions, but gained by having two organizations dedicated to the processes and values of each medium. Their online services are financed by advertisements alone. The commercially financed television channel, TV 2, used an acquisition model, but encountered problems with integrating the parts. Today, their strategy involves a proliferation of digital TV channels, financed by a combination of advertisements and payment from viewers. Not only their Internet site, but particularly their 24/7 news channel Nyhetskanalen is a central element in the production of continous news