Den nya dagstidningen - En analys av digitaliseringens effekter på svenska dagstidningars affärsmodell och värdeskapande

Abstract

This study was carried out in an attempt to investigate the changing business models of Swedish newspapers. Swedish newspapers have only in the past five years begun thoroughly altering their business model, primarily by monetizing their digital offerings in a meaningful way. It’s evident that the technology for doing this did not come about within this timeframe, but rather much earlier. This begs the question as to why newspapers have waited so long to alter their business model for the digital age. The study aims to offer a deeper answer to the question than merely observing financial facts. The study analyzes the question from the perspective of the businesses themselves. A case study of the newspaper Göteborgs-Posten was carried out. Interviews and data from Göteborgs-Posten along with more general data from other firms in the market are interpreted and analyzed to answer the research questions. The study finds that the most likely explanation for adverse conditions in the industry is that incomes have decreased faster than the costs of producing those incomes have been able to be decreased. The relationship between the two has not proved to be linear. The study also finds through analysis with the VERΔ model that the increased digitalization has adversely affected the value offering of the printed newspaper, primarily by devaluing the printed newspaper’s unique value offerings as compared to its digital counterpart. This is true for both readers as well as advertisers. A key factor is that digital and printed newspapers offer the same content through different means, and that the digital means have directly devalued the printed equivalents by comparison. This devaluation is seen as the main reason why newspapers have seen a more rapid loss of income. The study concludes that Swedish newspapers have had to change their business model out of necessity rather than choice. This necessity has been brought about by rapidly changing business conditions, which in turn have been brought about by the fundamental change in the value offerings of the traditional products of newspapers due to digitalization.