Public service media (PSM) are grappling with structural shifts in the audio-visual sector, notably the shift of audiences towards over-the-top (OTT) or subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services. They have also heavily invested in online platforms, adapting their policies to engage digital users on their video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. This paper assesses PSM policies in Britain, Denmark, and Greece, examining initiatives regarding adaptation to the digital era. It explores whether they implement new strategies to expand their digital reach. Data from policy documents and interviews with BBC, DR, and ERT leading executives inform the analysis. Findings showed varied responses among PSM organisations, influenced by market dynamics and the evolution of broadcasting traditions.

The European media landscape has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Initially were the privatization and commercialization of the broadcasting sector that led to an increase of TV channels and at the same time the decline of the press. The advent of the Internet has also transformed the analogue media world giving its place to the digital one. In effect, the media in Europe has undergone a prolonged period of change, in the attempt to adapt to rapid technological advances, the side effects of globalization, and the developments associated with the process of Europeanization. On the other hand, there is no simple explanation for these complex processes of change. Neither can we say that there is a common universal trend, even a common model, across Europe. This chapter tries to shed light on the emerging patterns in media production since 1990, across European countries. Initially, based on hard data, the chapter describes the changes in the media systems of the EU countries. Then it is attempted to group the similarities, continuities, and discontinuities of the media systems.

This paper examines how Greek journalists perceive the effectiveness of new-media practices-oriented journalism education in their profession, using the retraining seminars on new media technologies conducted by the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN) between 2019 and 2022 as a case study. Utilising a quantitative methodology, the study analyses data from an online questionnaire completed by 120 journalists between October and November 2022, immediately after they successfully participated in a five-cycle training seminar. It evaluates participants’ self-reported familiarity with new media tools and explores their attitudes toward lifelong learning practices. It also discusses technological determinism as a limited theoretical approach in the platform era and its impact on the perception of journalism practices. The research findings underscore the pressing need for ongoing, structured training on new media practices that cater to journalists’ needs within the platform-dominated media ecosystem. Despite acknowledging the value of the knowledge and skills acquired, the survey responders revealed that these assets only partially affected their reintegration into the labour market.

Purpose The distinction between beliefs and facts, as well as between science and pseudoscience, appears to be hazy in the post-truth era. This study draws inspiration from public discourse concerning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, aiming to explore the narratives of COVID-19 vaccine skeptics within the Greek online public sphere. Methodology For the purposes of our study, we analyzed Facebook posts from users’ pages and public groups during a three-month period (from September 2021 to November 2021), focusing primarily on content related to COVID-19 vaccination. By employing thematic analysis, we investigated the main themes upon which the anti-vaccination camp bases its rhetoric and the sources it uses to justify its claims. Findings Our findings suggest that in the Greek online context, the anti-vaccination discourse, as expressed on Facebook platform, is an amalgam of distrust towards institutional actors (politicians, the medical community, legacy media, the establishment in general) and concerns regarding the safety/complications of COVID-19 vaccination itself. Social implications Our study contributes to the existing body of academic literature addressing the impact of social media platforms on public opinion related to health matters. It underscores the potential and challenges associated with the unregulated dissemination of information within polarized digital contexts. Originality/value This study sheds light on the distinctive characteristics of anti-vaccine rhetoric, as expressed on social media, within the context of Greek society. It offers insights to scholars and researchers interested in the dynamics of social media discourse and its implications for public health communication.

Traditional news media have long been the primary source of information on environmental issues, influencing public perceptions and shaping discourse on ecological sustainability. Media representations play a central role in forming public opinion, especially on climate change, which has become a highly politicized and polarized topic, both offline and online. Political ideologies, economic interests, and government agendas significantly shape how the public discusses and responds to strategies for addressing climate change. This study focuses on the most engaging environmental content posted on social media and explores whether climate change is the dominant topic in these discussions. It also examines which actors (e.g., politicians, institutions, citizens) and sources (legacy media or alternative media) are featured in the most popular content. The aim is to identify the factors that drive user engagement on platforms like Facebook, Twitter (now X), and YouTube, and to investigate how social media users contribute to the plurality and diversity of voices shaping the discussions on environmental issues. The study considers whether these platforms support the democratic potential of public debate. Over a three-month period (Sept.–Nov. 2021), the study monitored social media and compared non-professional user’s posts with professional content from legacy media. The findings show that institutional actors dominate the online debate on environmental issues and climate change. Facebook engagement largely revolves around content from organizations and politicians, while Twitter users refer to organizational sources. On YouTube, however, local and regional media content is more prominent. This is surprising since surveys suggest that Greeks mistrust legacy media and prefer social media for information, viewing traditional outlets as corrupt and biased towards the dominant class.

Contemporary platform society necessitates fact-checking initiatives to combat fake news proliferation and enhance the credibility of digital discourse. While automated fact-checking experiments show promise in improving verification efficiency, they also raise concerns regarding the diminishing authority of human fact-checkers. Based on the theories of “disruptive technologies” and “affordances”, this study explores the perception and application of automated technologies in the routines of fact-checkers across multiple countries, using data from an online survey of thirty-two fact-checkers and interviews with seven editors-in-chief of fact-checking organisations affiliated with the International Fact-Checking Network. Findings indicate that, while fact-checkers recognise the utility of AI tools for specific tasks, they resist full automation of the fact-checking process, highlighting the necessity of human oversight. AI is viewed primarily as an aid in the fight against disinformation rather than a complete solution due to inherent limitations that human capabilities surpass.