The article focuses on innovation and social media strategies in newspaper companies in the US and three Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark). Many previous studies have focused on the state of journalism and media industry in single countries, although media have distinct features in different countries. Through the comparative setting, it is possible to examine the differences in media innovation strategies and study what factors affect innovation in media production, business models, sources of funding, and social media strategies. The qualitative part of the paper consists of semi-structured in-depth interviews (N = 65) with media managers and experts, which were carried out in Scandinavia in 2016 and in the US in 2017. The quantitative market data covers the years 2006–2016; this timespan corresponds well with the accelerating digital transition in the newspaper business. According to the results, new business models are mostly new combinations of existing revenue streams, while adaptation of new technology is slow, with few exceptions.

This paper focuses on media innovation among publishers of metropolitan newspapers in the United States, in cities such as San Diego, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia and Dallas. The situation for metropolitan newspapers is difficult, as they fall between national newspapers, which can aim for extending their reach both nationally and globally, and local newspapers, which have a smaller cost structure and can cater to a more limited, and often more engaged, audience community. Our paper demonstrates that there seems to be great awareness of what can be done by US metropolitan newspapers, but managers are struggling with constraints, such as lack of financial and human resources and general organisational anaemia.

This article explores Finnish press subsidies during the second half of the twentieth century, tracing their development as a mechanism for supporting democratic principles. The article shows how subsidies have been provided, how the mechanisms of support changed during the period, and the effects of subsidies on the newspaper industry. The study shows that support rose significantly in the 1970s and 1980s but declined in the 1990s. Nevertheless, the cost of support in 2000 was 28 per cent higher than in 1970. The study reveals that despite €2.5 billion in support (at constant prices) between 1951 and 2000, only 6 per cent of the newspapers maintained political affiliations by the beginning of the twenty-first century and that state funds subsidised only 10 per cent of total newspaper circulation by 2000. The research revealed that papers representing dominant political parties have been the primary recipients of aid.

Theoretical research has modelled the existence of so-called advertising-circulation spirals of newspapers. The present article examines the existence and shape of the growth functions of circulation for leading regional newspapers in Finland, and assesses their effects on their competitors. The article also provides results on the household coverage of the regionally leading newspapers. Our results enable us to draw conclusions concerning the level of convergence of the market shares of the larger newspapers, and the possibilities of the minority newspapers to survive. The findings relate directly to the assessment of competition in the market of newspaper publishing, as economic analysis has already shown that difference in size between the two largest firms may define the scope for dominance. Consequently, the results may have implications for assessments of the relevant market and the state of the competition, and claims concerning dominance in newspaper markets

The newspaper publishing industry in Europe is undergoing a transition and is confronted with serious challenges from the increasing role of the Internet and the hereto-related changes in media consumption habits. Europe is a region, where Internet usage not only has been on a relatively high level but also increased substantially with likely effects on newspaper publishing. This article analyses the development and determinants of the profitability of newspaper publishing sectors of 12 European markets. The average profitability of newspaper publishing is shown to vary both across countries and over time. The results from the econometric estimation prove the assertion that the price–cost margins can not only be explained by the increasing uptake of Internet but also by factors reflecting scale economies and the degree of the competitive pressure.

A decline in European students’ interest in STEM subjects, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of education, has raised concerns about the continent’s future workforce. To address this challenge, this study investigates the efficacy of the BIG GAME project methodology, a cooperative story-driven digital game approach designed to engage secondary students in collaborative environmental problem-solving. Implemented across Romania, Italy, Estonia, and Finland, this six-month study employed a mixed-methods design involving 62 teachers and 239 students in ten distinct game missions focused on environmental challenges. The quantitative results indicated significant improvements in students’ transversal skills (teamwork, communication, and critical thinking), as reported by over 75% of teachers. The qualitative data emphasised the value of structured peer review in developing students’ reflective practices. This research underscores the importance of teacher facilitation in game-based learning and problem-based simulations and highlights the potential of such methodologies to boost student engagement and environmental awareness. These findings suggest that the BIG GAME project approach could be a valuable tool for revitalising STEM education and cultivating future-ready citizens.