Obsolescence as a pattern: an analysis of how public service media managers perceive and cope with resistance to change in the platformisation era

Platformisation has greatly affected the operations of the media industry, forcing media corporations to undergo major changes. Under such circumstances, public service media (PSM) corporations have found themselves engaged in a process of rethinking their economics, structures and ways of working. However, the latter is rarely established without resistance. Through 60 in-depth interviews with Spanish PSM managers, this study analyses how resistance to change operates in the ongoing platformisation process. The results confirm the existence of a problem of obsolescence in Spanish PSM, which is motivated by four elements: legislation, financial means, technological capacity, and workforce. Furthermore, three possible strategies to address this challenge are identified: communication, training, and renewal of professional profiles.