Platform configurations and isomorphism: An analytical framework for longitudinal and comparative research of public service media

This article introduces and advances the Platform Configurations and Isomorphism (PCI) framework. It integrates the platform configuration concept with institutional theory to offer a framework for analyzing Public Service Media (PSM) interactions with social media platforms in the provision of news across national contexts and over time. Based on the PCI framework, we conduct a longitudinal qualitative document analysis of how PSM organizations communicate their social media practices and strategies in Australia, Canada, Finland, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and the Netherlands (2013–2024). The research analyzes PSMs' platform configurations for editorially oriented activities across three organizational levels—macro, meso, and micro—and the interplay between them. It advances novel and cross-cultural empirical insights into contextual differences in PSM organizations' agency vis-à-vis platforms when it comes to producing and distributing news.