The Press as Platform: Institutional Isomorphism and the Strategic Adoption of Platform Logics

This paper reveals that major news outlets are starting to adopt the features of digital platforms in an attempt to become more autonomous and disentangle themselves from platform infrastructures. Our analysis sets out this phenomenon across three key dimensions, which function as instrumental cases: deploying complex subscription funnels; adopting first-party data strategies and developing advertising capabilities; and building improved personalisation and recommendation capabilities. We also draw on empirical evidence from twelve semi-structured interviews conducted with experts from news organizations working in the U.K. and the Netherlands to support our analysis. Using sociological institutionalism as a theoretical and conceptual framework, we suggest major national and transnational news media companies are now increasingly aligning with the institutional logics of the platform field, a strange occurrence given the sector’s desire to avoid platform dependence. The paper ends by noting that only larger media organisations can copy platforms, leaving smaller local outlets in a weaker position, both economically and in terms of their relationship to digital platforms. This points to a divide in the knowledge, skills, resources, and capital available to establish effective counterpower strategies, and reinforces the need for ongoing attention to media concentration and power imbalances within the news media sector.