In this article, knowledge building through combinations of methods in a digital context is discussed and explored. Two types of digital bigger and smaller data-driven media studies are used as examples: digital focus groups and the combination of internet traffic measurements, surveys and diaries. The article proposes the concept of digital method triangulation. Digital method triangulation is argued to be a way to approach the “meaning problem” to make sense of small and big data. Digital method triangulation is argued 1) to stimulate the innovative use of known methods for unexpected dimensions within the studied topic; 2) with appropriate theoretical and meta-theoretical reflections, to provide more certainty in conclusions; and 3) to assist in constructing a more comprehensive perspective on specific analyses. The conclusion is that triangulation is even more important in the digital realm, as it facilitates dialogue between conventional and digital methods, dialogue that seems crucial to capture the complexities of the onlife.

As the media landscape are becoming increasingly differentiated (structure), segmented (supply) and fragmented (use), cross-media consumption is not a new occurrence, in particularly not for younger consumers. This target group is also highly sought after by the media industry, but it has proven hard to get to pay, especially for non-entertaining content, thus challenges the development and sustainability of the media industry’s digital business models (e.g., Chiou and Tucker 2013; Goyanes 2014). In the present study, based on a survey of Swedish participants aged 16-31 (n=1,287), we investigate the cross-media demand of younger people and their preferences and willingness to pay for media at home; What platforms and content do they use, what are their preferences in terms of demand and supply, what do they pay for, why, and how much, and what are their attitudes towards their media consumption. By studying attitudes to access as well as actual inventories of access among young people, media consumption and perceptions can be understood in terms of return on investment. The present article draws on a theoretical framework related to the concept of “perceived worthwhileness” (see e.g., Schrøder and Larsen 2010), which implies that people will only use the (news) media that they deem to be worthwhile in terms of investments, such as time, money, and energy. The preliminary results of the present study indicate that the respondents both use and highly value access to both analogue and digital services, and want to gain access to general as well as particular content. But in line with previous research, consumers do not always use what they prefer and are not willing to pay for what they use (e.g. Chyi and Lee 2013; Cook and Attari 2012). Price and supply were considered important, but currently they “solved their media consumption in other ways” than paying, however, streaming services, as well as particular content, were found to be more attractive to pay for. Subscription-based revenue models also appeared more appealing than one-time payments. These results indicates that it is important to look beyond individual media and consider the everyday media consumption from a cross-media perspective in order to capture the actual needs and purchasing behaviour of younger people.

Public service has long been notorious for its non-innovative characteristic. With increasing competition from other TV channels and other media, public service broadcasters see a desperate need for innovative strategies to fulfil public service obligations. In Sweden, the local programme producing unit of public service broadcasting company Swedish Television South (Sveriges Television Syd) has turned heavily to universities for aid with innovation; especially to Malmö University and Lund University. This is in line with Swedish Television’s new strategy for collaboration with society. The collaborative approach has taken many different expressions: technology development, common conferences, and programme creation. Using a critical cultural theory perspective on innovation theory, an analysis is made of the reasons for, and the consequences of, the work carried out by public service in collaboration with higher education as innovative strategy. The analysis follows three themes: Competition within Swedish Television creates need for promoting regional innovation Universities as legitimating knowledge and knowing Concrete implications of the innovation strategy of collaboration between PSB and higher education for the renewal of the enlightenment remit of PSB and for the renewal of Universities in the Knowledge Society.

This paper is exploring how public service media is engaging in fan-based social networked practices. The purpose is to describe and contribute to a deepened understanding of articulations and re-negotiations of the public service media ideal of being in the public interest taking place in activities based on the involvement of ‘fans’. The theoretical underpinnings are twofold: building on the argument from Beck (2005), to start from networks to understand institutions, and from Jenkins (1992, 2006) to relate fan-culture to participatory culture in media development. A case study is made of a campaign 2009, from the Swedish public service television company Swedish Television, called Dear Steve Jobs (http://dearstevejobs.com/). The campaign was directed towards the CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, to make him approve the application SVT play for iPhone. The campaign was started by a PR-agency and spread in social media. A qualitative analysis is made of the material in social media (blogs, Twitter and Facebook), what was written about the campaign in Swedish daily press and an interview with the project leader for the campaign. Results show that the socio-material aspects of social networked media include being an arena where interest and admiration (fans) creates a space where democratic values becomes intertwined with commercial efforts.

A case study is made of a University exploring potential for social media as educational technology. The analysis highlights the value of understanding characteristics of social media in relation to formal information and communication systems called Learning Management Systems. Risk and autonomy are used for analysing. Results show situated differing perceptions of risk and autonomy, where established academic hierarchies were both performed and questioned.

Audience studies have a history of studying people reading, listening and watching mass media at home. Domestication, as Silverstone and Haddon (1996) describe it, is an understanding of the design/domestication interface, implying a process of mutually shaping. This study contributes to an understanding of the future of audiences as still taking place in a home where connected media becomes integrated. By using a survey of students (n=1287) on what media selection is considered to be important to have access to in future student accommodation, a study is made of the implications of a youthful audience and connected audience. The results show that students use and highly value access to both old and new media content and services and want to gain access to general as well as particular content and services (like sports or TV series). Hence, youthful audiences self-perceived attitudes towards being and becoming connected audiences imply a domestic access resembling the value of public access. Understandings of connected media in relation the interplay of youthful audiences and accommodation illustrate the socio-political challenge of the domestic sphere as configuring and offering a universal service. The socio-political challenge of structuring future connected audiences is what connections are actually made possible by access. By studying attitudes to access as well as actual inventories of access in the domestic sphere, media usage patterns and perceptions can be understood as taking place within set frames. These frames are set by various actors, like owners of apartment building, as more or less in a dialogue with and agency of potential audiences.

When we think of “maps,” we may instantly think of geographical representations of paths, streets, suburbs, cities, regions or countries. These maps help us fi nd a fast and effi cient way from origin A to destination B. In ancient times, maps were drawn on cloth, leather or other kinds of fabric; today, both paper-based and digital maps can be found everywhere. The standard cartographic type of map provides information about physical locations and directions. However, with advances in science, technology and new media, other types of maps have evolved that are not limited to geographical data. These maps represent abstract relationships between perceived reality and temporal or conceptual information in areas such as mathematics, genetics, engineering or architecture. Paper-based maps are produced using information and communication technologies, and dynamic mapping systems have been designed to take advantage of the processing and visualizing capabilities of new media applications. In the context of the knowledge-based economy, many economists and public policy analysts want to capture, visualize and understand the composition, characteristics and dynamics of services sector businesses, conglomerations and markets in both macro- and microeconomic dimensions (Cunningham, Hearn, Cox, Ninan, & Keane, 2003). The interrelationships and blurring boundaries between suppliers, producers, distributors and consumers, as well as cooperating and competing enterprises, have traditionally been illustrated by mapping them onto horizontal and vertical value chains and by notions of economies of scale and economies of scope. Ownership, power and shareholder dependencies have been visualized by mapping certain actors in the market to nodes, boxes, squares and lines in fl ow charts, network graphs and statistical diagrams. As this discussion suggests, there is much more to maps than their material and cartographic forms.