Reimagining Inclusion: Legacy Media, Diversity, and the Representation of Differences the Digital Age

The rapid expansion of global digital platforms and services (i.e., Netflix, Spotify, etc.) has profoundly altered the contemporary media landscape. While much scholarly attention has focused on the disruptive economic and technological impacts of these services and platforms, less has been said about how their (vocal) commitments to diversity, combined with the social demands for more inclusive representation, are shaping, challenging, and at times catalyzing change within legacy media institutions. Among these institutions, public service media (PSM) occupy a distinctive space as they hold a unique mandate to reflect and serve the full spectrum of society. However, their historical record on social and cultural inclusion is mixed, with critiques that they have often fallen short of providing meaningful visibility, voice, and participation for disadvantaged or underrepresented groups. In the digital age, these challenges have intensified. Not only are PSM responding to commercial pressures and new forms of audience segmentation, but they are also called upon to address intensified demands for representation, inclusion, and social cohesion.

This thematic issue invites scholars and practitioners to critically examine the role of legacy media in promoting social and cultural inclusion in the digital age, and the ways in which legacy media negotiate and enact the representation and inclusion of differences across a wide spectrum of social and cultural dimensions. We welcome contributions that interrogate how PSM diversity discourses, policies, and practices are evolving in response to the pressure of the market and society, and how these strategies contribute—or fail to contribute—to social and cultural inclusion. How are PSM reimagining their public service mission and adapting their organizational models to foster more inclusive representation and participation? How do their strategies compare to those of global, local, and/or regional streaming services? What lessons can be drawn for building more socially inclusive media systems worldwide? 

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