Political Economy of Media Entrepreneurship

The rise in internet penetration and the growing number of digital device users have spurred a new wave of digital media entrepreneurship in India. In a media landscape dominated by corporate controlled mainstream news media that are susceptible to commercial and political pressures, some of these digital news media start-ups claim to offer news as a public service devoid of any corporate funding and profit-orientation. But how does the technology-aided public service news model work and what are its challenges? Using a case study of IndiaSpend, a not-for-profit digital news media start-up, this paper examines the public service news model. A critical analysis of the data collected through interviews and texts shows that IndiaSpend's business model reinforces hegemony as it is dependent on corporate funding and technology corporations. In the absence of public funding and government support, it is difficult to sustain such a model.