Can someone please tell me why the BBC gets "it" and is constantly on the innovative edge with coverage compared to the US media?
"To provide an insight into the exhaustive electoral exercise in the world’s largest democracy, the BBC’s India Election Train was flagged off from Safdarjung Station…Carrying a team of journalists working for its services in English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil and Bengali besides Burmese, Swahili, Arabic and other foreign languages, the BBC will investigate stories and take a look at personalities behind the Lok Sabha po lls. Its mission is to explore how the Indian economy can resuscitate the global economy during recession." From: http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/26/stories/2009042650591300.htm
I wonder if in part it has to do with the fact that the UK is more of a homogenous society with more agreed upon goals of what the media and journalism should do and how it should be funded? It’s inspiring and I want to learn more about why and how their business model works and how the US’ does not.
I do think the difference lies in the mentality of business really. Ultimately the only sustainable way to move the media business forward is to use visions as a driving force for the products, and not the profit margins. I know this is highly controversial in especially the US. Too much emphasis and focus on the numbers will dilute the progress of the companies. It seems to me that the New Growth Theory by Paul Romer should be a required reading for executives and managers in the media business. R&D in the media business has been shrinking constantly and driven too early by the need of business models and sustainability.