Digital News Business Models in the Age of Industry 4.0: Digital Brazilian News Players Find in Technology New Ways to Bring Revenue and Competitive Advantage

Abstract

The news media industry is a sector that is greatly affected by technology and the rapid speed with which changes are taking place. Industry 4.0 is upon us and promising a smarter production that is digitally networked and built on data-intense models. However, fostering innovation inside the newsroom takes place with as many hindrances and bureaucratic obstacles as possible. To address how news outlets are adopting new approaches to sustain their business, we conducted fourteen (n = 14) in-depth interviews with leading actors of news organizations in Brazil, a leading country within the Global South with a complex national reality. Our study systematically analyzes qualitative data to present technology-driven, innovative business models and technologies that will be major players in the news industry’s future. Results indicated that organizations do not rely on a unique income source but combine different sustainable models of funding. By deploying technological assets in the news business, these outlets are capable of meeting the needs of audiences and better identifying customer segments, which brings a competitive advantage to these organizations. In summary, this research resulted in responsive knowledge sharing about digital journalism’s business model that is being implemented for the next revolution.