Dr. Paula Miraglia, Publisher of Gama Revista and Founder of the Journalism & Tech Task Force (Brazil)

“Revisiting the Media Industry’s Relationship with Big Tech: Perspectives from the Brazilian Market”. Organized by Francisco Belda, São Paulo State University (UNESP).

Around the world, media organizations are facing multiple challenges linked to business models, changing consumer behavior, trust, and its relationship with technology, among many others. Although technology has always held an important place in the establishment and development of media organizations, the current relation between big tech platforms and the journalism ecosystem is characterized by unprecedented dependence and it is becoming increasingly a topic of concern. This relationship that is also defined by a great asymmetry of power. On one side are some of the most powerful companies in the world, and on the other an industry which is fighting to survive, has lost economic relevance and innovation capacity. Models of distribution, growth and revenue that once worked are no longer the answer and, apart from specific successful cases, journalism has not figured out new sustainable business models.

This session will discuss ways forward. Are licensing deals enough or do we need to talk about a new vision for the industry that gives us more agency when facing tech innovations?

Paula Miraglia is a media entrepreneur and advocate. She is the co-founder, director general and publisher of Gama Revista and the founder of the Journalism & Tech Task Force, a global initiative based in Brazil, funded by the International Fund for Public Interest Media. She also co-founded and directed for eight years Nexo Jornal. Ms Miraglia holds a Doctorate in Social Anthropology from the University of São Paulo, where she also completed her master’s and BA in Social Sciences. She is a Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia University. Ms Miraglia sits on the boards of the Center for News, Technology and Innovation, the International Press Institute, the Peregum Black Reference Institute and the Brazilian Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services/BPBES.