Brand identity-driven decision making by journalists and media managers — The MBAC model as a theoretical framework

Commercialization of the media refers to the increasing importance of market considerations in the daily work of media professionals. Media organizations need to find ways to maintain the quality promise of their brands as an economically successful business. The increasing market orientation of media companies challenges their dedication to good journalism. The media brand identity approach is a good starting point from which to analyze this decision making in a commercialized and complex environment. By introducing the MBAC (“media, brands, actors, and communication”) model, a new approach is offered toward better theoretical understanding of brand identity-driven decision making. Responsibilities and tensions between the journalistic and the business side of news production are presented, and the complex environment in which decisions are made, implemented, and defended are elaborated on.