Abstract
Leona Achtenhagen (2008). Understanding Entrepreneurship in Traditional
Media, Journal of Media Business Studies 5(1):123-142.
Key Words: entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, magazines, Sweden
The phenomenon of media entrepreneurship is currently attracting increasing interest by
scholars and practitioners alike. However, most of this attention is devoted to
entrepreneurship within new media, while some of the traditional media industries--for
example print media--are believed to be the living dead without much future promise.
Nonetheless, sustainable entrepreneurial ventures do emerge in these traditional media
industries. These ventures demonstrate that new venture creation and survival in
traditional media industries is in fact possible and that the current scholarly focus on new
media entrepreneurial activities is too restrictive. This article conceptualizes and explores
the phenomenon of entrepreneurship in traditional media industries. Empirically, it is
based on the Swedish case of the company Latifeh, its magazine Gringo, and their further
(media) activities. Gringo and the team behind it have received massive media attention
as well as several prizes for their innovativeness, and stirred up the emotions of many
people. A number of propositions are derived from the case, which can serve as a starting
point of future empirical work on media entrepreneurship in traditional industries. In
addition, these propositions can serve as practical guiding lights for (potential) media
entrepreneurs.
Leona Achtenhagen (2008). Understanding Entrepreneurship in Traditional
Media, Journal of Media Business Studies 5(1):123-142.
Key Words: entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, magazines, Sweden
The phenomenon of media entrepreneurship is currently attracting increasing interest by
scholars and practitioners alike. However, most of this attention is devoted to
entrepreneurship within new media, while some of the traditional media industries--for
example print media--are believed to be the living dead without much future promise.
Nonetheless, sustainable entrepreneurial ventures do emerge in these traditional media
industries. These ventures demonstrate that new venture creation and survival in
traditional media industries is in fact possible and that the current scholarly focus on new
media entrepreneurial activities is too restrictive. This article conceptualizes and explores
the phenomenon of entrepreneurship in traditional media industries. Empirically, it is
based on the Swedish case of the company Latifeh, its magazine Gringo, and their further
(media) activities. Gringo and the team behind it have received massive media attention
as well as several prizes for their innovativeness, and stirred up the emotions of many
people. A number of propositions are derived from the case, which can serve as a starting
point of future empirical work on media entrepreneurship in traditional industries. In
addition, these propositions can serve as practical guiding lights for (potential) media
entrepreneurs.
