Södertörn University in Sweden has launched a new research and knowledge hub dedicated to studying the role and future of public service media in a rapidly changing digital and political landscape. The Knowledge Center for Public Service Media (K-pub) will focus on the challenges and transformations affecting public broadcasters across Sweden, Eastern Europe, and the Baltic region.
K-pub is a response to the profound shifts brought by digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and increasing geopolitical tension. The centre will serve as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting researchers, policymakers, and media professionals.
The centre will formally launch on 5 May 2025, during a symposium at Södertörn University, gathering international scholars and representatives from Sweden’s public service broadcasters.
The centre’s website is already live at www.sh.se/kpub.
“Public service media are under pressure economically, politically, and technologically”, says Fredrik Stiernstedt, Professor of Media and Communication Studies and Director of the centre. “With this as a starting point, K-pub aims to stimulate research and disseminate knowledge to support evidence-based policy and informed development. In 2025, our goal is to establish a strong network of Nordic and European scholars engaged in research on public service media”.
K-pub will focus on building infrastructure for knowledge-sharing, supporting research projects on the future of public service media in Sweden and internationally, and facilitating dialogue across sectors. The centre is funded by the research environment Digital Vulnerability in Automated Welfare: Infrastructures, Citizens’ Experiences and Public Value, and the research platform on Digital Transformations at Södertörn University.
In addition to Stiernstedt, the research centre is currently run by researchers in media, communication science, and journalism at Södertörn University: Göran Bolin, Anne Kaun, Maria Kyriakidou, and Kristina Riegert.
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