Maximizing co-creation with youth. Models of participation in content for social change in European Public Service Media

Abstract

This thesis explores how European Public Service Media (PSM) collaborate with young citizens to co-create content for social change. As digital transformation affects media, PSM are revising their strategies to involve youth in content production and distribution. Young people use these participatory practices to assert their rights and influence the public sphere. The study investigates how PSM and youth design, develop, and measure co-creation processes, focusing on the power dynamics between youth and media, shared values like democracy, and different participatory models. Three case studies (Norway’s NRK P3, Spain’s RTVE Playz, and Belgium’s VRT) are analyzed through content reviews and interviews with media professionals and social organizations. The research aims to provide a current understanding of co-creation practices in Europe, identifying the most effective approaches to promote youth participation and enhance social change.