DC10 – Public support for non-Public Service Media organisations

The University of Warsaw (UW), founded in 1816, is a public research university, the largest higher education establishment in Poland, and among the top 4% of the world’s best universities according to global ranks.

UW comprises 25 faculties and over 30 research units. It cooperates with over 1100 foreign entities and is a member of about 100 international associations and networks. At the European level, almost 300 European research projects have been implemented in the last two EU Framework programmes (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe), including 37 ERC grants, over 170 R&I projects and more than 50 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions.

The PhD position is located at the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies, where teaching and research are conducted both in media and communications and information/book studies. The successful candidate will be based at the Department of Media Systems, with experience in conducting cross-cultural research projects on Public Service Media (PSM) organisational transformation, adaptation and policies to support the PSM shifts in the Age of Platforms.   

The PhD project is titled: Public support for non-Public Service Media organisations.

The project seeks to investigate a wide range of organisational models beyond traditional Public Service Media delivery. The overall goal is to look at alternative forms for public interest content, focusing on social media, user-generated content and other media-like forms for public good, sustainability and social cohesion, something of potential value to draw on future scenarios and policy recommendations. On the surface, the project will explore both organisational (ownership, governance, transparency) and funding strategies alongside multilayered collaboration with the critical role of independent producers, community media, NGOs and others.

Among the salient questions to be addressed are:

• Which of these new providers are currently or should be funded, and on the basis of which criteria?
• Should they be regulated with traditional Public Service Media-regulation or just as media companies?
• How to understand the relation between public service values in general and actual activism?
• Where is the border between traditional public media values and activism? And, last but not least, how to evaluate their effectiveness? 

Methdologies could include qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed approaches as well as ethnography (via visits, joint training and PhD secondments):

• Extensive desk research and mapping of Public Interest Media research, with the specific focus on organisational change and funding models;
• Fieldwork consisting of expert interviews, complemented by ethnography and/or on-site participatory observations at public media institutions;
• Data analysis and comparative case study analyses;
• Scenario-building and drawing on policy recommendations.

The position requires relocation to Poland as the candidate will be enrolled in the University of Warsaw’s PhD programme. The project is conducted under the supervision of Michał Głowacki, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies, University of Warsaw, and Sergio Sparviero, Associate Professor at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS). It will involve close collaboration with other Doctoral Candidates in the RePIM doctoral Network Project, and an academic secondment of approximately 2 months at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria. The candidate will also carry out 3-month internship at the JournalismFundEurope in Belgium.

The PhD position is part of RePIM – Revisioning Public Interest Media, a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Doctoral Network dedicated to reimagining the role and future of public interest media in a data-driven, platform-dominated environment. RePIM brings together leading European universities, industry partners, and 12 Doctoral Candidates in an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral training and research programme. The network investigates how public interest media can remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful by transforming how content is produced, packaged, distributed, and supported organisationally and technologically. Through its focus on strategic innovation, organisational change, and media management, RePIM equips its doctoral researchers with advanced analytical and managerial skills to help reshape public interest media across diverse European contexts.

MSCA eligibility requirements

• At the time of recruitment, candidates must not already hold a doctoral degree.
• Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. However, researchers must not have lived or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host country (in this case: Poland) for more than 12 months within the 36 months immediately preceding their recruitment date. Candidates must be willing to move to Poland for the duration of the PhD research.

Project-specific profile requirements

• Eligible candidates should have a background in the social sciences, with a Master’s degree in media and communication sciences, political science, sociology, law, or business and administration studies.
• A background in the media industries, media economy and/or the organisational studies from a comparative perspective will be an advantage.
• The candidate should be proficient in qualitative and quantitative methods such as research interviews, fieldwork, ethnographic studies, document analysis, content analysis, or computational methods.
• Candidates should be proficient in English.
• Strong team orientation and willingness to engage in international mobility schemes and practices, as highlighted in the key goals of RePIM collaborations.

In this role, you will work with researchers at two prominent European institutions in media and communication research. You will collaborate closely with other researchers in a European consortium of leading studies institutes in the field, as well as conduct an industrial secondment with a relevant organisation in your field of research.

The planned starting date is 1 May 2026.

We offer an attractive compensation and benefits package, including the following:

• A full-time position 36 months in the Doctoral School of Social Sciences.
• A competitive gross monthly salary of €2,285 plus a mobility allowance of €710, and a family allowance of €660 (only if applicable).
• International mobility for academic secondment (at PLUS, Austria) and industry internship at JournalismFundEurope (Brussels, Belgium).
• Interdisciplinary research environment, working alongside an experienced team of researchers and engage with extensive networks across Polish and international media industries, policymakers, and NGOs.
• Professional development: Enjoy a wide range of training opportunities and take part in international workshops and conferences.
• Access to facilities and support: Benefit from insurance and medical care, a fully equipped research office, technical and software resources, the University of Warsaw library, sports facilities. Other useful information and benefits.
• Support and guidance by an experienced team of academic supervisors and senior researchers.
• A dynamic and stimulating work environment with enterprising young scientists and experienced senior research staff in an international setting.

Applications are now closed.

Application process:

• Step 1: initial selection based on application file
• Step 2: first round of interviews with long-listed candidates (est. February–March 2026)
• Step 3: second round of interviews with short-listed candidates (March 2026)
• Starting date: est. 1 May 2026.