DC8 – Developing and transforming sustainability requirements for Public Interest Media

The Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) is the largest educational institution in the Salzburg region, with more than 18,000 students and around 2,800 staff in research, teaching, and administration. Since its re-establishment in 1962, the University has evolved into a modern, vibrant institution whose six faculties—Theology, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Digital and Analytical Sciences, Natural and Life Sciences as well as Law, Business and Economics —meet the highest standards of teaching and research.

Situated in Salzburg, a city renowned for its cultural heritage, artistic vitality, and exceptional natural setting, PLUS offers an inspiring environment where academic excellence and quality of life are harmoniously integrated. The city’s international atmosphere fosters creativity, openness, and interdisciplinary exchange.

The PhD position is located in the division communication policy and media economics within the department of communication studies, where research examines how media organisations create value, are financed and regulated, and how these processes shape democratic communication, technological change, and media quality.

The PhD project is titled: Developing and transforming sustainability requirements for Public Interest Media.

The PhD project investigates how Public Interest Media integrate sustainability into their organisational structures, policies, and production processes, and how these orientations influence decisions on content and distribution. It explores the intersection between sustainability, corporate responsibility, and media policy, analysing both internal governance and the wider contribution of media organisations to social and environmental goals.

Public Interest Media—generally speaking, private non-profit and public service organisations—are central to democratic communication. They provide citizens with trustworthy information, cultural diversity, and opportunities for participation, while facing increasing pressures from technological transformation, market competition, and changing societal expectations. Benefiting from comparatively high levels of public trust, these media possess a unique capacity to influence public attitudes and behaviours. By informing and engaging audiences, they can raise awareness of ecological, social, and economic challenges and thus play a pivotal role in helping societies achieve their sustainability goals. In this sense, sustainability emerges as a multidimensional concept encompassing responsibilities toward society, the environment, and future generations.

Theoretically, the project builds on the distinction between Sustainability—understood as a set of terminal values such as equality, harmony, and self-determination—and Sustainable Development—the more practical processes and strategies that aim to realise these values. It examines how Public Interest Media interpret and prioritise these two concepts, identifying the diverse values, worldviews, and organisational cultures that underpin their understanding. Hence, the project generates knowledge on how different media organisations translate abstract visions and principles of sustainability and sustainable development into concrete practices.

Empirically, the research examines organisational strategies and frameworks that promote sustainability within Public Interest Media, paying particular attention to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies, governance mechanisms, and initiatives advancing social inclusion, environmental responsibility, and ethical accountability. It also investigates how these organisational commitments are reflected in media content, analysing how sustainability values influence editorial decisions, reporting practices, and production processes.

Methodologically, the project adopts a qualitative and mixed-methods design. A comprehensive literature review will establish the theoretical and conceptual foundations of sustainability, sustainable development, and news media framing of these concepts. Qualitative content and thematic analyses — supported where appropriate by Artificial Intelligence tools — will be applied to organisational reports and media outputs to examine how sustainability and CSR-related discourses are articulated. Expert interviews with media professionals, policymakers, and sustainability officers will complement these analyses, offering insights into institutional interpretations of sustainability and the values that guide them.

Expected outcomes include a categorisation of Public Interest Media outlets based on their sustainability views and approaches, an analysis of organisational strategies and CSR frameworks, and a conceptual model explaining how value orientations influence news content and sustainable transformation. Ultimately, the project aims to offer both scholarly and practical contributions to aligning media governance with the universal values of sustainability and the broader goals of sustainable development.

The candidate will be enrolled in the PhD programme at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS). The project is conducted under the supervision of Sergio Sparviero, Associate Professor at PLUS, and Tim Raats, Associate Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. It will involve close collaboration with other Doctoral Candidates in the RePIM doctoral Network Project, and an academic secondment of approximately 2 months at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. The candidate will also carry out 3-month internship at Mediahuis (Brussels), a European multinational media company with activities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Germany.

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: Austria) for more than 12 months within the 36 months immediately preceding their recruitment date. Candidates must be willing to move to Austria for the duration of the PhD research.

Project-specific profile requirements

• Applicants are expected to hold a Master’s degree in Communication Science or a closely related discipline within the social sciences. A strong academic background in journalism, media industries and/or political economy of communication is desirable, particularly where it demonstrates familiarity with the economic, organisational, and policy dimensions of media systems.
• Professional experience in the media sector is considered an asset. This may include administrative or journalistic work within news media organisations, or involvement in executive or advisory positions related to the development and implementation of Corporate or Social Responsibility strategies for media companies or other communication-related institutions.
• Candidates should demonstrate methodological proficiency relevant to the project’s aims, including familiarity with qualitative research methods such as content analysis, thematic analysis, expert interviews, and, where applicable, the use of Artificial Intelligence–supported analytical tools.
• Academic proficiency in English, both written and spoken, is required for research, collaboration, and publication within an international environment. While knowledge of German is not mandatory, it is considered an advantage for engaging with local media contexts and institutional partners.
• Overall, the successful candidate will combine solid theoretical preparation, applied research skills, and a keen interest in the role of media in advancing sustainability.

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 international 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 employment contract as project staff for 36 months.
• A gross salary of €3,826 (with a 3% increase every 12 months), paid 14 times per year, a mobility allowance of €710, and a family allowance of €660 (only if applicable).
• A 40-hour work week.
• Five weeks of holiday per year.
• The opportunity to join one of the thematic doctoral schools, which meets regularly to exchange experiences and learn contemporary academic skills from guest speakers. PhD students work in groups, participate in academic events (such as lunch talks) and collaborate with colleagues in their division.
• International mobility for academic secondment (at Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and industry internship at Mediahuis (Brussels).

Applications for this position closed on 31 January 2026, 23:59 CET.

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.