My research touches the frontiers of media development in a time where many media organizations – old as well as new ones – struggle to make sense of their contingencies and figure out which direction to go. For this reason, actors in the field I research often ask for advice, feedback, and input. This can, obviously, challenge the position from which I conduct my research as it, potentially, brings my arms-length distance to the objects of study and the “objective” approach into question (to the extent that I accept the requests).
To ensure maximum transparency on this issue, I use this page to outline the principles I work from.
- My work is financed by Roskilde University; that is, in the final instance, by the Danish tax payers. I consider public dissemination of research-based knowledge a duty (and one I most often enjoy) as long as it does not obstruct my primary tasks: research and teaching.
- I own a consultancy firm. It has not made me rich. I am currently closing the firm.
- I sometimes apply for – and, in rarer instances, I actually receive – funding from foundations within the field I research. For example, both the Aller Foundation and Dagspressens Fond have supported some of my work. When this is the case, I state it explicitly in the resulting publications and here on my website. The source of the funding does not interfere with the independence of the research.
- I do not advise media companies on what to do. But I often discuss developments and trends with actors in the field, and I do occasionally collaborate with them on research projects.
- I hold stocks from a couple of companies that relate to my field of research (incl. Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft). Should conflicts of interest arise, the stocks in question will be sold immediately.
Data traces, security, privacy
To help secure the integrity of your personal data, I do not use trackers on this website. I do embed material from third-parties on a few pages and that enables some degree of data capture. However, the vast majority of the website should be “clean” as I have done what I can to block third-party elements. Even so, I must admit that I am much better at researching than at coding, so no promises.