Introduction: Digitisation and Democracy

Digitisation has revolutionised media production and use. Podcasts enable audio creators to reach a mass audience easily, which was not possible before. They create competition with public, free and commercial radio.

Podcasts have broken down a critical barrier: Now everyone has the opportunity to produce and publish their own content, and add new perspectives to the political debate.

At the same time, conspiracy theories and hate speech can be broadcast unfiltered to the world. Spreaders of fake news portray themselves as victims of the media. They attack professional journalism and undermine basic democratic values such as diversity of opinion and readiness to compromise.