ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the topic of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in general and media social responsibility in particular, identifying which topics media enterprises stress as part of their online communications. Media ethical discourses on corporate behaviour are usually negatively connoted, focusing on misconduct. Particularities of media companies pinpoint the relevance of accountability and CSR to the industry. A corporation’s motives to engage in CSR are often subject to scrutiny. In literature, scholars distinguish between extrinsic and intrinsic motives for engaging in CSR initiatives. Communication is a central element of CSR, for it “requires the companies and its respective managers to connect and build favourable relationships with internal and external stakeholders”. The media occupy a central role in exposing misconduct, investigating reasons for political shifts and reporting about financial and economic crises all over the world, and the public relies on its stories for information and education.
