ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, several news organizations in both the public and private sectors have launched “media labs” to respond to technological, communication, and business changes with the aim of fostering innovation. These units embrace interdisciplinary experimentation, focusing on the development of digital tools and narrative formats, usually involving novel applications of software or data, seeking new revenue opportunities, and often increasing audience engagement. The labs’ role as drivers of innovation within their own media companies is explored with case studies in Austria, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Most media labs’ innovation strategies stem from the idea that they must provide new ways to improve processes and products as well as increase the value of the news brand itself. A relevant challenge for these labs is to further spread their innovation beyond the media sector to society, extending their achievements to the professional and academic environment and to the general population.
