Integrity of the Media System: the Crossroads of Economics, Ethics, Culture and Trust

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to substantiate the concept of media system integrity as an interdisciplinary framework that synthesizes economic stability, ethical responsibility, cultural relevance, and public trust as key conditions for the sustainable functioning of the media in the context of digital transformation and informational vulnerability.

The research methodology is based on a multicomponent analytical approach that combines systems analysis with interdisciplinary synthesis, enabling the media to be viewed as an organized, interdependent structure capable of adaptation and internal regulation. This approach offers a profound understanding of the necessity to develop the integrity of media systems, which is essential for their stable functioning amid digital transformation and social challenges.

Results. The study found that one of the key characteristics of a media system is its integrity, which enables effective analysis across multiple levels – from individual media institutions (meso-level) to the national media ecosystem as a whole (macro-level). This integrity encompasses several interrelated dimensions: economic, ethical, cultural, and trust-related. Such an approach provides deeper insight into both the functioning of individual components and their interaction within the broader information infrastructure, where their integration ensures sustainability and adaptability.

The novelty of the study lies in the conceptualisation of media system integrity as a dynamic interdisciplinary construct that integrates economic, ethical, cultural, and trust dimensions into a unified analytical model. Within this framework, the study substantiates the relevance of incorporating the principles of transparency, autonomy, and pluralism as fundamental conditions for the development of a sustainable and responsible media infrastructure.

The practical significance lies in the analytical examination of media system functioning models in different countries, which enables the identification of structural prerequisites for the formation of a sustainable media infrastructure. This comparative perspective has made it possible to recognise the adaptive relevance of the principles of transparency, autonomy, and pluralism within the Ukrainian context, revealing the internal potential for institutional strengthening of the national media landscape.

Key words: media system, infrastructure, trust, ethics, culture, transparency, financial sustainability, pluralism.