A new publication by Marie Rathmann, Charlotte Spencer-Smith and Tobias Eberwein explores how public service media can approach the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence.Their article, “Public Value of AI: Ethical Guidelines in Public Service Media”, appears in the new special issue of Ethical Space (Vol. 23, Issues 2/3), “The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Professional Communication”, edited by Stephen J. A. Ward and Donald Matheson. The special issue brings together contributions from different fields of professional communication and examines the ethical foundations, practical challenges and emerging frameworks for AI use across a range of countries and contexts.

The authors examine how Public Value Theory can inform the governance of AI in public service media. Drawing on an analysis of 17 AI guidelines from public service media organisations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the article identifies five key dimensions for responsible AI governance: democratic accountability and legitimacy; transparency and explainability; diversity, inclusion and universal access; trust and credibility; and institutional responsibility and ethical governance. By combining conceptual reflection with empirical analysis, the article develops a public value framework for understanding and guiding the responsible use of AI in public service media. 

Reference: Rathmann, M., Spencer-Smith, C., & Eberwein, T. (2026). Public value of AI: Ethical guidelines in public service media. In S. J. A. Ward & D. Matheson (Eds.), The ethics of artificial intelligence in professional communication (pp. 149–170). Abramis Academic. 

Read the article and explore the special issue: 

Ethical Space, Vol. 23, Issues 2/3