Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.76> Article
Research Article

The Impact of Digital Transformation on Traditional Media

Zhen DouIndiana University Bloomington*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Amid the relentless rise of algorithmic platforms and on-demand cultures, traditional media confront simultaneous erosion of their audiences, advertisers, and century-old business architectures. This paper interrogates that crisis through a systematic review of current scholarship and market evidence, tracing how user migration to personalised social video (e.g., TikTok) and subscription streaming has accelerated after COVID-19, and how targeted, data-rich digital advertising has drained legacy revenue pools. Against this backdrop, the study distils best-practice responses from incumbent giants—Disney’s vertically integrated streaming stack built on Fox assets and original IP, Warner Bros.’ hybrid HBO Max strategy balancing exclusivity and syndication, and transnational experiments in cultural adaptation across China’s mobile-first entertainment economy. Four strategic imperatives emerge: (1) re-platforming content via proprietary or partnered streaming channels; (2) co-financing and co-producing originals with global platforms to share risk and reach; (3) deploying AI recommendation engines, VR/AR immersion, and voice interfaces to deepen engagement; and (4) granular localisation of narratives, formats, and pricing to unlock emerging-market middle-class demand. These moves, however, must negotiate entrenched cultural preferences and ferocious local competition. The paper concludes that survival is contingent on treating digital transformation not as an episodic upgrade but as an open-ended process of technological, organisational, and cultural reinvention.

Keywords: digital transformation; traditional media; streaming platforms; content localisation; emerging markets
Published: August 27, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.LC26366
Volume: CHR Vol.76
pp. 68-72
Download PDF

References

  1. Granados, N. F., & Zwagerman, A. (2020). The MEDIA Report: Media & Entertainment Data In America 2015 to 2020 – COVID-Adjusted Industry Landscape (Working Paper No. GCAR-A009). Pepperdine University, Institute for Entertainment, Media, Sports, and Culture. https: //doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.55755
  2. Chan-Olmsted, S., & Wang, R. (2020). Understanding podcast users: Consumption motives and behaviors. New Media & Society, 24(3), 684–704. https: //doi.org/10.1177/1461444820963776
  3. Gao, Y. (2024). Film as a form of cultural medium: Trends of the film industry. WEP Warwick Evans Publishing Transactions on Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 11, 367–373. https: //doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.55755
  4. Al-Quran, M. W. M. (2022). Traditional media versus social media: Challenges and opportunities. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 4(10), 145–160. ISSN: 2668-778X.
  5. Doyle, G. (2017). Digitisation and changing windowing strategies in the television industry: Negotiating new windows on the world. CREATe Working Paper Series. https: //doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.55755
  6. Firth, E. (2024). TikTok as Television: Navigating Algorithmic Entertainment in the Platform Era. Sapienza Università di Roma.
  7. Caliskan, A. (2021). Digital transformation of traditional marketing business model in new industry era. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 34(4), 1252–1273. https: //doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-02-2020-0084
  8. Flew, T., Ren, X., & Wang, Y. (2019). Creative industries in China: The digital turn. In A Research Agenda for Creative Industries (pp. 164–178). Edward Elgar Publishing.
  9. De Ritis, A., & Si, S. (2017). Media and entertainment industry: The world and China. Global Media and China, 1(4), 273–277. https: //doi.org/10.1177/2059436417695684