Since its founding in 1974, L’Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA) has undergone a profound shift in activities, developing from its role as the protector of the audiovisual heritage of France to the more dynamic role of manager of diverse media assets reaching a variety of audiences, including the general public. Today INA places great emphasis on its mission to enhance and communicate the value of its content to end users, and it supports these efforts through a range of economic models. This case study examines two divisions of the organization responsible for providing access to and monetizing the collection in different but complementary ways: the public website, www.ina.fr, which offers free access to the public while serving as a laboratory for experimentation with online revenue models; and Inamédiapro, an audiovisual licensing service for professionals. Both function as entrepreneurial efforts at the heart of this large not-for-profit organization. This case study examines them in light of the business models they employ, their focus on understanding users, and the necessary balance between generating revenue and fulfilling the broader missions of the organization.

 

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