Handbook of Media Economics provides valuable information on a unique field that has its own theories, evidence, and policies. Understanding the media is important for society, and while new technologies are altering the media, they are also affecting our understanding of their economics. Chapters span the large scope of media economics, simultaneously offering in-depth analysis of particular topics, including the economics of why media are important, how media work (including financing sources, institutional settings, and regulation), what determines media content (including media bias), and the effects of new technologies. The volumes provide a powerful introduction for those interested in starting research in media economics. - Helps academic and non-academic economists understand recent rapid changes in theoretical and empirical advances, in structural empirical methods, and in the media industry's connection with the democratic process - Presents the only detailed summary of media economics that emphasizes political economy, merger policy, and competition policy - Pays special attention to the economic influences of the Internet, including developments in social media, user-generated content, and advertising, as well as the Internet's effects on newspapers, radio, and television

This essential guide to the critical study of the media economy in society teaches students how to critically analyse the political economy of communication and the media. The book introduces a variety of methods and topics, including the political economy of communication in capitalism, the political economy of media concentration, the political economy of advertising, the political economy of global media and transnational media corporations, class relations and working conditions in the capitalist media and communication industry, the political economy of the Internet and digital media, the information society and digital capitalism, the public sphere, Public Service Media, the Public Service Internet, and the political economy of media management. This will be an ideal textbook for a variety of courses relating to media and communication, including Media Economics; Political Economy of Communication; Media, Culture, and Society; Critical Media and Communication Studies; Media Sociology; Media Management; and Media Business Studies.

What is the network society? What effects does it have upon media, culture and politics? What are the competing forces in the network society, and how are they reshaping the world? The rise of the network society – the suffusion of much of the economy, culture and society with digital interconnectivity – is a development of immense significance. In this innovative book, Robert Hassan unpacks the dynamics of this new information order and shows how they have affected both the way media and politics are ‘played’, and how these are set to reshape and reorder our world. Using many of the current ideas in media theory, cultural studies and the politics of the newly evolving ‘networked civil society’, Hassan argues that the network society is steeped with contradictions and in a state of deep flux. This is a key text for undergraduate students in media studies, politics, cultural studies and sociology, and will be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand the network society and play a part in shaping it.

Examines the long-term developments for communication systems and the media industry Shows the structural changes of the media economy Authors are international renowned experts in the field

The handbook presents key contributions from scholars worldwide, providing a comprehensive exploration of current trends in media industries from diverse perspectives. Within the framework of understanding contemporary and future trajectories in media markets and industries, the volume delves into their influence on media organization and delivery, along with broader societal and market implications. Encompassing research at the crossroads of economics, management, political economy, and production studies, the handbook emphasizes the necessity for a robust interdisciplinary dialogue. Beyond scrutinizing present and forthcoming industry developments, the handbook addresses pivotal issues pertaining to media economics research methods and pedagogy. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and media professionals, providing insights into media economics as an academic field and delving into the multifaceted dynamics that shape the media landscape. Doing this, it contributes to the ongoing discourse on the evolving nature of media markets and their profound impact on society.

Understanding social media requires us to engage with the individual and collective meanings that diverse stakeholders and participants give to platforms. It also requires us to analyse how social media companies try to make profits, how and which labour creates this profit, who creates social media ideologies, and the conditions under which such ideologies emerge. In short, understanding social media means coming to grips with the relationship between culture and the economy. In this thorough study, Christian Fuchs, one of the leading analysts of the Internet and social media, delves deeply into the subject by applying the approach of cultural materialism to social media, offering readers theoretical concepts, contemporary examples, and proposed opportunities for political intervention. Culture and Economy in the Age of Social Media is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to understand culture and the economy in an era populated by social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google in the West and Weibo, Renren, and Baidu in the East. Updating the analysis of thinkers such as Raymond Williams, Karl Marx, Ferruccio Rossi-Landi, and Dallas W. Smythe for the 21st century, Fuchs presents a version of Marxist cultural theory and cultural materialism that allows us to critically understand social media’s influence on culture and the economy.

The Media Economy analyzes the media industries and its activities from macro to micro levels, using concepts and theories to demonstrate the role the media plays in the economy as a whole. Representing a rapidly changing and evolving environment, this text breaks new ground through its analysis from two unique perspectives: 1) Examining the media industries from a holistic perspective by analyzing how the media industries function across different levels of society (global, national, household, and individual); 2) Looking at the key forces (technology, globalization, regulation, and social aspects) constantly evolving and influencing the media industries. Building on the contributions of the original text, this Second Edition provides new references and current data to define and analyze today’s media markets. To understand the role of media in the global economy, the insights included here are crucial for media students and practitioners.

Handbook of Media Economics provides valuable information on a unique field that has its own theories, evidence, and policies. Understanding the media is important for society, and while new technologies are altering the media, they are also affecting our understanding of their economics. The book spans the large scope of media economics, simultaneously offering in-depth analysis of particular topics, including the economics of why media are important, how media work (including financing sources, institutional settings, and regulation), what determines media content (including media bias), and the effects of new technologies. The book provides a powerful introduction for those interested in starting research in media economics. Helps academic and non-academic economists understand recent rapid changes in theoretical and empirical advances, in structural empirical methods, and in the media industry's connection with the democratic processPresents the only detailed summary of media economics that emphasizes political economy, merger policy, and competition policyPays special attention to the economic influences of the Internet, including developments in social media, user-generated content, and advertising, as well as the Internet's effects on newspapers, radio, and television

The Media Economy analyzes the media industries and their activities from macro to micro levels, using concepts and theories to demonstrate the role the media plays in the economy as a whole. Representing a rapidly changing and evolving environment, this text breaks new ground through its analysis from two unique perspectives: examining the media industries from a holistic perspective by analyzing how the media industries function across different levels of society (global, national, household and individual) looking at the key forces (technology, globalization, regulation, and social aspects) constantly evolving and influencing the media industries. It includes examples from both developed and developing nations, as well as data and trends from these countries, offering a broad arena of study. Key features of this innovative text include: topics new to media economics texts, such as finance and investment, labor, and social aspects accessible discussion of complicated concepts and their application to media industries new directions for both theoretical and methodological areas. With the media industries in an ongoing state of change and transformation, The Media Economy offers new reference points for the field to consider when defining and analyzing media markets. It is essential reading for students and practitioners in media management and economics who need to understand the role of media in the global economy.

Referencing key contemporary debates on issues like surveillance, identity, the global financial crisis, the digital divide and Internet politics, Andrew White provides a critical intervention in discussions on the impact of the proliferation of digital media technologies on politics, the economy and social practices.