Synopses & Reviews
The framework used for thinking about the mass media industry is excellent. The presentation of the material reflects the complexity of the mass media industry in a way that should be quite accessible to students, both conceptually and in terms of specific examples.
--Jane Downing, University of Missouri, Columbia
A basic or supplemental text for any Media/Society course offered in Media Studies or Journalism departments/programs or in Sociology departments.
A provocative, in-depth analysis of the changing media industry. Particular attention is paid to the tension between the media industry's insatiable quest for profits and a democratic society's need for a media system that serves the public interest. In Part I, the authors provide a framework and historical context for considering the media industry. Drawing from both social and economic theory, they develop two conceptual frameworks for analyzing and evaluating media: a market model and a public sphere model.
The market model enables us to understand the rationale for industry actions. Most popular commentary about the media industry begins from market model assumptions. The public sphere model introduces social issues by highlighting the public interest role of the mass media. This framework is especially useful in evaluating the influences of the media on society. Part II describes the major media industry trends, focusing on development in the last decade. Here Croteau and Hoynes explore issues and concerns from a market model perspective. Part III stresses the public sphere model, providing a critical analysis of the contemporary media business. The authors argue that, in its expansive pursuit of profits, thehighly concentrated media industry often fails to serve in the public interest.
Synopsis
The Business of Media focuses on the changing media industry and the tension between the media industry's insatiable quest for profits and a democratic society's need for a media system that serves the public interest. The book reviews the history of the industry and its evolving technologies; examines how the structure and business strategies of the industry are changing; and considers the potential influence the new media industry will have on society. It also looks at how policy and citizen action can help to create media that contribute to a more vibrant public sphere.
Synopsis
The Business of Media focuses on the changing media industry and the tension between the media industry's insatiable quest for profits and a democratic society's need for a media system that serves the public interest. The book reviews the history of the industry and its evolving technologies: examines how the structure and business strategies of the industry are changing; and considers the potential influence the new media industry will have on society. It also looks at how policy and citizen action can help to create media that contribute to a more vibrant public sphere. Contents: Introduction / Part One: Profits and the Public Interest: Theoretical and Historical Context / Media, Markets and the Public Sphere / The Rise and (De)Regulation of the Media Industry / Part Two: Industry Structure and Corporate Strategy: Explaining the Rise of Media Conglomerates / The New Media Giants / Strategies of the New Media Giants / Part Three: Neglecting the Public Interest: Media Conglomerates and the Public Sphere / How Business Strategy Shapes Media Content / How the Media Business Influences Society / Choosing the Future