Focusing on the growing power of transnational media corporations in an increasingly globalized environment for distribution of television content, and on the effects of mergers and acquisitions involving local and independent television production companies, this book examines how current and recent re-structurings in ownership across the television industry reflect changing business models, how they affect creativity and diversity of television output, and to what extent they call for new approaches to regulation and policy. Based on a major study of the UK production sector as a case study, it offers a unique analysis of wider transformations in ownership affecting the television production industry worldwide and of their economic, socio-cultural and policy implications.

Focusing on the growing power of transnational media corporations in an increasingly globalized environment for distribution of television content, and on the effects of mergers and acquisitions involving local and independent television production companies, this book examines how current and recent re-structurings in ownership across the television industry reflect changing business models, how they affect creativity and diversity of television output, and to what extent they call for new approaches to regulation and policy. Based on a major study of the UK production sector as a case study, it offers a unique analysis of wider transformations in ownership affecting the television production industry worldwide and of their economic, socio-cultural and policy implications.

"Expertly synthesizes economic theory and contemporary cases to both explain the structure of the contemporary media industry and shed insight on the significant challenges and controversies confronting the sector." - Lucy Kung, Oxford University and Jonkoping University "A wide-ranging, accessible introduction to media economics and their application to a broad range of media topics from advertising and business models to copyright, audience demand and public policy." - Chris Bilton, University of Warwick "An excellent textbook on media economics, which takes into account the full complexity of the subject matter in the context of structural, technological and creative transformations that characterise digital media." - Milan Todorovic, London Metropolitan University With the rapidly evolving digital media landscape, this second and completely revised edition of Understanding Media Economics moves beyond a sector-specific approach to media analysis, and instead focuses on the issues and imperatives that are now central to how economic forces impact on the media industries. Exploring themes such as innovation, digital multi-platform developments, the emerging importance of networks, branding and segmentation of market demand, strategies of risk-spreading, maximizing value within content, intermediation and rights management, corporate expansion and advertising, this book addresses and explains the key pressing questions and issues that are transforming contemporary media industries and markets. Gillian Doyle makes the economics of the media fascinating, compelling and easy to understand. This is essential reading for students of media economics, media management, media policy and courses across the cultural and creative industries.

The study of the mass media has flourished over recent decades. Whereas media and communications have traditionally been studied via the lens of sociology or other non-economic disciplines, the perspectives and frameworks offered by economics are now properly recognised as central to our understanding of the organization and behaviour of the mass media - a fact reflected in this unique collection. As more and more economists have turned their attention to media firms and industries, a rich and diverse body of literature has emerged. The articles drawn together in this volume present a survey of the papers that have contributed in important ways to this developing field of enquiry.

The digital revolution is transforming media and communications industries worldwide, and media companies are keen to emerge at the forefront of an increasingly transnational and competitive communications marketplace. However, the volume and scale of mergers and alliances involving media players has raised considerable challenges for regulators and state authorities alike. Media Ownership:

Drawing on interviews with leading film executives, politicians and industry stakeholders including all of the UKFC's chairs (Alan Parker, Stewart Till and Tim Bevan) and its CEO John Woodward, this book provides an empirically grounded analysis of the rise and unexpected fall of the UK Film Council, the key strategic body responsible for supporting film in the UK for over a decade. As well as offering a critical overview of the political, policy and technological contexts which framed the organisation's creation, existence and eventual demise, the book provides a probing analysis of the tensions between national and global interests in an increasingly transnational film industry, not least underlining how both US and EU interests and pressures have played themselves out.

"Expertly synthesizes economic theory and contemporary cases to both explain the structure of the contemporary media industry and shed insight on the significant challenges and controversies confronting the sector." - Lucy Kung, Oxford University and Jonkoping University "A wide-ranging, accessible introduction to media economics and their application to a broad range of media topics from advertising and business models to copyright, audience demand and public policy." - Chris Bilton, University of Warwick "An excellent textbook on media economics, which takes into account the full complexity of the subject matter in the context of structural, technological and creative transformations that characterise digital media." - Milan Todorovic, London Metropolitan University With the rapidly evolving digital media landscape, this second and completely revised edition of Understanding Media Economics moves beyond a sector-specific approach to media analysis, and instead focuses on the issues and imperatives that are now central to how economic forces impact on the media industries. Exploring themes such as innovation, digital multi-platform developments, the emerging importance of networks, branding and segmentation of market demand, strategies of risk-spreading, maximizing value within content, intermediation and rights management, corporate expansion and advertising, this book addresses and explains the key pressing questions and issues that are transforming contemporary media industries and markets. Gillian Doyle makes the economics of the media fascinating, compelling and easy to understand. This is essential reading for students of media economics, media management, media policy and courses across the cultural and creative industries.

The digital revolution is transforming media and communications industries worldwide, and media companies are keen to emerge at the forefront of an increasingly transnational and competitive communications marketplace. However, the volume and scale of mergers and alliances involving media players has raised considerable challenges for regulators and state authorities alike. Media Ownership: