[ecrea] Book Announcement: Critical Political Economy of the Media

I am pleased to announce my new book which I do hope may be of interest. 
Critical Political Economy of the Media: An Introduction is published by 
Routledge. With widespread appreciation of the need to investigate the 
political and economic dimensions of communications and resurgent 
interest in critical media studies this book seeks to offer a timely 
review. My book introduces and illustrates the critical political 
economy approach and contributes to its development.
Description: How the media are organised and funded is central to 
understanding their role in society. Critical Political Economy of the 
Media provides a clear, comprehensive and insightful introduction to the 
political economic analysis of contemporary media. Jonathan Hardy 
undertakes a critical survey of political economy scholarship 
encompassing worldwide literature, issues and debates, and relationships 
with other academic approaches. He assesses different ways of making 
sense of media convergence and digitalisation, media power and 
influence, and transformations across communication markets. Many of the 
problems of the media that prompted critical political economy research 
remain salient, he argues, but the approach must continue to adapt to 
new conditions and challenges. Hardy advances the case for a revitalised 
critical media studies for the 21st century.

Topics covered include:

    * media ownership and financing
    * news and entertainment
    * convergence and the Internet
    * media globalisation
    * advertising and media
    * alternative media
    * media policy and regulation

Introducing key concepts and research, this book explains how political 
economy can assist students, researchers and citizens to investigate and 
address vital questions about the media today.

Reviews

"Jonathan Hardy’s book deals in a highly astute manner with the 
question: How are the media shaped by and shaping capitalism and power 
structures? It is an excellent resource for scholars, students, 
activists and citizens who are interested in the critique of the 
political economy of the media and who want to understand what 
informational capitalism is doing to us and how we can politically 
resist it."
Christian Fuchs, Professor of Social Media, University of Westminster
"Questions about the arrogance of media owners, the pervasiveness of 
advertising and public relations, the failure of regulation, and the 
pressures on public cultural institutions, are once again rising to the 
top of the agenda for debate. Jonathan Hardy’s timely intervention 
provides an admirably clear and accessible introduction to a tradition 
of inquiry, critical political economy, that has always placed these 
issues centre-stage. Anyone seriously interested in unpicking the ways 
media are shaped by the shifting play of power between corporations, 
governments and civil society will find this book an indispensable guide."
Graham Murdock, Professor of Culture and Economy, Loughborough University
"The critical study of the political economy of the media has never been 
more important. Jonathan Hardy provides an excellent overview of this 
vital perspective in a book that should become a key text in media and 
communication studies."
Janet Wasko, Professor & Knight Chair in Communication Research, 
University of Oregon


Book Contents

Foreword James Curran
Part I: Mapping approaches and themes
1. What (is) political economy of the media?
2. Paradigms of media power: liberal and radical perspectives on media 
processes
3. Media cultures, media economics and media problems

Part II: Critical investigations in political economy
4. Concentration, conglomeration, commercialisation
5. Political economy of the Internet and digital media
6. Marketing communications and media
7. Globalisation, media transnationalisation and culture
8. Media convergence and communications regulation

Part III: Interventions and Change
9. Media power, challenges and alternatives

For book details and ordering please go to Routledge: 
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415544849/


Dr Jonathan Hardy BA MA PhD FHEA
Reader in Media Studies,
School of Arts and Digital Industries,
University of East London,
Docklands Campus
London E16 2RD

Tel: +44 (0)20 8223 6266
Fax: +44 (0)20 8223 7509
(j.hardy /at/ uel.ac.uk)

www.uel.ac.uk/adi



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