Media Economics : Understanding Markets, Industries, and Concepts

by Albarran, Alan B.

• ISBN13: 9780813821283
• ISBN10: 0813821282
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-05-01
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Summary

The impact of technology, government regulation and the growing global economy have all focused attention on the importance of the media, not only as information and entertainment resources, but also as economic entities. Students, professors and media practitioners need an understanding of how economics - and economic concepts - impact media companies and industries. This is the goal of Media Economics: Understanding Markets, Industries and Concepts. Readers are first introduced to important terms and concepts used in explaining media economics in the opening chapters. Individual chapters that follow examine specific media industries, including radio, television, cable, premium cable/pay-per-view, motion pictures, audio and video recordings, newspapers, magazines and books. Among the topics explored are the market, the concentration and barriers to entry, the impact of regulation and technology, and the economic future of each industry. By understanding the economic activities of media industries, readers will better understand and appreciate the roles, functions and purposes of media in society.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction: Why the Study of Media Economics?	3	(8)
1. PRINCIPLES OF MEDIA ECONOMICS	11	(48)
Economic Concepts	13	(13)
Understanding the Market	26	(17)
Evaluating Media Markets	43	(16)
2. THE BROADCAST AND CABLE INDUSTRIES	59	(62)
The Radio Industry	61	(14)
The Television Industry	75	(15)
The Cable Television Industry	90	(16)
Premium Cable/Pay-per-View	106	(15)
3. THE FILM AND RECORDING INDUSTRIES	121	(28)
The Motion Picture Industry	123	(14)
The Recording Industry	137	(12)
4. THE PRINT INDUSTRIES	149	(38)
The Newspaper Industry	151	(13)
The Magazine Industry	164	(11)
The Book Industry	175	(12)
5. THE FUTURE OF MEDIA ECONOMICS RESEARCH	187	(10)
The Future of Media Economics Research	189	(8)
6. SUPPLEMENT	197	(2)
Appendix A. Reference Sources for Media Economics Research	199	(8)
Appendix B. Commonly Used Financial Ratios	207	(4)
Glossary	211	(6)
Index	217