The Business of Media 2/e

David Croteau taught about the sociology of media as an Associate Professor (retired) in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of Politics and the Class Divide: Working People and the Middle-Class Left and co-author, with William Hoynes, of Experience Sociology. William Hoynes is Professor of Sociology and former Director of the Media Studies Program at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he teaches courses on media, culture, and social theory. He is the author of Public Television for Sale: Media, the Market, and the Public Sphere and co-author, with David Croteau, of Experience Sociology.

Introduction: The New Media Industry and an Old Dilemma Part I. Profits and the Public Interest: Theoretical and Historical Context 1. Media, Markets, and the Public Sphere The Market Model The Public Sphere Model Why Media Are Different From Other Industries The Tradition of Civic Responsibility The Public Interest Conflicting Logics 2. The Rise and (De)Regulation of the Media Industry The Changing Business of Media and Regulation: The Case of ABC and Disney The Growth of Media The Evolution of Media Media Policy and the Public Interest Part II. Industry Structure and Corporate Strategy: Explaining the Rise of Media Conglomerates 3. The New Media Giants: Changing Industry Structure Making Sense of Mergers Structural Trends in the Media Industry Interpreting Structural Changes 4. Strategies of the New Media Giants The Case of Titanic Strategies of the New Media Giants Beyond Market Strategies: The Spector of Monopolies Conclusion Part III. Neglecting the Public Interest: Media Conglomerates and the Public Sphere 5. How Business Strategy Shapes Media Content Considering the Public Interest Homogenization and Imitation Trivialization and Sensationalism Media Constraint I: Commercial Interests Media Constraint II: Censorship and Conflicts of Interest Conclusion 6. How the Media Business Influences Society Social Influences Political Influence The Special Role of News Media Conclusion 7. Choosing the Future: Citizens, Policy, and the Public Interest Regulatory Policy and the Public Interest Media and Public Policy Public Policy and Public Broadcasting Journalism as a Profession Citizen Activism and Alternative Media The Limits of Media, The Importance of Media Appendix: Select Online Resources for Studying the Media Industry, Media Policy, and Media Education Notes