Critical Political Economy of the Media

Jonathan Hardy is Reader in Media Studies at the University of East London and teaches at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is the author of Western Media Systems (2008) and Cross-Media Promotion (2010).

"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

• 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 Bibliography