Media Economics (Concepts and Issues)

Author: Robert G. Picard, translated by Zhang Yali
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: This book combines relevant theories of economics with special phenomena in the media market. While analyzing the decision-making processes of market actors—producers, consumers, and the government—it also incorporates media case studies to explain media economic phenomena. The book examines the forces driving the media market, such as market competition, labor demand, producer decisions, and the market performance of media products, providing a deeper analysis of the economic underpinnings of media. The book consists of 18 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces general principles of the market economy, including needs and wants, distribution, the development of the market economy and its key principles, as well as media and the market. Chapter 2 explores the uniqueness of the media market, related issues, internal competition, intermedia competition, market structure, and market power. Chapter 3 primarily discusses utility methods in consumer choice and market response, including utility and price, indifference methods, consumer demand, and the issues among them. Chapter 4 covers producer choice and market response, focusing on cost, profit, and product supply in circulation and distribution economics, as well as the convergence of producers and consumers and the supply issues of media products. Chapter 5 primarily introduces the relevant issues of market behavior and media behavior under different market structures. Chapter 6 explores the connection between media performance and capital markets. Chapter 7 incorporates government factors into the discussion of relevant issues while considering the operation of the media economy. Chapter 8 primarily discusses the supply and price of labor markets closely related to the media market. The book is suitable for a wide range of readers, including undergraduate and graduate students, as well as MBA students in media management programs at journalism and communication schools and business schools across various regions. It can help economic professionals deepen their understanding of media development and operation, while also enabling media practitioners to re-examine media from an economic perspective. Additionally, it serves as a reference for self-taught social learners interested in media development.