This work employs business concepts and analyses to explore the operational activities of media firms and the forces and issues affecting them.

The media of Western Europe and the US are for the most part capitalist ventures, operated by private parties for the purpose of generating profit, and are thus subject to the operational principles of the market system. Even non profit orientated media - such as public broadcasting - are influenced.

In this newly revised book, Harold L. Vogel examines the business economics of the major entertainment enterprises: movies, music, television programming, broadcasting, cable, casino gambling and wagering, publishing, performing arts, sports, theme parks, and toys and games. The seventh edition has been further revised and broadened and differs from its predecessors by restructuring and repositioning the previous Internet chapter, including new material on the economics of networks and advertising, adding a new section on policy implications, and further expanding the section on recent theoretical work pertaining to box-office behaviour. The result is a comprehensive up-to-date reference guide on the economics, financing, production, and marketing of entertainment in the United States and overseas. Investors, business executives, accountants, lawyers, arts administrators, and general readers will find that the book offers an invaluable guide to how entertainment industries operate.

`This book provides an extremely well written and informative introduction to the subject of media economics, characterized by clarity in the explanation of concepts or frameworks and by a balanced discussion for the respective positions in areas of debate' - Paul MacDonald, Roehampton Institute Understanding Media Economics provides a clear, precise introduction to the key economic concepts and issues affecting the media. The book: explains the fundamental concepts relevant to the study of media economics; considers the key industrial questions facing the media industries today; relates economic theory to business practice; covers a wide range of media activity - advertising, television, film, print media, and new media; and looks at the impact of economics on public policy. Understanding Media Economics offers a stimulating perspective on the contemporary media environment. This book will be an essential purchase for all students of the media and mass communication.

This comprehensive Handbook provides a synthesis of current work and research in media management and economics. The volume has been developed around two primary objectives: assessing the state of knowledge for the key topics in the media management and economics fields; and establishing the research agenda in these areas, ultimately pushing the field in new directions. The Handbook's chapters are organized into parts addressing the theoretical components, key issues, analytical tools, and future directions for research. Each chapter offers the current state of theory and scholarship of a specific area of study, and the volume contributors--all well established in their areas of specialty--represent domestic and international scholarship. With its unparalleled breadth of content from expert authors, the Handbook provides background knowledge of the various theoretical dimensions and historical paradigms, and establishes the direction for the next phases of research in this growing arena of study. The Handbook of Media Management and Economics will serve to stimulate future thought and research in the media management and economics disciplines. As such, this volume will be a required reference for students, professors, and industry practitioners for years to come.

Media Economics: Theory and Practice focuses on the basic principles of economics in the business sector and applies them to contemporary media industries. This text examines the process of media economics decision making through an exploration of key topics, such as industrial restructuring, regulatory constraints upon media operations, and changing economic value, providing key insights into media business activities. With the structure and value of media industries changing rapidly and sometimes dramatically, this text moves beyond a basic documentation of historical patterns to help readers understand the mechanics of change, offering insight into the processes reproducing contemporary trends in media economics. Thoroughly updated in this third edition, Media Economics focuses on the primary concerns of media economics, the techniques of economic and business analysis, and the overall characteristics of the media environment; and explores contemporary business practices within specific media industries, including newspaper, magazine, television, cable, movie, radio advertising, music, and online industries. New for this edition are chapters on the advertising, book publishing, and magazine publishing industries. Chapters contributed by expert scholars and researchers provide substantial discussions of the crucial topics and issues in the media industry sectors, and emphasize both domestic and international businesses. Offering a thorough examination of the economic factors and forces concerning the media industries, Media Economics is appropriate for use as a course text for advanced media management and economics students. It also serves as an indispensable reference for scholars and researchers in media business arenas.