Media theory in the European context

Structure of the chapter

Introduction: using theory

Media theory and European integration

Context: the theories of European integration and media development – some concepts

New institutionalism

Consociationalism

Federalism

Functionalism

‘Neofunctionalism’

Liberal intergovernmentalism

Debates on the EU theories of integration

Uncertainties and questions for the future media architecture in Europe

Market size and economies of scale

New regional and global corporate players

A bundle of counter criticisms

Theorising and the media

Media and communication theory

Approaches 1: Politics and policy: power, discourse and control

Approaches 2: Economic liberal materialism

Approaches 3: Social and political spheres: democracy

Approaches 4: Time, culture, history

Using theory with research methods

Critical review

Media theory milestones and contemporary debates

Media theory vs communication theory

Modernism vs post-modernism

Dominance vs pluralism theories

Complexity (chaos) theory, choice and the internet

The information society

The digital age or the digital society

Learning objectives

When you have completed this chapter you will be able to:

Reflect upon various theories about the European media which combine media and European integration.

Understand why theories and models are used to analyse the media.

Recognise that media theories are hotly debated by academics and are important for development of media policy-making because they relate to political judgements embedded in policy.

Identify a range of competing theories within a changing media landscape.

Themes

Below you will find a simple statement or series of statements around the six themes. They should not be read as a given fact. They are more like hypotheses (see Chapter 2) which need to be proved, discussed, debated and then used in your own analysis of the subject. The ideas and approaches in this book are always to be considered with an open mind, this is important in university study and is what makes it distinct from pre-university study.

Diversity of media

There are a variety of theories to explore the media in situ including the European context. Inside the EU the ‘media’ is associated with a diverse technology which is in the process of converging, but its diversity remains predominant even during a period of transition. The media too is a collection of organisations, both public and private, changing over time, and often functioning differently in different countries. These factors need debate and modelling to understand their importance.

Internal/external forces for change

In our analysis of the media we need to be aware of the internal media dynamic within the national industries but also mindful of the global, international, EU and even sub-national, local pressures that are pressing for change. This theme alerts us to this question and points to the internal, national dynamic and the external pressures driving change and the theoretical questions it creates. We need to consider this ‘new’ model in our theories of how media adapt.

Complexity of the media

In Europe, the distinction between public and private sector broadcasting is being blurred, with a mix of public and private finance being used to develop the ‘old’ media and the ‘new’. These ideas impact upon our theoretical as well as practical understanding of the media in Europe.

Multi-levels

Across the EU, media business and public broadcasting are reforming at global, national and local levels and at a quickening pace. No longer is the nation state the only level at which the media interacts. The levels are generally subsumed into the ‘globalisation’ debate, whereas on the ground it is local and global as well as European levels which are in play. This means we need to rethink our theoretical approaches in a multi-level way more than perhaps we did in the past.

European integrative environment

In the context of this book’s investigation, one theme has been of major interest: the Europeanisation of the media market. Europeanisation is both a private and a public sector concern and is political and economic and, in the long term, cultural. This theme alerts us to some of the ideas expressed by European integration theory and how they may impact upon EU policy concerns.

Cultural values

The media for most us is not just a technology or a business but a content-laden communicator of cultural and social values: in a word ‘content’. This theme reminds us throughout that the question of culture is ever-present in our analysis of the market place.

Essentials

Understanding the contemporary European media scene is complicated not only by the diverse nature of its performance and organisation but also by the many theories that surround the discipline. There are notable commentators, such as Siebert, Hallin and Mancini, McLuhan, Habermaas and Albert, and many more, who focus their attention directly on the media as a subject unto itself. Many other views spring from older more deeply held philosophical positions from Marx to Chomsky to Lyotard.

Equally, there is much to reflect on across the borders. There are the academic communities of the non-English-speaking nations of Europe let alone the new members of the EU in Central and Eastern Europe, plus the Anglo-Saxons, where differing political, social and cultural traditions of thought dominate. Equally, non-EU countries may well have different views on how communities and communication systems work in society.

Important too are the more scientific methods of data analysis which include the use of referred research methods such as audience sampling, comparative variables and consumer demand and economics. These are the lifeblood of market analysis and are used extensively by governments and media corporations alike.