ABSTRACT

The broad range of studies that fall under the heading of “political economy of communication” has been growing and diversifying these past 50 years or so in much the sameway as political economy did from themid-19th century onward. Some researchers focus on mass media industry structures, emphasizing the effects of media ownership on political systems. For others, it is a study of various moments in what might be called the “commodity” cycle in mass media: production, distribution, exchange, and consumption. For most, it is only one or two of these moments, with production processes being largely ignored. Some approaches emphasize content, others technology. Some emphasize various aspects of social structure, others individual agency.