Global Entertainment Media

A critical cultural materialist introduction to the study of global entertainment media. In Global Entertainment Media, Tanner Mirrlees undertakes an analysis of the ownership, production, distribution, marketing, exhibition and consumption of global films and television shows, with an eye to political economy and cultural studies. Among other topics, Mirrlees examines: Paradigms of global entertainment media such as cultural imperialism and cultural globalization. The business of entertainment media: the structure of capitalist culture/creative industries (financers, producers, distributors and exhibitors) and trends in the global political economy of entertainment media. The "governance" of global entertainment media: state and inter-state media and cultural policies and regulations that govern the production, distribution and exhibition of entertainment media and enable or impede its cross-border flow. The new international division of cultural labor (NICL): the cross-border production of entertainment by cultural workers in asymmetrically interdependent media capitals, and economic and cultural concerns surrounding runaway productions and co-productions. The economic motivations and textual design features of globally popular entertainment forms such as blockbuster event films, TV formats, glocalized lifestyle brands and synergistic media. The cross-cultural reception and effects of TV shows and films. The World Wide Web, digitization and convergence culture.

Elevates global entertainment to an area of worthy media study that was previously reserved for global news and takes a worldwide approach, encompassing Nigeria, Egypt, Brazil, and India - in addition to the more high-profile, heavily researched areas of Europe and East Asia.

This new book offers an insightful guide into the complex tapestry of global entertainment media markets. It features analyses and case studies from leading international media scholars, who explore the causes and effects of globalization upon this ever-evolving industry. There are still opposing and restraining forces to globalization processes taking place in media, and the global mediascape comprises international, regional and local markets, and global and local players, which in recent years have evolved at an uneven pace. By analyzing similarities and differences in a landscape where driving forces of globalization meet locally situated audiences and institutions, this volume unveils a complex, contested space comprising global and local players, whose success is determined by both their national and international dimensions. It guides its readers to the geographical and intellectual exploration of the international media landscape, analyzing the global and local media players and their modus operandi. Editor Paolo Sigismondi’s insightful, engaging collection presents a compelling and novel approach to the analysis of global entertainment media. World Entertainment Media: Global, Regional and Local Perspectives is an ideal starting point for students and practitioners alike looking to build a solid understanding of the global mediascape, and a great resource for instructors and scholars in global media entertainment.

This book identifies and analyses the main socio-economic trends that characterize Vivendi, the French mass media conglomerate, and explores how they have oriented its development and evolution. Philippe Bouquillion explores the industrial, financial, globalization and public policy issues in the various sectors in which Vivendi is involved, paying particular attention to recorded music, pay television, publishing, video games, advertising and telecommunications. He examines Vivendi’s role as a key global player in the entertainment and cultural industries as a result of its established position as world number one in recorded music via Universal Music Group. He also highlights Vivendi’s involvement in various national markets, including their notable strategies in African markets and their significance in the telecommunications and television markets in Italy. This book will be of interest to students, scholars and researchers of global media, media and cultural industries, and political economy.

In this volume, Paolo Sigismondi explores the dynamics of global media and entertainment, specifically analyzing the implications of the global rise of non-scripted entertainment (as reality TV programs) and the impact and consequences of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution on the content, delivery platforms, and overall business models of the media and entertainment landscape. This work aims at bridging the gap between media theories and industry practices in a rapidly evolving global mediascape, building on scholarship in the field and enriched by case studies and insights from business practice. This work demonstrates that the paradigms of the landscape are shifting, introducing the digital “glocalization” of entertainment, through which successful media crossing national and cultural borders incorporate both global and local features. Key questions raised include: Is the ICT revolution an example of disruptive technology for the global media and entertainment industry? Is the existing status quo challenged, and in, particular Hollywood’s global leadership? What are the global entities emerging as Hollywood’s main competitors in this technologically evolving landscape? Sigismondi argues that as new players are entering the field, new threats to Hollywood’s dominance are emerging. The global leaders in non-scripted entertainment, for example, are European-based global entities operating outside the Hollywood system. Meanwhile, the ICT revolution is modifying the contours and boundaries of the global mediascape. Sigismondi’s approach provides unique insight into how the forces of technology and globalization are transforming television, cinema, and online entertainment.

Balancing provocative criticism with clear explanations of complex ideas, this student-friendly introduction investigates the crucial role global entertainment media has played in the emergence of transitional capitalism. Examines the influence of global entertainment media on the emergence of transnational capitalism, providing a framework for explaining and understanding world culture as part of changing class relations and media practices Uses action adventure movies to demonstrate the complex relationship between international media political economy, entertainment content, global culture, and cultural hegemony Draws on examples of public and community media in Venezuela and Latin America to illustrate the relations between government policies, media structures, public access to media, and media content Engagingly written with crisp and controversial commentary to both inform and entertain readers Includes student-friendly features such as fully-integrated call out boxes with definitions of terms and concepts, and lists and summaries of transnational entertainment media

From the growth in merchandising and product placement to the rise of the movie franchise, branding has become central to the modern blockbuster economy. In a wide-ranging analysis focusing on companies such as Disney, Dolby, Paramount, New Line and, in particular, Warner Bros., Brand Hollywood provides the first sustained examination of the will-to-brand in the contemporary movie business. Outlining changes in the marketing and media environment during the 1990s and 2000s, Paul Grainge explores how the logic of branding has propelled specific kinds of approach to the status and selling of film. Analyzing the practice of branding, the poetics of corporate logos, and the industrial politics surrounding the development of branded texts, properties and spaces - including franchises ranging from Looney Tunes to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to The Matrix - Grainge considers the relation of branding to the emergent principle of ‘total entertainment’. Employing an interdisciplinary method drawn from film studies, cultural studies and advertising and media studies, Brand Hollywood demonstrates the complexities of selling entertainment in the global media moment, providing a fresh and engaging perspective on branding’s significance for commercial film and the industrial culture from which it is produced.

How the transformation of social media platforms and user-experience have redefined the entertainment industry In a little over a decade, competing social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, have given rise to a new creative industry: social media entertainment. Operating at the intersection of the entertainment and interactivity, communication and content industries, social media entertainment creators have harnessed these platforms to generate new kinds of content separate from the century-long model of intellectual property control in the traditional entertainment industry. Social media entertainment has expanded rapidly and the traditional entertainment industry has been forced to cede significant power and influence to content creators, their fans, and subscribers. Digital platforms have created a natural market for embedded advertising, changing the worlds of marketing and communication in their wake. Combined, these factors have produced new, radically shifting demands on the entertainment industry, posing new challenges for screen regimes, media scholars, industry professionals, content creators, and audiences alike. Stuart Cunningham and David Craig chronicle the rise of social media entertainment and its impact on media consumption and production. A massive, industry-defining study with insight from over 100 industry insiders, Social Media Entertainment explores the latest transformations in the entertainment industry in this time of digital disruption.