The author addresses the issue of the economics of media because understanding the characteristics provides pertinent insights into the behavior of this industry. In addition, the assessment of the economics of media reveals crucial information about the production, distribution, and consumption patterns of the media services and products. The other main argument of the article is that the field of media economics is interdisciplinary in nature. Therefore, future analysis should be outside the conventional approach and should incorporate political and cultural aspects. The author proposes that adopting the new approach will ensure that the field of media economics covers a wider spectrum that integrates economic, political, and cultural entities. Overall, the author focuses on the dynamics of media economics and its interdisciplinary nature.
The author makes his argument by first expounding the background, evolution, and dynamics of media economics as a field. Napoli notes that unlike other areas of economics, such as political economy, the media aspect has been marginalized, but in the recent past scholars have devoted considerable attention to this field. The author then uses examples to explain the dynamics of media economics. Napoli also illustrates that how USA media content is distributed across the world, making more money in foreign markets compared to domestic sales. Therefore, there is the need to understand different political and cultural aspects. Overall, examples are extensively employed to communicate different arguments.
The author states that the distinctive economic properties of the market that media industries operate in are crucial to understanding the behavioral patterns of the field. Therefore, what are some of these economic characteristics in the media field that scholars should focus on, and how should they be addressed?
Works Cited
Napoli, Philip M. “Media Economics and the Study of Media Industries.” Media Industries-History, Theory, and Method, edited by Teoksessa Holt, Jennifer and Alisa Perren. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, pp.161-170.