Page 93 - Critical Political Economy of the Media

72 Mapping approaches and themes

between networks. A ‘mass media’-oriented political economy tradition has
astigmatism along with problems of ageing. Yet a more fundamental critique is
that the communication problems CPE has addressed have been largely overcome
by changes in media, so as to render the critiques redundant and obsolete. In
particular scarcity of supply has been overcome through digitalisation. The
model of mass media provision, and its attendant concerns about control and
influence, is much less salient as communication resources have been distributed
throughout society. Central claims are that media and communications systems,
transformed by technological innovation, are progressing from scarcity to abun-
dance, from control to chaos, and from producer power to consumer power.
The rest of this book examines these claims in various ways and the attendant
gains and losses accompanying changes in media. Here I will just introduce and
summarise, drawing on Flew (2011) and other accounts, a model of change from
a paradigm of mass media to one of convergent media.

Table 1

Mass communications Convergent media
Media production Hierarchical/complex division New technologies (Web 2.0
of labour etc.) ‘give scope for
‘Critical role of media content individuals/small teams to be
gatekeepers and professionals’ producers, editors and
(Flew 2011) distributors of media content’
Media distribution Large-scale distribution Internet ‘dramatically lowers
High barriers to market entry barriers to entry based on
distribution’
Greater choice of media
outlets, content and services
Media power Asymmetrical power Greater empowerment of
relationship between users/audiences
producers and consumers Multiple communication flows
One-way communication flow Interactivity

Communication One-to-many Many-to-many
Predominant model mass Mix includes mass self-
communication communication (Castells 2009)
Media content Tendencies towards ‘Long tail’ economics;
standardisation and mass demassification, segmentation
appeal; content designed to and niche media content
maximise audiences; limited markets
scope for market segmentation
Producer/consumer Mostly impersonal, Personalisation
relationships anonymous and commoditised Driven by user communities
Audience as target and user-generated content
(UGC)