Regulation, Governance and Convergence in the Media

With digital technologies blurring media boundaries, this book provides a detailed analysis of how the Internet is producing a convergence of the press, audio-visual and online media. Based on extensive empirical analysis, the authors analyse over 25 years of changes to media forms and expose the reality behind the notion that media convergence is inevitable and inexorable. Peter Humphreys and Seamus Simpson break new ground through exploring a diverse range of topics at the heart of the media convergence governance debate, such as next generation networks, spectrum, copyright and media subsidies. They highlight how reluctance to accommodate non-market based policy solutions creates conflicts and problems resulting in only shallow media convergence thus far. Highly accessible, this book is a valuable read for undergraduate and masters students researching digital media and communications. With guidance on a series of policy directions and innovations that should be developed to fulfil the promise of media convergence, it is also a vital tool for media and communication practitioners and policy makers.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Part I The Context of Media Convergence 1. Media Convergence: Paths and Constructs Part II The Infrastructures of Media Convergence 2. Next Generation Networks: Providing a Sustainable Convergence Platform 3. The Future is (Still) Mobile: Spectrum Governance Issues in a Converging Media Environment 4. Access and Opportunity Online: the Debate on Internet Neutrality and Converging Media Part III Governing Content in Converging Media Environments 5. Copyright in an Era of Media Convergence 6. Regulating Media Concentration in a Converging Media Environment 7. Subsidies: Sustaining Public Service Communication in a Converging Media Environment Part IV Challenging the Impediments to Media Convergence 8. Conclusion: Governance, Policy and the Development of Media Convergence References Index

About the Author :
Peter Humphreys, formerly School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester and Seamus Simpson, University of Salford, UK

Review :
'This is an outstanding contribution to explaining some of the complex policy questions raised by digital convergence. Humphreys and Simpson draw on their extensive knowledge of international media systems to provide a stimulating, comprehensive and highly readable analysis of the content and infrastructure issues posed by a rapidly changing global communications industry. Their original thinking and insights into the dilemmas now facing policy makers around the world are essential reading for media, communications and politics scholars.' --Steven Barnett, University of Westminster, UK'This is a masterful and comprehensive overview of the state of the art in media policy, published at a crucial moment in the development of media institutions and their role for democracy. As governments around Europe and the world prepare their responses to the pressing questions of misinformation, hate speech, free speech and fake news they should all read this marvelous book in order to understand that the policy challenges they face are not at all new. Offering introductory yet detailed introductions to policy issues, it will be of interest to students and researchers with an interest in the media, media law, policy and regulation and offers a succinctly written, accessible entry point into a field that is all too often obscured by jargon. Recommended.' --Damian Tambini, London School of Economics, UK