The SAGE Handbook of the Digital Media Economy

Key themes

Digital Transformation and Datafication

This theme explores how the pervasive digitalization of media and the increasing reliance on data (datafication) are fundamentally altering industries, economic models, labor practices, and consumption patterns. It examines the shift from analog to digital, the rise of algorithmic curation, the economic value extracted from user data, and the profound impact of these processes on societal structures and individual experiences.

Political Economy of Digital Media

This theme critically analyzes the power structures, ownership patterns, and economic models that underpin the digital media economy. It investigates issues of market concentration, monopolization, the exploitation of labor in the platform and gig economies, the global flow of capital and resources within digital platforms, and the uneven distribution of value creation and capture.

Governance, Law, and Policy in the Digital Age

This theme addresses the complex challenges of regulating and governing the digital media economy, which often operates across national borders and frequently outpaces traditional legal and policy frameworks. It covers critical areas such as intellectual property rights, competition law, data privacy, content moderation, censorship, and the pivotal role of national governments and international organizations in shaping digital policy and norms.

Worth discussing

How has the 'digital media economy' fundamentally reshaped traditional understandings of media ownership, production, and consumption, and what are the long-term implications?