Study Guide: The Political Economy of Communication
by Vincent Mosco (2nd ed.)
I . Introduction to the Political Economy of Communication
This section establishes the foundation of Mosco’s approach.
• Core Focus:
The political economy of communication analyses how power and money influence the
media. It asks fundamental questions:
o Who controls media ownership? Big corporations or state institutions?
o How is media funded? Through ads, subscriptions, or public funds?
o Who gets access to media? Is it inclusive or skewed toward elites?
• Critical Perspective:
Mosco argues against viewing media as simply cultural or artistic. Instead, media is
shaped by:
o Capitalist interests (driven by profit)
o Government influence (laws and regulation)
o Ideological control (media reinforces dominant worldviews)
II. Key Processes (Mosco’s Analytical Framework)
Mosco identifies three major processes through which communication is shaped by political
economy:
A. Commodification
• This is the process of turning things into products for sale.
• In media, even information, creativity, and attention become commodities.
• For example:
o News stories are tailored to attract advertisers.
o Audiences are sold as data to marketers.
o Public interest may be sacrificed for profit.
, B. Spatialisation
• This refers to expanding media reach across space and time.
• Technologies (like the internet and satellites) allow global media dominance.
• Corporations grow across borders, leading to:
o Global media monopolies
o Instant communication, but often unequal access
C. Structuration
• Media doesn’t operate randomly—it follows rules, routines, and structures.
• These include:
o Editorial policies, corporate hierarchies, and government regulations
o These structures determine what gets produced and how
III. Labor and Communication
This section explores the role of workers in media industries:
• The media relies on creative labor—journalists, editors, designers, etc.
• In the digital age, more labor is:
o Freelance, unstable, or unpaid (e.g., interns, content creators)
o Creative freedom often clashes with corporate control and tight deadlines
IV. Digital Capitalism
Mosco extends his analysis to the digital era:
• The internet and social media are not free or neutral spaces—they are shaped by
capitalist logic.
• Surveillance capitalism means:
o Platforms collect user data
o That data is sold to advertisers for profit
• Companies like Google, Meta (Facebook) dominate online communication
V. Resistance and Alternatives
Despite these problems, Mosco highlights hope and resistance:
• Independent media outlets, community radio, nonprofit news, etc., offer alternatives to
corporate media
• Activists, unions, and media reformers challenge ownership concentration and demand
public accountability
• The goal: promote media that serves democracy, not just markets
by Vincent Mosco (2nd ed.)
I . Introduction to the Political Economy of Communication
This section establishes the foundation of Mosco’s approach.
• Core Focus:
The political economy of communication analyses how power and money influence the
media. It asks fundamental questions:
o Who controls media ownership? Big corporations or state institutions?
o How is media funded? Through ads, subscriptions, or public funds?
o Who gets access to media? Is it inclusive or skewed toward elites?
• Critical Perspective:
Mosco argues against viewing media as simply cultural or artistic. Instead, media is
shaped by:
o Capitalist interests (driven by profit)
o Government influence (laws and regulation)
o Ideological control (media reinforces dominant worldviews)
II. Key Processes (Mosco’s Analytical Framework)
Mosco identifies three major processes through which communication is shaped by political
economy:
A. Commodification
• This is the process of turning things into products for sale.
• In media, even information, creativity, and attention become commodities.
• For example:
o News stories are tailored to attract advertisers.
o Audiences are sold as data to marketers.
o Public interest may be sacrificed for profit.
, B. Spatialisation
• This refers to expanding media reach across space and time.
• Technologies (like the internet and satellites) allow global media dominance.
• Corporations grow across borders, leading to:
o Global media monopolies
o Instant communication, but often unequal access
C. Structuration
• Media doesn’t operate randomly—it follows rules, routines, and structures.
• These include:
o Editorial policies, corporate hierarchies, and government regulations
o These structures determine what gets produced and how
III. Labor and Communication
This section explores the role of workers in media industries:
• The media relies on creative labor—journalists, editors, designers, etc.
• In the digital age, more labor is:
o Freelance, unstable, or unpaid (e.g., interns, content creators)
o Creative freedom often clashes with corporate control and tight deadlines
IV. Digital Capitalism
Mosco extends his analysis to the digital era:
• The internet and social media are not free or neutral spaces—they are shaped by
capitalist logic.
• Surveillance capitalism means:
o Platforms collect user data
o That data is sold to advertisers for profit
• Companies like Google, Meta (Facebook) dominate online communication
V. Resistance and Alternatives
Despite these problems, Mosco highlights hope and resistance:
• Independent media outlets, community radio, nonprofit news, etc., offer alternatives to
corporate media
• Activists, unions, and media reformers challenge ownership concentration and demand
public accountability
• The goal: promote media that serves democracy, not just markets
