science

Political economy of communications

Political economy of communications is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Political economy of communications rather than just read about it. In short: The Political Economy of Communications is a branch of communication studies or media studies which studies the power relations that shape the communication of information from the mass media to its public. PEC (Political Economy of Communications) analyzes the power relations between the mass media system, information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the wider socioeconomic structure in which these operat…

Key takeaways

Political economy of communications belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Political economy of communications to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Political economy of communications from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Political Economy of Communications is a branch of communication studies or media studies which studies the power relations that shape the communication of information from the mass media to its public. PEC (Political Economy of Communications) analyzes the power relations between the mass media system, information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the wider socioeconomic structure in which these operate, with a focus on understanding the historical and current state of technological developments. PEC has proliferated in the 2000s with the modernization of technology. The advancement of media has created conversation about the effects of colonialism and PEC.

Influences

One of the earliest modern works in political economy of communications scholarship is from Harold Innis, these theories were compiled in the book Empire and Communications. Innis directly inspired Marshall McLuhan, a colleague of his at the University of Toronto, who would later be made famous for the dictum "the medium is the message". Subsequent PEC approaches have been heavily influenced by Marxist thought and democratic politics, as it questions the powers residing within communications and the state necessary for democracy to be realized. Below the theories and their approaches are explained:

Marxist thought - The moral philosophy (or ethics) of PEC often criticizes capitalism for its effect on media and democracy, this idea originates from the critical theory works of Karl Marx. A common critique of critical political economy (often from the cultural studies approach) is that, like Marx, it fetishizes capitalism and is deterministic technologically and/or economically. Christian Fuchs and Vincent Mosco in their book Marx and the Political Economy of the Media compile the effects of media communication in a capitalist society. They note that the media is a circulator and contributor of ideologies, even more so with the prevalence of alternative news sources. Democratic Politics - PEC views media and information as the ultimate democratizer of power, and thus includes social praxis as a criterion. Ultimately, this means that PEC encourages media reform and government intervention in the marketplace.

Along with Innis and McLuhan, the political economy of communications was significantly impacted by economist Robert A. Brady's teachings. Brady initiated a search of social practices and emerging authoritarianism that were later explored by Dallas W. Smythe and Herbert I. Schiller. Brady did not officially work with the structure of Marxist philosophy; he was rather focused on "the interaction of social and economic factors in a business. Lastly, after pursuing research Brady concluded that the principal issue was whether planning and decision making within a company could adapt to decision making by majority of votes. In 1988 Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky produced the propaganda model to reflect how the political economy of mass communications operated in a more empirical capacity.

Central Characteristics There are four central characteristics that are integral to expanding the definition of PEC. They provide the means to analyze an issue, technology or way of life through a political economic perspective. The characteristics are as follows:

History and Social Change: It is necessary to analyze the history of a subject and compare it to the present day in order to find out who or what is responsible for social change. Through this, one is able to attain a deeper understanding and identify patterns that will provide guidance and clarity for future transformations and social change. Social Totality: This characteristic discusses the "big picture". It is necessary to look at circumstances through various point of views and determines the approach to other aspects such as economic, social and cultural to see what elements that society is lacking of and then find a solution to tackle the issue. Moral Philosophy or Ethics: Moral Philosophy or more commonly known as Ethics when used in PEC, serves to articulate morals that reside within economic and politically economic perspectives. When employing the characteristic in analysis, it is necessary to assess the moral implications of a situation, and how it impacts society as a whole. Praxis: A combination of "practice" and "theory". Praxis discusses the importance of action and intervention. Those who are examining a situation through a PEC lens should combine the knowledge attained from the three previous characteristics to paint a vivid picture that is flexible to reality and act where change is necessary and suitable for society, and human civilization.

Main Topics of Study The political economy of communication looks at a range of issues that affect society. Below are the main topics of study that political economists often discuss.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Political economy of communications

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Political economy of communications claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Political economy of communications before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Political economy of communications ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Political economy of communications

In research: Political economy of communications appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Political economy of communications in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Political economy of communications is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Communication studies, Critical theory, Marxism, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Political economy of communications outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Political economy of communications in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Political economy of communications means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Political economy of communications out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Political economy of communications in simple terms?

Why does Political economy of communications matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Political economy of communications?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Political economy of communications.