Research on economic aspects of cross-border media communication has to deal with a fundamental problem: A systematic lack of official data next to a confusing variety of non-official data sources. Moreover, the existing data depends on different methods and sources. The cbmc-project aims at gathering, aggregating and systemizing the data available for the sample countries. This way, the data might be related to each other and the trade relations might be qualified resulting in a cartography that displays the volume and intensity of exchange relationships between countries.
This market analysis is complemented by both an extensive organizational analysis uncovering the structures of media companies and a management analysis detecting the strategies and operations of the companies (see also research methods). Combining the results of these three analyses the project will be able to provide information on:
- The volume and intensity of cross-border transactions of the media products information and entertainment.
- The strategies and objectives of media companies in cross-border communication.
- The role of the media managers as agents of cross-border communication.
More specifically, the project aims at answering the following questions:
- What is the volume and intensity of cross-border transactions in information and entertainment?
- Which media market structures enable or constrain transactions between countries?
- What are the preferred strategies of media companies?
- How do media companies shape the structures of cross-border communication with their strategies, goals, and activities and how do they react to structural changes?
- What are the rationales for media companies to go international? What are the (enabling or restricting) structures of cross-border media communication?
The cbmc-project startet in July 2015 and will continue until December 2017.