This is just a listing of the installments of my ongoing “Media Deconsolidation Series.” I needed to create a single repository of all the essays so I could point back to them in future articles and papers. For those not familiar with it, this series represents an effort to set the record straight regarding the many myths surrounding the media marketplace. These myths are usually propagated by a group of radical anti-media regulatory activists who I call the “media reformistas.” Sadly, however, many policymakers, journalists, and members of the public are buying into some of these myths, too.
In particular, I have spent much time here debunking the notion that rampant consolidation is taking place and that media operators are only growing larger and devouring more and more companies. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Over the past several years, traditional media operators and sectors have been coming apart at the seams in the face of unprecedented innovation and competition. The volume of divestiture activity has been quite intense, and most traditional media operators have been getting smaller, not bigger. As a result, America’s media marketplace is growing more fragmented and atomistic with each passing day.
Anyway, here’s the series so far…
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 24): I Read the News Today, Oh Boy
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 23): Cox Selling Most of its Newspapers
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 22): TW spin-off of cable unit
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 21): TW spin-off of AOL
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 20): News Corp spins off 8 TV stations
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 19): IAC/Interactive Corp. divides by 5
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 18): Scripps Splits
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 17): Clear Channel Station Sell-off
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 16): Clear Channel Crackup
- Media Deconsolidation (Part 15): AOL-TW Divorce Near?
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 14: Time Warner Without Time?
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 13: Tribune Considering Major Downsizing
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 12: Time Warner President Calls Synergy “Bull—t”
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 11: Knight Ridder’s Coming Crackup
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 10: Viacom’s Breakup Official
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 9: Viacom’s Split
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 8: Time Warner Spin Off of AOL Likely
- Media Deconsolidation, Parts 6 & 7: Emmis & Disney Divestitures
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 5: “Clear Channel to Dismantle Media Empire”
- Media Deconsolidation, Part 4: Is News Corp. Next to Downsize?
- Still More on Media Deconsolidation
- More on Media (De)Consolidation
- Stop This Insane Media De-Consolidation!
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Related reading:
- What the Media Reformistas Really Want
- Your Soapbox is My Soapbox! Thoughts on the Media Access Movement
- BOOK: Media Myths: Making Sense of the Debate over Media Ownership (2005)
- SPECIAL REPORT: Media Metrics: The True State of the Modern Media Marketplace (2008)
- BOOK: A Manifesto for Media Freedom (with Brian Anderson, 2008).