Managing in the Media

Book

Managing in the Media has been devised for a broad audience. It is based upon the perceived need for a text that amalgamates cultural theories, film and television analysis, management theories and media production practice into one volume.

This book does not try to be a manual to success. The media industry is awash with successful individuals none of whom needed textbooks to set them on their chosen career paths. Yet these exceptional people prove the rule; that in the main, most media practitioners would benefit from some additional support and guidance. To present to them some of the management issues that have, or will have, an impact upon their working careers.

Part One

The media environment

Chapters 1 to 6 examine the history, culture and context within which the media manager operates. Here we set out the background to the UK media market and consider the European audiovisual industry from an industrial and economic standpoint.

There is a cyclical and iterative relationship between the media industry, its customers, and the national governments. This, and other factors influencing a media firm are illustrated in The Business Environment of the Media Company. The chapters in Part 1 introduce these influences and relationships

Part Two

Management theories and applications to the media industry

Chapters 7 to 12 look at the behaviour and constraints on the individual firm within the media industry environment. Chapter 7 looks at the behaviour and growth of any firm within an industry and points out some of the particular issues relating to the growth of business within the media industry. The chapter considers the business issues based upon some models of management and company assessment, in the light of what was learned about the media environment in Part 1.

Part Three

Media Management in Action

The final two chapters provide the framework for the individual media project.
Part Three could be used as a guide and template for production management.

Chapter 13 looks at the production process in theoretical terms by presenting some models, ideas and methodologies that the individual project manager has to deal with in a media project. Less tangible and informal matters that relate to the day to day issues for a media manager are also discussed.
Copy available here:  Chapter Thirteen Production

Chapter 14 presents the production management process in action. It provides a series of project management templates for a cross media or multimedia production. The multimedia production environment was chosen as the project of choice because it illustrates the broadest range of production issues; film, television, audio, print and new media. There are many excellent texts (several included as recommended reading) that specialise in the production techniques in one of the media sectors in more detail.
Copy available here:  Chapter Fourteen Production project

Part 3 sets the framework for further study or professional development.