This book describes the transformation of telecommunications from national network monopolies to a new system, the "network of networks," and the glue that holds it together, interconnection. By their very nature, monopoly-owned networks provided a small number of standardized, nationwide services. Over the past two decades, however, new forces in the world economy began to unravel this traditional system. The driving force behind the change was the shift toward an information-based economy. Especially for large organizations, the price, control, security, and reliability of telecommunications became variables requiring organized attention. Thus, monopoly began to give way to the "network of networks," the foundation of today's telecommunications and Internet infrastructure. Taking a broad, multidisciplinary perspective Eli Noam discusses the importance and history of interconnection policy, as well as recent policy reforms both within the United States and around the globe. Other important topics he discusses include interconnection prices, the unbundling of interconnection, and the technology of interconnection. He concludes with an examination of social and policy issues, including the free flow of content, universal service and privacy protection, and the future of telecommunications.

"Eli Noam provides a comprehensive and balanced survey of media concentration with a methodical, scientific approach. He assembles a wealth of data from the last 25 years about mass media such as radio, television, film, music, and print publishing, as well as the Internet, telecommunications, and media-related information technology." "Media Ownership and Concentration in America will be essential reading and a trove of information for scholars and students in media, telecommunications, IT, economics, and the history of business, as well as media industry professionals, business researchers, and policy makers around the world. Critics and defenders of media alike will find much that confirms and refutes their worldview."--BOOK JACKET.

"Along with its interrelated companion volume, The Content, Impact, and Regulation of Streaming Video, this book covers the next generation of TV-streaming online video, with details about its present and a broad perspective on the future. It reviews the new technical elements that are emerging, both in hardware and software, their long-term trend, and the implications, and discusses the emerging 'media cloud' of video and infrastructure platforms, and the organizational form of such TV. What kind of companies? What kind of business models? What kind of industries? What kind of impact on existing media? And what kind of market power in media industries, around the world? The author addresses these questions with facts and figures, ranging across technology, economics, communications studies, business, policy, and law. Media professionals in academia, management, technology, policy and creative production will appreciate the non-jargony yet thorough exploration of streaming online video in The Technology, Business, and Economics of Streaming Video."--

Long with its interrelated companion volume, The Technology, Business, and Economics of Streaming Video, this book examines the next generation of TV--online video. It reviews the elements that lead to online platforms and video clouds and analyzes the software and hardware elements of content creation and interaction, and how these elements lead to different styles of video content. What are the models of this new content? What kind of cultural and societal acceleration can we expect? What are the public implications of the next-generation media system? What problems are arising? What kind of market power is emerging in media industries around the world? And how can one deal with them? The author addresses these questions with facts and figures, ranging across technology, economics, communications studies, business, policy, and law. He reviews the regulatory options, and recommends a new approach for video media. Media professionals in academia, management, technology, policy, and creative production will value the approachable yet thorough information presented in The Content, Impact, and Regulation of Streaming Video. --