The Motion Picture Mega-Industry: (Part of the Allyn & Bacon Series in Mass Communication)

The Motion Picture Mega-Industry is an in-depth exploration of the movie industry, from the early developments to its current multibillion dollar influence on today's society. Barry Litman of Michigan State University has produced a truly unique text drawing on contributions from some of the top scholars in the field. Part I of the book examines the business of motion pictures: how the industry is structured, what ethics and morals are commonplace, along with a detailed analysis of the other subsidiary markets that have developed. Part II deals with current issues that are affecting the motion picture industry today. It includes chapters on conglomerates, mergers, copyright, censorship, and more. Three appendices truly make this book a vital text in any course dealing with mass communications and film. Appendix A is a review of theoretical economic concepts that are pertinent to the study of mass media, such as supply, demand, elasticity, equilibrium, and regulation. Appendix B is a detailed explanation of the elements of market structure, conduct, and performance. Its emphasis is on practical indices for measuring market concentration, scale and scope economies, and other key economic business concepts. Appendix C is an explanation of the U.S. Attorney General's 1992 "Merger Guidelines and Key Precedential Antitrust Rulings."