Global Media Concentration

This project, led by Carleton University, Canada, aims at mapping the transformations in the media industry (both digital and non-digital) since 1986 in over 40 countries, aiming to answer the following initial question: have these industries become more or less concentrated in recent decades?

This question, in turn, has raised others, such as the greater or lesser tendency of digital industries to concentrate, who the true "owners" of the media are, the differences between large and small, rich and poor countries, or the implications of digital media in terms of data protection and democracy. To answer these and other questions, this project brings together nearly 50 researchers from different fields of knowledge and with distinct theoretical perspectives to create a holistic and comprehensive approach, covering 18 different sectors, including Internet access services, advertising, newspapers, films, books, search engines, radio, streaming services, and videogames.

Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

Coordination: Paulo Faustino (CEPESE/Portugal)

Duration: 2021-2026