Abstract
As part of the Routledge Research in Cultural and Media Studies series, Andrea Miconi’s Europeans and the Media: Between Global and Local challenges several traditional assumptions in media studies, offering a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of the European media landscape. Grounded in the findings of the EUMEPLAT project (European Media Platforms: Assessing Positive and Negative Externalities for European Culture), funded by the European Commission, the book provides a robust empirical foundation for the study. By integrating empirical data with rigorous theoretical frameworks, it offers valuable insights for scholars and students in the fields of communication studies, European studies, and comparative media studies.
The book consists of an introduction and four chapters, examining the tensions between national (Chapter 1), regional (Chapter 2), European (Chapter 3), and global (Chapter 4) forces that shape media production and consumption. The introduction provides an overview of each chapter and poses a central research question: whether Europe is united or divided as a media market. Through a review of the relevant literature, the author underscores the necessity of adopting multiple perspectives. Consequently, by drawing on historical, cultural, geographical, and economic perspectives, he lays the foundation for a nuanced analysis, emphasizing the importance of understanding media as both a reflection of and a force in shaping European identity.
In Chapter 1, Miconi examines the national embedding of digital media, emphasizing the dominance of national influencers on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The author presents compelling data indicating that 88.4% of the most-followed channels across ten European countries are national, with limited cross-European or global influence. This chapter underscores the persistence of national media cultures in the digital age, challenging the assumption of a fully globalized media landscape. The analysis of VOD (Video-On-Demand) repertoires and traditional media, including newspapers and television, further reinforces this point. The author argues that the ‘stability’ of these national media frameworks—framed in terms of banal nationalism—provides a more robust explanation for contemporary patterns than the often-cited phenomena of balkanization or de-globalization, which are critiqued as overly simplistic and inadequate for capturing the complexity of the media landscape.
Chapter 2 shifts focus to regional patterns. It begins by delving into historical and geographical perspectives on European regionalization, which provides a solid foundation for understanding the subsequent media-related discussions. The author critiques the well-established comparative media systems approach (Hallin & Mancini, 2011), discussing its limitations, such as the presumed convergence towards the liberal type and the normative implications of its classification. Instead, he proposes a more granular analysis that considers audience practices and economic parameters—factors often overlooked by media scholars. The economic perspective highlights a correlation between economic regions and media markets, while also questioning the role of non-economic factors in media trust, offering valuable insights for policymakers. The discussion on geo-blocking is particularly insightful, revealing how regional biases in content distribution hinder the development of a pan-European media culture, with the Big Five countries dominating and smaller markets facing significant challenges.
Miconi offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between European media and European identity in Chapter 3. Analyses of media across various sectors, such as the press, music, cinema, and television, reveal a lack of pan-European cultural circulation, with national and American content dominating. The author argues that Europeans tend to identify more strongly with their national identities than with a European identity, and that national media play a central role in shaping these identities. He critiques the concept of banal Europeanism, suggesting that the dominance of vertical Europeanization over horizontal Europeanization limits the development of a cohesive European media culture. The author also examines the historical failure of pan-European media initiatives and the weak discursive dimension of European public spheres. The analysis highlights that Europeanization is more apparent in top-down initiatives than in bottom-up cultural exchanges, underscoring the challenges of fostering a unified European media identity.
In Chapter 4, Miconi offers a critical exploration of the European media landscape within the world system. Drawing on diverse scholarly sources, Miconi effectively debunks the Orientalist view that homogenizes Eastern European media, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of the region’s historical and political context. The chapter also examines the Euro-American connection, discussing the decline of American media hegemony and the rise of new global players. The author critiques the often problematic application of cultural imperialism theory, proposing a more robust framework using core-periphery theory to explain the power imbalances in the global media landscape. The analysis concludes that Europe occupies a semi-peripheral position in the global media hierarchy, shaped by both historical legacies and contemporary global dynamics. It provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by the European media industry in the age of digitalization and the potential for its future development.
This book possesses several strengths, making a significant contribution to the field of media studies. First, it provides a rich interdisciplinary analysis, combining insights from media studies, sociology, and historical analysis to offer a comprehensive understanding of the European media landscape. Second, it goes beyond traditional approaches to media studies, challenging existing paradigms and offering new perspectives on the relationship between media and European identity. Third, it adopts a data-driven approach, providing a robust foundation for its arguments and making a compelling case for a more nuanced understanding of the European media landscape. Additionally, the author highlights several future research directions, such as the shift from the presence of Europe in media narratives to its rhetorical construction and the media representation of Europe, among others. These contributions enhance readers’ comprehension of the European media landscape across different spatial patterns, positioning Miconi’s book as a valuable starting point and gateway to deeper insights into media studies in the digital age. However, the book also has two limitations. First, its reliance on quantitative data, without sufficient qualitative analysis, limits the depth of understanding. Second, the dense nature of the text and the large number of studies cited make it somewhat challenging for readers new to the topic to follow.
Overall, Miconi’s work is a worthwhile read for scholars, students, and policymakers. This book offers a comprehensive, thought-provoking analysis of the complex relationship between the European media landscape and European identity. Through its detailed interdisciplinary approach, critical examination of established theories, and empirical analysis grounded in historical contexts, the book serves not only as a valuable reference for scholars and policymakers but also as a practical guide for novice researchers and students. This timely and relevant work is highly recommended for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of the media’s role in shaping European identity in the age of digitalization.