The Cultural Industries

by David Hesmondhalgh

The Cultural Industries, Second Edition combines a political economy approach with the best aspects of cultural studies, sociology, communication studies, and social theory to provide an overview of the key debates surrounding cultural production. This new edition of Hesmondhalgh′s clearly written, thoroughly argued overview of political-economic, organizational, technological, and cultural change represents yet another important intervention in research on cultural production.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music, Cultural Studies, Sociology

360 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 2002

About the author

David Hesmondhalgh is Professor of Media, Music and Culture at the University of Leeds, UK.

Reviews

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The greatest strength of this book (its narrow focus) is also its weakness. The industries Hesmondhalgh explores here, text-centred symbol creating industries - broadcasting, film, internet content, music and electronic and print publishing, are without a doubt important but his approach frustratingly marginalises other key industries (so craft based activities such as art, theatre - although he considers it in some contexts) and the like, as well as other areas of cultural activity - advertising, electronics industries, software and so forth as well as my specific areas of interest - fashion and sport. The narrowness means that this he is able to reach some clear conclusions and build quite a compelling case, but means that it hard to assess how much that case applies beyond the narrow set of industries he is specifically exploring.

There are several important things the book does - most especially given his approach derived from critical political economy Hesmondhalgh places creative work firmly in its industrial, structural, economic and related political and policy contexts. For the most part, his analysis is a sophisticated weaving together of each of these areas. While I am not convinced in every respect - the chapter on the labour process (organisation and/of cultural work) for me left more issues unexplored than it explained. A key issue here is the increasingly precarious existence of most cultural workers - underpaid, short term employment and so forth. Our failure to adequately explore this across nearly all areas of cultural production is a major gap and perhaps the major weakness in studies of cultural work and cultural practice (again, I turn to Andrew Ross).

On balance, however, this is an important an useful text book and survey of the area. I shall continue to use it.

[Carman Chew · Rating 2 out of 5]

While comprehensive, this book's biggest flaw was that it focused on only cultural texts and not other periphery industries. The examples are also largely US/UK-based, so if that's what you're looking for, good for you. A helpful book as an introduction, but like all foundations, it should be stepped all over.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Hesmondhalgh does an excellent job of introducing readers to classic communications theories and the dynamics of the media industries, I found this book very difficult to digest the first time around. I found the examples/case studies used were very specific, making them difficult to understand/contextualize in terms of the `bigger picture`. I also found certain issues were often explained/presented in a way that left readers without a clear understanding of what "the point" was (which, as a first year, I found extremely frustrating).

As a mature student, however, I can now appreciate more of what this book offers. In addition to giving readers a new frame through which to view and understand the cultural industries (i.e. before, they were seen as the culture industry...singular), it forces one to take this seemingly "pointless" information and actively analyze/question its significance.

This book is an excellent reference for building discussions on the economics/power structure/nature of popular culture and the media industries.

[Hrvoje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather than cultural industries, this is a media industry book. Packed with a lot of (distilled) references and placing them in historic, cultural and social context, it gives great bigger picture for themes that are analyzed. However, considering all that, it is hard to read. Not written coherently, with several doozies in chapter 9, it sometimes makes you jump from one point in the book to another, not allowing you to consume it in one sitting, or first-to-last page reading. Considering all that, it is not a book for a beginners. It is great for references and I am sure that I will use it one day again, but I'm not sure that I will re-read it whole again.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this like 5 months later. Very useful general overview of various political economy approaches (critical political economy in particular) that would not be out of place on an upper level undergraduate reading list. Some of the new media discussion is questionable, but since it isn't the main focus of the book I won't hold it against Hesmondhalgh. Great for those new to studying the cultural industries (Frankfurt School followers beware, I suppose) and useful for bibliographic references.

[Xin Gu · Rating 3 out of 5]

focus exclusively on media content industries rather than the wider cultural industries per say. Other than that, excellent reference book.

[EvaLovesYA · Rating 3 out of 5]

En rigtig god kilde ifb. med et semesterfag på engelskstudiet.

- Brugt på universitetet (engelsk)

[Poya]

i want to just read once