Media Regulation

Lunt (media and communication, U. of Leicester, UK) and Livingstone (social psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK) examine the relationship of the UK's Office of Communications to the public interest, particularly how the public is represented with the new culture of media regulation and how the public understands its changing role and responsibility within the communications and financial service sectors. They review the changing context of governance and regulation in the age of globalization and digitalization, and the challenges that arise for culture and citizenship, then theories of regulation, the forms regulatory agencies take, and their strategies. These chapters are followed by discussion of debates about the framing of the key purposes of the Office of Communications and its shaping as an institution that operates largely in the public sphere. They discuss its establishment, duties, structures, and operating principles, with a focus on key areas such as spectrum management and media plurality, then present case studies of regulatory practice: public service broadcasting, the protection of children in regulating junk food advertising, media literacy, and community radio. They end by considering the changes brought on by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government in May 2010. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)