These two volumes bring together key readings in the political economy of the mass media and analyse and explain the role of the media in modern society. Covering a wide spectrum of articles on media and communications over a broad period of time, the collection includes discussion on the political economy approach to communications, the capitalist enterprise and creation of communications, ideology, and protecting the common good in the management and regulation of communications and the media.The Political Economy of the Media includes official documents, otherwise accessible articles as well as carefully selected extracts from key commentators and seminal thinkers in the field, including among others, Nicholas Garnham, Herbert I. Schiller, Dallas W. Smythe, Francis Williams, Harold Evans, Ben H. Bagdikian, Upton Sinclair, Jurgen Habermas, Edward S. Herman and Peter Jay.