Publisher's Synopsis
The Anglo-American media constitute one of the world's most familiar, and least analysed, alliances. For the United States media, this close connection with Britain is one of several unambiguous American international media trading advantages. For Britain the relationship is more ambiguous: in news and factual media Britain can realistically see itself as the world media number two, but across the broad range of entertainment Britain is closer to being a colonial dependency of Hollywood. Is Britain a Trojan Horse for American media in Europe? No more so than the other larger European countries which, like Britain, combine media nationalism with dependence on Hollywood. Margaret Thatcher, Francois Mitterrand and Brussels all pursued policies which assisted the American media in Europe. Spanning a broad range from advertising to publishing, pop music and pornography, this book also addresses the media future: does the merger of American TV networks with Hollywood companies constitute a new Hollyweb cartel (of a few companies controlling hundreds of channels) which excludes European companies? Can the BBC survive until 2022? Can televised sport help to create a European identity? The book will be fascinating reading for all those interested in current media issues as well as students of British and international media.
