The Internet and Changes in the Media Industry: A 5-Year Cross-National Examination of Media Industries for 51 Countries

Abstract

This study explores the effects of the Internet on changes in traditional media industries. Previous studies addressing the Internet’s effects on media industries have largely been conducted in a piecemeal fashion, with most tackling narrowly defined topics limited to individual media in specific countries. By taking a broader perspective on the Internet’s effects, this study examines changes in the aggregate revenue of all major media industries. Employing country-level, panel-data analysis of 51 countries from 2009 to 2013, the study shows that the Internet has led to a shift in the balance of revenue away from advertising and toward direct payments.