International Media and Cultural Flows: A Critical Political Economy of Media Organisations in the 21st Century, A case of the Reuters News Agency

Abstract

ABSTRACT In an attempt to interrogate the usefulness and applicability of theory in the realm of international media organisation in society, the article demonstrates the evolution in theoretical construction. It outlines the critical political economy approach drawn on by various theorists of political economy of the mass media – including Mosco, Schudson, Golding and Murdock. It seeks to illuminate the relevance of this integrated approach to theorising global media in local context (or ‘glocalisation’)2 and hence, the also reciprocal relationship of media organisations to society. For this purpose it introduces the case study of the Reuters global news agency in South Africa. An extended case method, which is especially relevant to an integrated theoretical approach, is used to present the so-called adaptations at the Reuters and other news organisations in the face of a globally transforming media environment. The extended case method advances a ‘reflexive’ (i.e. interpretive) approach, which works well with critical political economy. A critical political economy is an integrated theoretical approach that draws on various streams of political economy and cultural studies. Furthermore, it sees the integration or cross-pollination of various social science disciplines including sociology, international relations, political science, journalism, and cultural studies in researching the media institution.