Media clusters and metropolitan knowledge economy

Abstract

Large media clusters have emerged in a limited number of large cities, characterizing the geographical concentration of the global media industry. This paper starts by exploring the effect of the rapid advancement of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) had on the media economy. I t c o n c l u d e s t h a t t h e r o l e o f t h e " w e i g h t l e s s e c o n o m y" o n m e d i a c l u s t e r has enhanced its production and distribution functions. We review the specificities of media cluster that ties agglomeration to creative, diversified attributes of production and distribution. The implication is that m e d i a f i r m s h o l d s t r o n g t e n d e n c i e s t o c l u s t e r i n urban regions since they make full usage of its resources, namely its export capabilities and import transformation strength. Finally, we invite researchers to consider Jacobs' metropolitan and global reciprocating system of city growth as a valid unit for analysing media clusters. The question leads envisaging if media clusters' strong metropolitan base allows them to grow further through globalised circuits. The paper concludes that large, media clusters drive on intellectually dense network of information, which can only be cultivated through large agglomerations existing capabilities. Consequently, the research question focuses upon the economic role of knowledge in media creation and export replacement. We emphasize the strength of Jacob's model of media cluster for understanding its mechanism of value creation and endogenous system of globalisation.

Clusters

“…Another reason why media sector firms cluster is that many media industries are creative industries within or closely related to the cultural sector. The tendency of media and creative cultural industries to cluster has been documented often in the literature in recent decades (Karlsson and Rouchy 2015).…”