E189 - The Financialization of Modern Media w/ Andrew deWaard
Dec 16, 2024
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Andrew deWaard, an assistant professor at UC San Diego, dives into the financialization of media and its dramatic impacts on culture. He discusses how profit margins have led to increased corporate consolidation in Hollywood, affecting artists' livelihoods. The conversation sheds light on the role of private equity and hedge funds in driving this transformation. DeWaard also highlights the decline of original storytelling and the shift towards intellectual property, revealing the challenges faced by creators in the current landscape.
The falling rate of profit highlights how capitalist pressures drive media companies to adopt aggressive financial strategies for survival.
Private equity and hedge funds are increasingly involved in Hollywood due to the diminishing returns of traditional business models.
The overwhelming presence of content from Peak TV illustrates market saturation, leading to fewer opportunities for creators and artists in the industry.
Deep dives
Understanding the Falling Rate of Profit
The concept of the falling rate of profit is crucial to understanding the current state of American capitalism, especially within media industries. This idea suggests that as capitalism matures, opportunities for profit diminish, leading sectors to adopt novel financial strategies. This phenomenon has historical precedents, as seen in past economic hegemonies, where the consolidation of corporations and the diminishing avenues for substantial returns lead to increased financialization. As a result, media firms resort to methods like private equity investments and stock buybacks, reflecting a larger trend where traditional investment avenues appear less promising.
Capital and its Impact on Hollywood
The financial interest in Hollywood is largely driven by the fact that conventional business models are yielding lower returns. Companies such as private equity and hedge funds are now involved in Hollywood, often because there are not many other viable investment opportunities providing excellent returns. The complexity and variability in Hollywood have made it historically a difficult business, despite its appeal due to potential profit from franchises and intellectual properties. This shift indicates a significant change within the landscape of financial investment, where Hollywood is seen as an increasingly attractive option amid a scarcity of lucrative alternatives.
The Current State of the U.S. Political Economy
A snapshot of the political economy reveals numerous challenges, including stalling GDP growth and declining tax rates which further complicate the landscape for media industries. The increased involvement of private equity and asset management firms emphasizes a concerning trend of financial extraction. Moreover, the zero interest rate period allowed firms to accumulate capital but also incentivized aggressive consolidation strategies. This combination of factors has cultivated an environment where large corporations dominate multiple industries, including media, thereby stifling competition and leaving many organizations vulnerable to financial crises.
The Financialization of Music
The transformation of the music industry through financialization illustrates how traditional revenue streams have eroded, impacting artists' livelihoods. The transition from physical media to digital platforms, along with the rise of streaming services like Spotify, has drastically altered how revenue is generated and distributed. Major record labels have consolidated power and leveraged investments in startups instead of fostering new talent, enabling them to profit from investments without sharing earnings with artists. Consequently, while some superstars continue to thrive, many musicians struggle to make a living as financial interests overshadow artistic endeavors.
The Impact of Peak TV on Film and Television
The phenomenon known as Peak TV has drastically reshaped the film and television industry, leading to an enormous influx of content that ultimately became unsustainable. Companies launched into competition to offer expansive original programming, driven by new viewing habits shaped by streaming platforms, but this market saturation has left many creators unable to find consistent work. As viewer demand starts to decrease relative to the sheer volume of content produced, consolidation among major players has intensified, resulting in a smaller pool of opportunities. This overarching trend reflects a broader contraction in the industry, raising concerns about its future viability in the absence of significant regulatory reforms.
Danny speaks with Andrew deWaard, assistant professor of media and popular culture at UC San Diego, about his book Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture. The two discuss how the falling rate of profit shapes the modern media landscape, the increased drive toward consolidation in entertainment companies, the big movers like private equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers, and venture capitalists, artists' limited ability to defend themselves, the rise of IP, and more.