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American Prestige

E189 - The Financialization of Modern Media w/ Andrew deWaard

Dec 16, 2024
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.
01:07:47

Episode guests

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Quick takeaways

  • 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.

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.

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