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Technology, Economics and Politics in the Content Industry

Code: 44519
Credits: 12
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Audiovisual Communication and Advertising Contents OP 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Carles Llorens Maluquer
Email :
carles.llorens@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Joaquín Puig Gonzalez
Ana Ullod Pujol
Emilio Fernandez Peña
Montse Bonet Bagant

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Good level of English in order to be able to read complex texts on the area of broadcasting, technology and policy. 

Objectives

The aim of this course is to study the transformation of the audio-visual industries and the contemporary advertising systems, as well as the technologies within the scenario of digital transformations. It is about being able to define and understand the weight of economic, political, industrial, technological, managerial and Internet factors that set up the complex reality of the audio-visual and advertising industry.

Learning outcomes

  • CA04 (Develop communication proposals by making use of the possibilities of improving the context of application and considering the potential individual, business, political and community consequences.) Develop communication proposals by making use of the possibilities of improving the context of application and considering the potential individual, business, political and community consequences.
  • KA07 (Relate the effects of specific regulatory policies on the configuration of the content industry in general and in the audiovisual/advertising field in particular.) Relate the effects of specific regulatory policies on the configuration of the content industry in general and in the audiovisual/advertising field in particular.
  • KA08 (Master knowledge about the configuration of the contemporary communication system in relation to the audiovisual and advertising content industry to develop communication strategies.) Master knowledge about the configuration of the contemporary communication system in relation to the audiovisual and advertising content industry to develop communication strategies.
  • KA09 (Identify how the particular decisions and actions of communication companies influence the development of the communication system as a whole due to their economic importance and political influence.) Identify how the particular decisions and actions of communication companies influence the development of the communication system as a whole due to their economic importance and political influence.
  • SA05 (Evaluate the effects of regulatory policies on the content industry, placing special emphasis on their ability to generate quality communication that responds to ethical principles.) Evaluate the effects of regulatory policies on the content industry, placing special emphasis on their ability to generate quality communication that responds to ethical principles.
  • SA06 (Recognise the different capacities of digital platforms in the creation of communication spaces.) Recognise the different capacities of digital platforms in the creation of communication spaces.
  • SA07 (Develop effective communication management plans in the area of the audiovisual and advertising content industry.) Develop effective communication management plans in the area of the audiovisual and advertising content industry.

Contents

Based on the objectives, the change that business and knowledge management entails in a digital environment will be addressed, the role of technology and the economy as key factors in the changes in the contemporary audiovisual and advertising sector and the reflection and study of the main theoretical currents that analyze them, the theoretical analysis of communication policies and technologies with a study of specific cases at the European, state and Catalan levels; the intellectual analysis of the role of the internet and the impact of social networks on the audiovisual and advertising system, and, finally, the theoretical and concrete study of the changes in basic advertising structures to understand one of the pillars of the audiovisual business model.


1.- Media Policy in the contemporary audiovisual ecosystem 2,5 ECTS (Montse Bonet)


2.- The Internet, social networks and their impact in the audio-visual sector 2,5 ECTS (Emilio Fernández)


3.- Changes of the contemporary advertising systems 5 ECTS (Ana Ullod and Quim Puig)


4.- Technology and economy in the contemporary audio-visual system 2,5 ECTS (Carles Llorens)







Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Tutorials 70 2.8 KA07, KA09, SA06
Seminars 75 3 CA04, SA07
Readings and autonomous work of the students 150 6 KA07, KA08, KA09, SA05, SA06

Teaching is structured by very specialized seminars and the tutoring of works on the contents of this course.

The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be presented on the first day of each instructor’s and course’s introduction. Students will find the various teaching materials and all the necessary information for proper course follow-up on the virtual campus. In the event of a change in the teaching format due to force majeure, as determined by the relevant authorities, the teaching staff will inform students of any changes to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.


Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Carles Llorens' essay 20% 1 0.04 CA04, KA07, KA08, KA09, SA06
Joaquin Puig's Essay 20% 1 0.04 CA04, KA07, KA09, SA06, SA07
Montse Bonet's essay 20% 1 0.04 CA04, KA07, KA08, KA09, SA05
Emilio Fernández's Essay 20% 1 0.04 CA04, KA08, SA06
Ana Ullod's essay 20% 1 0.04 CA04, KA08, SA06, SA07

Each professor of the module will indicate at the beginning of their course the type of work that the students will have to do and how it should be presented.

Students will be entitled to reassessment in the course if they have been evaluated on a set of activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the total course grade.

This course/module does not provide for a single-assessment system.

Students who fail to attend two or more assessment activities will be graded as 'Not Assessed'

For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for specific tasks determined by each professor. Students must clearly identify any parts generated with these technologies, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how AI has influenced the process and final outcome of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

The performance of any irregularity in an evaluation act (academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of AI, unless this use is expressly authorized by the teaching guide), which may lead to a significant variation in the grade, assumes that this act will be graded with a 0. In the event that the teaching guide foresees that in order to pass the subject it is an essential requirement to have obtained a minimum grade in this evaluation act or that there are several irregularities in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade of this subject is 0. Apart from this, a disciplinary process may be instructed to the student that incurs any of these irregularities.

Any student suspected of submitting assignments that have been generated by AI, written by others or copied; include unattributed AI-generated content, or fall outside the permitted scope, may be asked to provide the preliminary work or other materials that can demonstrate it is original work and the result of their own authorship. They may also be asked to separately explain or justify their work. Teachers may also use AI detection systems or carry out any verification tasks they deem appropriate. If, after review, the instructor detects irregularities, the assignment may be graded zero, and the student may be subject to further disciplinary action.





Bibliography

Alvarez del Blanco, Roberto (2011), Neuromarketing, Ed Prentice Hall, Madrid

Balbi, Gabriele i Paolo Maggauda (2018). A history of digital media. Londres: Routledge.

Buckland, Michael Keeble (2017). Information and Society.Cambridge: MIT Press.

Carey, John i Elton, Martin (2010). When media are new. University Michigan Press, Ann Arbor

Christensen, Clayton M. (2016). The innovator's dilemma: when new technologies cause great firms to fail, Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.

Flew, Terry i Martin, Fiona R (eds.) (2022) Digital Platform Regulation. Global Perspectives on Internet Governance. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Flew, Terry, Iosifidis, Petros i Steemers, Jeanette (eds.) (2016) Global Media and National Policies. The Return of the State. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Freedman, Des ( 2008) The Politics of Media Policy. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Lee, Kai Fu (2018) AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order. Boston: Houghton MifflinHarcourt.

McLuhan, Marshall (1996) Comprender los medios de comunicación. Las extensiones del ser humano. Barcelona: Paidós (original de 1964).

Michalis, Maria (2007) Governing European Communications. From Unification to Coordination. Plymouth: Lexington Books.

Morozov, Evgeny, (2014). To save everything, click her: the folly of technological solutionism, New York: PublicAffairs

Mueller, Milton (2017). Will the Internet fragment? : sovereignty, globalization and cyberspace. Cambridge, Polity Press.

Picard, Robert (2020). Media and Communications Policy Making Audiovisual Policy in Transition. New York: PalgraveMacmillan.

Ranaivoson, Heritiana; Broughton Micova, Sally and Raats, Tim (eds.) (2023) European Audiovisual Policy in Transition. London: Palgrave.

Rogers, Everett M. (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, 5a ed. New York: Free Press.

Schmidt, Eric & Cohen, Jared (2014). El Futuro digital, Madrid: Anaya Multimedia.

Scolari, Carlos (2008). Hipermediaciones. Elementos para una Teoría de la Comunicación Digital Interactiva, Barcelona: Gedisa.

Van Cuilenburg, Jan and McQuail, Denis (2003) "Media Policy Paradigm Shifts: towards a New Communications Policy", European Journal of Communication, 18: 181-207.

Voltmer, Katrin (2013) The Media in Transitional Democracies. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Wu, Tim (2011). The Master switch: the rise and fall of information empires, New York, N.Y.: Vintage Books.




Software

There is no need for any software in order to follow this course.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 10 Spanish annual morning-mixed