[Air-l] Webcasting Worldwide book now available

[Louisa Shu Ying Ha]

"Webcasting Worldwide:  Business Models of an 
Emerging Global Medium," edited by Louisa Ha, 
Associate Professor in the Department of 
Telecommunications, School of Communication 
Studies, is now available.  The book is published 
by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

As the product of a 17-country/region 
collaborative research project of 26 scholars 
based on Ha and Ganahl's (2004) 
Accessibility-Content-Revenue Framework for 
emerging media analysis, it tackles one of the 
most timely topics in mass communication 
today­the delivery of audio and video content via 
the Web, or webcasting ­- employing a global 
perspective to explore the subject of media 
business models.  The book consists of 20 
chapters with an accompanying CD-ROM filled with 
research resources.  It provides a theoretical 
framework by which to analyze business models of 
emerging media, and it also examines the business 
practices of leading webcasters in the world’s 
most developed broadband markets. With webcasting 
in its early development and the rapid 
development of broadband penetration around the 
world, the approaches discussed in this volume 
set the standards for the webcasting industry and other emerging media.

Representing the major broadband markets in the 
world, this text is an authoritative and valuable 
reference for both researchers and practitioners. 
The chapters relate the business practices of 
webcasting to the media market environment and 
established media industries, such as television 
and radio, as well as government and non-profit 
organizations. It discuss implications of 
webcastiing use in commercial and non-profit 
organizational settings and potential effects of 
the medium on future development of media 
industry land the society at large   The 
International Webcasting Association President, 
David Gardy, endorsed and adopted the book for 
its members, saying that "(The book) will become 
the de facto bible on worldwide webcasting (it is 
so comprehensive!)...Through their tireless 
efforts in producing this manuscript, (the 
editors) have made a significant contribution in 
facilitating mainstream understanding of 
burgeoning webcasting sector and the promise it 
holds.  It couldn't have come at a better time."

John V. Pavlik, professor and chair of the 
Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the 
School of Communication, Information and Library 
Studies, Rutgers, the State University of New 
Jersey and faculty associate at the Columbia 
University's Institute for Tele-Information 
(CITI), wrote, "Through their ground-breaking new 
book, Webcasting Worldwide, Louisa Ha and Richard 
J. Ganahl III have provided a thoughtful and 
thorough examination of the business models 
taking shape in the online delivery of 
media.  Webcasting Worldwide offers the reader a 
rich diversity of viewpoints and experiences from 
North America to Europe, Asia to the Middle 
East.  Detailed analysis of the broadband 
marketplace and how it is being financed around 
the globe is at the heart of this important 
book.  Adding to the value of this useful text is 
the authors' blog, 
webcastingworldwide.blogspot.com. Anyone 
interested in either the major trends or latest 
developments in the world of broadband media will 
find Ha and Ganahl's Webcasting Worldwide required reading."

More information about the book can be found at www.erlbaum.com/ha.

Ha is the chair of the emerging media research 
cluster in the School of Communication Studies at 
BGSU. The cluster promotes interdisciplinary 
dialogue and research on the political, economic, 
cultural, social and technological aspects of 
emerging media. It serves to develop 
collaborative research projects with the 
community and present research on emerging media 
to the university at large.  Its web page is 
http://scs.bgsu.edu/Research/ResearchClusters/emerging.php



Louisa Ha, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Telecommunications
School of Communication Studies
320 West Hall
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH  43403
Tel: (419) 372-9103
Fax: (419) 372-0202