Truly international in scope, it lays out the variety of political, social, economic, and institutional influences on policy, the roles of industries and policy advocates in the processes, and issues and factors that complicate effective policymaking and skew policy outcomes.

1. Introduction to media and communications policy studies.- 2. Policy-making environments and locales.- 3. Politics in the pursuit of policy outcomes.- 4. Media policy mechanisms and tools.- 5. Global policymaking.- 6. Regional policymaking.- 7. Domestic policymaking.- 8. Policy analysis.- 9. Policy evaluation and policy examination.- 10. Policy advocacy.- 11. Looking Forward.

This textbook focuses on how media and communications policy is made and what influences its design. It explores the structures and processes in which policymaking takes place worldwide, the factors that determine its forms, influence its elements, and affect its outcomes. It explores how to analyze policy proposals, evaluate policy, and use policy studies approaches to examine policy and policymaking. Truly international in scope, it lays out the variety of political, social, economic, and institutional influences on policy, the roles of industries and policy advocates in the processes, and issues and factors that complicate effective policymaking and skew policy outcomes. This textbook is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.

“With this book, Robert Picard fills a significant gap for those of us who teach media and communications policy – an international, interdisciplinary text that clearly explains how, where, and why media and communications policies are made.  This is a wide-ranging and informative resource for students, scholars, and industry professionals seeking to understand the political, cultural, and institutional contexts of media and communications policymaking.”Phillip Napoli, James R. Shepley Professor of Public Policy, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, USA  “Robert Picard is a master of his craft. His latest work, based on decades of rigorous research and direct engagement with policymaking, is a necessary intervention that elucidates many under-examined mechanics of media and communications policy—the institutions, processes, and structures that often invisibly shape the contours of everyday life. Policy scholars, students, and advocates—and anyone who cares about the future of media and democracy—should read this important book.” Victor Pickard, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, USA “This book contributes in major ways to the media policy research field, elaborating on concepts, levels of policymaking and the main methodological aspects of doing policy analysis. It is a must have for all scholars active in the field and for undergraduate and postgraduate students alike.” Karen Donders, Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium "Picard’s new book provides a roadmap of the communication and media policy landscape as it has been for the last half century while charting out a bold agenda for how scholars, policy makers and citizens alike might tackle the host of explosive, new policy issues that are arising from the uneasy intersection of globe spanning digital platforms, well-established media industries, the internet and telecommunications." Professor Dwayne Winseck, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada “In this extremely accessible and insightful book, Picard provides a comprehensive account of communication policy with examples from different sectors and countries. It is a must-read for anyone wishing to understand how communication policy works, its influences, processes and, importantly, its outcomes too.” Maria Michalis, Associate Professor in Communication Policy, University of Westminster, UK “Providing both an accessible pathway to media policy analysis and development as well as an important contribution to media policy studies, Picard’s book is a comprehensive study of the process of policy design and development. Written by a leading authority in the field, the book works both as a dynamic inter-disciplinary textbook for students as well as an invigorating scholarly contribution to the field” Pietari Kääpä, Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, UK, and Author of Environmental Management of the Media (2018)

Offers a toolkit for students to understand, analyse and evaluate a broad range of media and communications policies Focuses on how media and communications policy is made and what influences its design Outlines the variety of political, social, economic, and institutional influences on policy