Open AccessANALYZING PLATFORM POWER IN THE CULTURAL INDUSTRIES
Author(s) -
David B. Nieborg,
Thomas Poell,
Brooke Duffy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
selected papers of internet research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2162-3317
DOI - 10.5210/spir.v2021i0.12219
Subject(s) - monetization , context (archaeology) , politics , dominance (genetics) , business model , business , industrial organization , marketing , sociology , economics , political science , paleontology , biochemistry , chemistry , macroeconomics , gene , law , biology
Across cultures and contexts, digital platforms like YouTube,TikTok/Douyin, WeChat, and Spotify are fundamentally reshaping both the processes andproducts of cultural production—from music and news to entertainment and advertising. But,despite considerable attention to the perverse power of algorithms in various spheres ofsocial and economic life, we contend that existing political economic frameworks fail toaccount for the distinctiveness of the cultural industries. Challenging essentialisttheories of platform dominance, this paper argues that claims of platform power need to bequalified in the context of industry- and culture-specific inquiries. Building on researchin science and technology studies (STS), software studies, political economy, businessstudies, and media industries studies, the paper presents a new analytical framework toanalyse the evolving power relationship between platforms and cultural producers. It isargued that the decision space of cultural producers in their role as platform complementorsis shaped by three key variables: 1) platform evolution, 2) cultural industry segments, and3) stages of production. The proposed framework makes clear that, while the relationshipbetween platforms and cultural producers is staggeringly uneven and, at times, highlyvolatile, it should be understood as one of mutual dependence. That is, platforms exertmechanisms of power over the phases of the creation, distribution, monetization, andmarketing of culture; but they also furnish space for negotiation and contestation.Acknowledging this requires a framework that is less deterministic and sensitive to thenuance inherent in cultural production.