This ground-breaking study explores transformations in the TV industry under the impact of globalizing forces and digital technologies. Chalaby investigates the making of a digital value chain and the distinct value-adding segments which form the new video ecosystem. He provides a full account of the industry's global shift from the development of TV formats and transnational networks to the emergence of tech giants and streaming platforms. The author takes a deep dive into the infrastructure (communication satellites, subsea cable networks, data centres) and technology (cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence) underpinning this ecosystem through the prism of global value chain theory. The book combines empirical data garnered over 20 years of researching the industry and offers unique insights from television and tech executives.

‘A fascinating application of global value chain theory to the global TV industry that analyses how an industry once dominated by fully integrated broadcasting companies is now vertically disintegrated, globalised and increasingly dominated by tech firms and streaming platforms. A valuable contribution to both the of the television industry and to global value chain theory.'

John Humphrey - Honorary Visiting Professor, University of Sussex Business School

‘Impressively researched and convincingly argued, this pioneering study by Jean Chalaby offers fresh perspectives on the global shift in television entertainment, triggered by the streaming phenomenon. Essential reading for students and researchers in global media studies.'

Daya K. Thussu - Professor of International Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, and author of International Communication: Continuity and Change

‘Jean Chalaby is among the foremost analysts of communication in the world. This volume finds him at the peak of his powers, providing readers with an outstanding vision of television today-and tomorrow. A tour de force.'

Toby Miller - Stuart Hall Professor of Cultural Studies, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, México

‘The book offers a comprehensive look at the sprawling, interconnected networks of companies, infrastructures, and technologies that power the global television industry. Particularly noteworthy are the detailed breakdowns - with easy-to-read tables and exhaustive empirical data - of elements such as satellite operators, cloud hosts, content delivery networks, and post-production firms that are sometimes minimized in the rush to explore the impact of streaming … Highly recommended.’

C. Barker Source: Choice