This study highlights dramatic changes in worldwide media production, detailing how collaborations¿in the form of co-productions, format franchising and audience interactivity¿define the new media economy, and affect a shift across the entire field of cultural production. These developments also reflect broader trends in cultural and economic globalization.

Doris Baltruschat Ph.D. is a media and communications scholar with extensive experience in film and television production and distribution. She currently teaches and conducts research at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

List of Tables, Figures, and Maps Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction and Overview 1: International Film and TV Co-production under Review 2: Activating Codes and Conventions in Co-produced Docudramas 3: Media Ecologies in Format Franchising 4: Formats and Reality TV: The Case of the Idol Franchise 5: Auditioning for Idol 6: "Content as Currency": New Alliances between Media and Cultural Agents 7: Summary and Conclusion Appendix A Glossary Notes Bibliography Index