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Electronic Networks and Democracy, Vol. 11 - 2004, No. 1
Towards an Information Society? The Value of Media Production and Consumption
In the past decades, books and articles have been published on the transition from industrial society to a new form of society - the information society. In this article information society theories are discussed with reference to the development of the Norwegian media and communication sector. Four indicators are examined: the value of information and communication production; employment in media and communication industries; consumption of media and communication goods and services, and the degree to which new technologies appear to alleviate traditional differences between classes and social groups. The overall objective of the article has been to shed light on information society theories using various economic indicators. The analysis demonstrates that changes are taking place within production, employment and consumption of media and communication. However, these changes are neither as fast nor as dramatic as some theories on the transition to the information society predict.
