Paper: Innovation and knowledge in the digital media sector

An article in the new issue of Information, Communication and Society (Vol. 12, N 7, 2009) - Innovation and knowledge in the digital media sector (pp. 994 - 1014, by subscription).

The article has some interesting terminology, but no particularly interesting claims or findings. It distinguishes between the terms "creative industry", "digital content industry", and "cultural industry" and proposes to rely on the latter, the cultural industries, and incorporate it into the concepts of information economy and the primary information sector (PIS). This should help to avoid "terminological clutter" in understanding of the media services and their innovation processes. PIS includes all industries that produce information machines, goods, and services to sell in the market place.

The discussion of some case studies allows the authors to come to a conclusion that four knowledge domains provide inputs to innovations:

1. Technical knowledge.
2. Knowledge related to digital media authoring, design, and production.
3. Knowledge about specific businesses, policies, and regulations.
4. Knowledge of the organizational and industrial culture of the media sector.

What's new? Arguments about the complexity and multiplicity of types of knowledge involved in media development and innovation have been made before. How does it help us to understand what is going on in the digital media sector? And how is it different from other sectors of economy?