Methods of Media Economics

The methods of research on media economics are as diverse as the approaches to the subject. As a sub-discipline of media and communication studies, the methods of this subject are used, on the one hand, and the results are interpreted with regard to economic issues. On the other hand, the researchers in the subject have often been socialized in other disciplines. Thus, methods – especially from economics – play an important role in each case. After a brief introduction to the history of the subject, this article systematically presents the common methods of data collection and analysis from a methodological perspective. It then discusses the special challenges facing the research field from a methodological perspective. Subsequently, an outlook is given as to which methods could enrich the established spectrum, combined with a discussion as to why these methods have so far only been able to establish themselves with difficulty.