The History of Media Economic Thought in the German-Speaking World up to the Year 2000

This essay outlines fundamental tendencies in media economic thought in the German-speaking world between the end of the seventeenth century and the turn of the millennium. The focus is on three periods: The Enlightenment ended the exclusivity of knowledge. As a result, a book market developed on the basis of supply and demand. Historical national economics worked out fundamental insights into the news and newspaper business. After fundamental discussions influenced by critical theory, especially in the 1970s, the 1980s/1990s saw a renewed academic interest in media economic processes as a result of the emergence of dual broadcasting and the beginnings of Internet economics. The insights gained during this period formed the basis for the different methodological approaches within media economics that characterize the subject today.