The Franchise Era: Managing Media in the Digital Economy Edited by James Fleury, Bryan Hikari Hartzheim and Stephen Mamber A collection of essays that examine the management strategies of franchises across multiple media As Hollywood shifts towards the digital era, the role of the media franchise has become more prominent. This edited collection, from a range of international scholars, argues that the franchise is now an integral element of American media culture. As such, the collection explores the production, distribution and marketing of franchises as a historical form of media-making - analysing the complex industrial practice of managing franchises across interconnected online platforms. Examining how traditional media incumbents like studios and networks have responded to the rise of new entrants from the technology sector (such as Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google), the authors take a critical look at the way new and old industrial logics collide in an increasingly fragmented and consolidated mediascape. James Fleury is a PhD candidate in Cinema and Media Studies at UCLA. Bryan Hikari Hartzheim is Assistant Professor in the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University, Japan. Stephen Mamber is a Research Professor in the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media at UCLA. Cover image: The Avengers (2012) Directed by Joss Whedon © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Photofest Cover design: [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN 978-1-4744-1922-2 Barcode