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Nowadays, the topic of interactivity has permeated the media landscape to a high extent: it has fully modified not only the internet services but also the main-stream media industry and its rules, languages and approaches to the audience. A theoretical recognition of audiovisual interactivity will be carried out in this paper, together with a clear focus on new trends toward user's participation and content generation. The passage from a "static" interactivity -- intended as process for modifying pre-constituted contents -- to a dynamic and participatory interactivity is analyzed throughout several case studies from an international context. Finally, the paper explores the Italian scenario and, thanks to the analysis and different quantitative data, it attempts to define and propose some interpretative frameworks which will be useful to interpret audiovisual interactivity as an innovation process deeply embedded and dependent on this specific and culturally situated scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, economic power has always been accompanied by increasing international cultural influence and there is no doubt that China's economic stature will also be reflected in the diffusion of Chinese culture. China has been playing a central role in the world economy and politics, therefore winning growing international influence. During the last decade, not only have Chinese media and scholars increasingly paid more attention to the development and wielding of soft power, but the Beijing government has also adopted soft power-based foreign policies. This paper explores China's soft power strategies in the digital culture by focusing on its culture, mega events and media, and devotes the analysis to the case of China Radio International: the broadcaster largely relies on social networks and new media, and makes interactivity its pivotal point of development. International partnerships and cooperation with foreign media are successful glocalized approaches in winning China's influence abroad, as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes two rules (Prime Time Access Rule, Financial Interest and Syndication Rules) proposed by the Federal Communications Commission and adopted in 1970 to regulate the U.S. television market. Some restrictions for the networks' production -- adopted after an investigation of the Department of Justice -- are considered as well. These measures are studied in light of their effects on the television market. The author aims to demonstrate ways in which they deeply affected the relationship between film and television industries, pointing out the influence of an attentive balance policy designed to curb the power of networks in favor of studios experiencing crisis. The following analysis invites scholars of media economics and management to rediscover the strategic importance of this historical movement's strengthening of the Hollywood industry's power, in particular taking into account events occurring in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 10 years after its appearance (1995), we propose a reading of Luhmann's Die Realität der Massenmedien (The reality of mass media), addressed to enrich Luhmann's grand theory. Luhmann describes the criteria by which mass media select events to be communicated, according to their capability to meet social need of information, but he is not interested in the way mass media operations become relevant in audience everyday life. Hence, we believe that Luhmann's perspective needs to be integrated by a bottom up analysis. We focus on social uses of mass media, rather than social influence of mass media; in this way we explore the way by which mass media audience give meanings to media communication, according to specific social needs and goals. Luhmann's book develop a general theory of mass media functions in modern society both from a historical and a sociological perspective; therefore it doesn't pay particular attention to any specific medium. With this paper we propose an analysis of television medium, showing technical and social features that made television the most relevant medium in satisfying social needs of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at investigating the relationships between information technologies and society throughout a complex set of theories, mainly concerning the most important social phases of introduction of ICT in domestic contexts. Relevant results come from observing how process of ICT's introduction in families produce interesting forms of social innovation and interaction. Further, they also represent an important step to reflect on links both between social actors and the most general social system and on types of communication among subjects within a same familiar situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]