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	Books by Jonathan A. Knee



	Books by Bruce C. Greenwald



	Books by Ava Seave

The Curse of the Mogul

What's Wrong with the World's Leading Media Companies
Jonathan A. Knee - Author
Bruce C. Greenwald - Author
Ava Seave - Author

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eBook - ePub eBook: $26.95

Why do media companies generate consistently bad financial results?

The media business is shrouded in an aura of mystery that was once reserved for A-list celebrities. These days we know every personal detail about TV, music, and movie stars, but very little about the inner workings of the companies that pay them.

Jonathan Knee, Bruce Greenwald, and Ava Seave say it's no accident that the CEOs of media conglomerates try to conceal their bottom-line performance with empty catch phrases like "content is king" and "media convergence." The authors show that if you strip away the glamour and buzzwords, these companies have been unable to deliver the returns of an index fund.

Through fresh analysis and revealing case studies, the authors expose the strategic failures underlying this consistently poor performance. They explore some fascinating questions: Have the fastest growing media companies been better or worse investments? Is the Internet the friend or enemy of these businesses? Is there any way to manage them more effectively?

Anyone who wonders what really makes companies like Disney, News Corporation, Viacom, NBC, Universal, and Time Warner tick will appreciate the clearheaded insights in The Myth of the Mogul.

"Its [a] disciplined, cogent analysis of what does and doesn't constitute real competitive advantage."
-The New York Times

"Moguls aside, the author's analysis...provides a sharp reminder of the importance of focusing on competitive advantage and on the barriers that enable it."
-The wall Street Journal

"the authors argue lucidly that the cadre of media moguls who dominated headlines for much of the past two or three decades have been deal junkies chasing rivals out of misguided notions about how to achieve long-term success."
-Fortune

"a shrewdly titled analysis"
-Variety

"This book is the clearest, most valuable explanation of the evolving economic imperatives of the media industry-an industry whose impact is pervasive in our society today. It is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in media."
-Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 2001

"Packed with vivid examples, The Curse of the Mogul dares to say what has long been staring us in the face: to understand the media business you need to be a psychotherapist. Mogul is an insider's view of how big egos often trump rational decision making, which is invaluable and hugely entertaining for anyone interested in the high-profile world of media."
-James B. Stewart, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Disney War

"The Curse of the Mogul is a true blessing for anyone with a stake in the future of news, books, movies, music, TV, or any other branch of the entertainment-information complex. The authors' diagnosis of the malaise afflicting media companies is brilliant, and their conclusion that bad management decisions rather than inexorable economic trends are mostly to blame is compelling."
-Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind; Knight Professor of Business Journalism, Columbia University

"Knee, Greenwald, and Seave have written a must-read book for students of the media industry and strategy. Stressing the quest for margins over mogul status and a drive for efficiency over the best table at Michael's, they weave strong economic advice for those who would try to understand-or even make money in-the media business."
-Glenn Hubbard, dean and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School

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