"To have great poets, there must be great audiences too." (Walt Whitman)

This paper outlines recent developments in the field of cultural and media studies, including an account of changes in the economy, culture and technology, and consequent initiatives in educational provision for the creative industries. It goes on to outline the case for a new approach to the media and culture, based on evolutionary and complexity studies, in which the comparative media environment is recast in terms of 'micro-productivity' (user-created content) and 'social learning' (networked knowledge).

John Hartley is an educator, author, researcher and commentator on the history and cultural impact of television, journalism, popular media and creative industries.