The popular culture economy.

Journal of Popular Culture, December, 2001 by Cusic, Don

Popular culture is market-based rather than aesthetic based. In other words, it is the culture that is most "popular" in an economic sense; i.e., what TV programs receive the most viewers, radio the most listeners, recordings the most buyers, and movies the most ticket-buyers. Although the study of popular culture encompasses a wide variety of issues--from clothing to popular activities to material culture--it is rooted in entertainment. While some popular culture entertainment may be viewed as "art" or even elitist, the bulk of popular culture involves the transmission of mass culture through entertainment from producers to consumers.

It is difficult to "measure" the popular culture economy because it is so nebulous (including so many intangibles) but it...