The Question of Methodology in Critical Political Economy of Communication and the Media

Critical political economy of communication and the media (CPECM) is an approach and field of study that critically analyzes how the interaction of politics and the economy in society shapes and is shaped by (mediated) communication. This study asks: What is the role of methodology in the approach of CPECM? How are methods and media ethics related in the critical study of media, economy, and society? The article argues that CPECM is distinct in that it asks special types of questions that are different from the questions asked by administrative research. This study points out 10 methodological dimensions of CPECM. It argues that empirical ideology critique should not be situated outside but inside of CPECM. It becomes evident that, other than conventional methods in media and communication studies, CPECM methodology is guided by ethics, moral philosophy, and critical theories.