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 The Curse of The Mogul: What’s Wrong with the World’s Leading Media Companies

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July 17, 09: In their new book, The Curse of the Mogul, coauthors Ava Seave, Jonathan Knee, and Bruce Greenwald explain what is going on behind the sometimes good, but mostly ugly, financial performance of much of the media industry: film, music, database publishing, TV, video games, telecom, newspapers among others. And then they give advice for how managers can structure their  businesses more rationally in the future. Read more.  | MAIN NEWS PAGE »

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Advance Praise for "The Curse of the Mogul"

The Curse of The Mogul

"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

"With the energy of Freakonomics and the strategic insight of an investment classic, 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