Thus the use of technology always requires specialized knowledge. On one hand, this will surely slow the advance of the audiovisual market. On the other, we should be critically alert to how new class divisions will emerge on the basis of technological knowledge. Furthermore, what is true of the complexity of technology is equally true of the complexity of economic organizations and the juridical apparatuses that accompany it. The failure of Bell Atlantic's merger with TCI presents an important object lesson.
Late capitalism is no less replete with structural contradictions than industrial capitalism.
In this respect, I hope we can look forward to more critical, historical analyses of the international political economy of audiovisual culture. In addition, successful commodification requires the prior existence or creation of a compelling desire or need. The historical situation is still very fluid and inchoate. Both old and new forms of political action, legislation, and lobbying should be brought to bear here. An interesting example of what can be done is represented in the efforts of the Electronic Frontier Foundation to protect the Internet from commercialization.