Dwayne Winseck

Biography

Dwayne Winseck is Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, with a cross appointment at the Institute of Political Economy, Carleton University. His research interests include the political economy of telecommunications, the Internet and media as well as communications and media history, theory, policy and regulation. He is also the Director of the Global Media and Internet Concentration Project, a project funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Grant. 

Dwayne’s research, data and views on media concentration and communication, media and Internet industry and policy issues are well known and have been solicited or cited widely in the scholarly literature and by the Parliament of Canada, Canadian Senate, Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Committee, World Trade Organization, the International Telecommunications Union, amongst others. Dwayne also writes regular op-eds on these topics for the press and other outlets, including as a regular columnist for the Globe and Mail. 

His co-authored book with Robert Pike Communication and Empire: Media, Markets and Globalization, 1860-1930 won the Canadian Communication Association’s book-of-the-year prize in 2008.

ORCID: ORCID: 0000-0002-8122-9223

Areas of Interest

• Communication and media history
• Political economy of communication, Internet and media
• Communications, media and Internet history
• Communications, media and Internet regulation

Current Research Projects

Global Media and Internet Concentration Project (SSHRC Partnership Grant)

The Global Media and Internet Concentration (GMIC) Project was launched in 2021 after winning a $2.5 million grant from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The project brings together fifty or so scholars from around the world to address a deceptively simple but profoundly important question: have the communication, Internet and media industries—individually and collectively—become more or less concentrated over the period covered by this study, i.e. 1984-2027? We use this question, in turn, as a springboard to a far-reaching, yet clearly-bounded and richly detailed analysis of some two dozen sectors of the communications, Internet and media industries in the nearly 40 countries we cover.

The project’s scope covers both the traditional communications and media industries as well as the rise of new actors like the digital platforms (e.g. Google, Apple, Amazon, Baidu, Bytedance, Facebook, Microsoft, Netlfix, Tencent, etc.)  A dozen external partners also serve as advisors and contributors to the project, including, for example, the Department of Canadian Heritage, UNESCO, Statistics Canada, the Internet Society, OBSERVACOM, and the International Institute of Communication, amongst others.

The GMIC Project website was recently launched. While still in its early stages, our intention is for the site to be a wide-ranging and authoritative resource for students and scholars, policymakers, activists journalists, and anyone else interested in media market data. This website picks up where the one for a earlier iteration of this project, the Canadian Media Concentration Research Project, left off. Last year’s (2021) 10^th anniversary editions of two-part annual series of reports for that project marked the start of this new initiative. Those reports are now available on the new GMIC Project website. Other country reports and data will be available soon.

This research will inform independent academic research and policy developments, especially in relation to the fast evolving, new generation of Internet services regulation now taking shape in Canada and around the world.

Student Supervisions

Supervision of PhD Students

• Ben Klass (current)
• Xiaofei Han (current)
• Peter Garland (current)
• Miaoran Dong (current)
• Marc-Andre Pigeon (2008)
• Valerie Steeves (2005)

Supervision of MA Students

• Miaoran Dong (2021)
• Madeleine Lajeune (2021)
• Meagan Bell (2019)
• Sabrina Wilkinson (2017)
• Henry Guardado (2015)
• Lianrui Jia (2014)
• Shayna Gershner (2014)
• Jasmine Mosielski (2012)
• Dabrine Desroches (2009)
• Rhiana Chinapen (2009)
• Sheehan Carter (2006)

Select Publications

Books

2007    Winseck, D. & Pike, R. Communication and Empire: Media Power and Globalization, 1860-1930. Durnham, N.C.: Duke Univ. Press. (Winner of the Canadian Communication Association’s G. J. Robinson book of the year award)

1998    ReConvergence: A political economy of telecommunications in Canada. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton.

Edited Volumes

2012    Winseck, D. & Jin, D. Y. (eds.). Political Economies of Media: the Transformation of the Global Media Industries. London: Bloomsbury.

1997    Bailie, M. & Winseck, D. (eds.). Democratizing communication?:  Comparative perspectives on information and power. Cresskill, NJ:  Hampton.

1997    Sreberny-Mohammadi, A., Winseck, D., McKenna, J. & Boyd-Barrett, O. (eds.). Media in Global Context.  London, UK:  Edward Arnold.

Selected Peer Reviewed Articles & Book Chapters

2022    Winseck, D. & Bester, K. (2022/forthcoming).  Regulation for a More Democratic Internet: Lessons from 19^th & 20^th Centuries Antitrust and Communications Regulation. In T. Flew, J. Thomas & J. Holt (eds.). Sage Handbook of the Digital Media Economy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

2022    Winseck, D. (2022/forthcoming). The Broken Internet and Platform Regulation: Promises and Perils. In T. Flew, F. Martin & R. Gillett (eds.). Digital Platform Regulation: Global Perspectives on Internet Governance. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

2022    Winseck D. (2022/forthcoming). Curran & Seaton’s Power without Responsibility: Legacy and lessons. In M. Klontzas (ed.). James Curran & Jean Seaton’s Power without Responsibility: Critical Reflections. London: Routledge. 

2020    “Vampire Squids”, the Broken Internet and Platform Regulation. Journal of Digital Media and Policy, 11(3), 241-282.

2020    Schafer, V., Fickers, A., Howarth, D., Musiani, F., Pohle, J. & Winseck, D. (2020) The internet and the European market from a multidisciplinary perspective: a “round-doc” discussion, Internet Histories, DOI: 10.1080/24701475.2020.173960.

2019  Wilkinson, S. & Winseck, D. Whither Journalism? Crisis or Wrenching Change in Journalistic Work in Canada? Canadian Journal of Communication (forthcoming) (author split 70/30).

2018    Fitzgerald, S. & Winseck, D. Media Economics: Missed Opportunities, Mischaracterizations, Review Essay on Stuart Cunningham, Terry Flew and Adam Swift’s (2015) Media Economics (Palgrave: London). The Political Economy of Communication, 6(1), 83-97.

2018    Jia, LR & Winseck, D. The political economy of Chinese internet companies: Financialization, concentration and capitalization. The International Communication Gazette, 80(1), 30-59.

2017   Winseck, D. & Pooley, J.  A Curious Tale of Economics and Common

Carriage (Net Neutrality) at the FCC: A Reply to Faulhaber, Singer, and Urschel. International Journal of Communication, 11, 2702-2733.

2017   The Geopolitical Economy of the Global Internet Infrastructure. Journal of Information Policy, 7, 228-267.

2016   Reconstructing the Political Economy of Communication for the Digital Media Age. The Political Economy of Communication, 4(2), 73-114.

2011    Submarine Telegraphs, Telegraph News, and the Global Financial Crisis of 1873. Journal of Cultural Economy: Special Issue on Financial Crises edited by M. Poovey, 5(2), 197-212.

2010    Winseck, D. Financialization and the “Crisis of the Media”: The Rise and Fall of (Some) Media Conglomerates in Canada. Canadian Journal of Communication, 35(3), 1-28.

2009    Winseck, D. & Pike, R. The Global Media and the Empire of Liberal Internationalism, circa 1910-1930. Media History, 2009, 15(1), 31-54. (70/30 contribution)

2008    Information Operations ‘Blowback’: Communication, Propaganda and Surveillance in the Global War on Terrorism.  International Communication Gazette, 70(6), 419-441.

2008    Media Ownership and the Consolidation of Media Markets. Sociology Compass, 2(1), 34-47.

2002    Illusions of perfect information and fantasies of control in the information society. New Media and Society, 4(1), 89-118.

2002    Netscapes of power: Convergence, consolidation and power in the Canadian mediascape. Media, Culture & Society, 24(6), 795-819.

Select Awards

2021    The Global Media and Internet Concentration Project. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant ($2,500,000).

2017    Faculty Graduate Mentoring Award, Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton University.

2015    Nominated for Capital Educators Award

2014    Public Commentary Award, Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton University.

2012    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant for “Canadian Media Concentration Research Project” ($234,523).

2000    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for the project: Electronic empires and wired worlds:  Electronic media and the foundations of globalization, circa 1860-1920 (Co-researcher: Dr. Robert Pike) ($78,500).

Recent Media & News Coverage

Op-eds

• Winseck, D. (April 19, 2022). Bad News: Ottawa’s Proposed Online News At Misses the Mark. Centre for International Governance Innovation, CIGIOnline.
• Winseck, D. (April 19, 2022). Bad News: Liberal’s Proposed Online News Act Misses the Mark. TVO Today.
• Winseck, D. (Feb. 25, 2022). Still Not Dead: Why Legislators Should Kill the Online Streaming Act. Centre for International Governance Innovation, CIGIOnline.
• Winseck, D. & Klass, K. (March 19, 2021). Rogers’ bid for Shaw is bad news for competition in several media markets, and should be blocked. Toronto Star.
• Winseck, D. (June 6, 2021). Bill C-10 and the Future of Internet Regulation in Canada: Is there a more democratic and accountable alternative? Centre for International Governance Innovation.
• Winseck, D. (Feb. 17, 2021). Why Canada should take a critical look at Australia’s internet regulations. National Observer.
• Winseck, D. (July 1, 2016). Modular media: A radical communication and cultural policy for Canada. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: The Monitor.
• Winseck, D. & Klass, M. (May 18, 2016). MTS deal would set a harmful precedent for wireless competition. Globe and Mail.
• Winseck, D. (April 19, 2016). Guilty pleasures and proper needs: Who gets what kind of Internet, and who decides? Policy Options.
• Winseck, Dwayne. On Bell Astral Merger, the CRTC should take its time. Globe & Mail, February 4, 2013.
• Winseck, D. (March 28, 2015). At Bell Media, editorial meddling by execs appears to be a recurring problem. Policy Options.
• Winseck, Dwayne. Who’s Watching You on the Internet. Huffington Post, October 15, 2012.

Audio

• Darts and Letters (Nov. 5, 2021). EP39: Three corporations in a trenchcoat (FT: Matt Stoller & Dwayne Winseck).
• Jespersen, R. (May 11, 2021). Bill C-10 with Dwayne Winseck (17 min, 21 second mark). Real Talk Ryan Jespersen.
• Geist, M. (April 19, 2021). The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 84: Dwayne Winseck and Ben Klass on Canada’s Wireless Woes. Michael Geist LawBytes Podcast.
• Hanomansing, I. (March 21, 2021). Cross Country Checkup with Ian Hanomansing: What’s your reaction to the Rogers-Shaw deal? Are you satisfied with the price and speed of your internet and cell phone service? CBC Radio.
• George, P. J. (Feb. 25, 2021). Should governments regulate online platforms? The Hindu Parley podcast.

Video

• Canada, Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology (INDU) (April 6, 2021). Study of the Proposed Acquisition of Shaw by Rogers.
• CBC (March 15, 2021). Rogers plans to buy Shaw in telecoms shake up (starts @ 2 minute mark).
• BNN (April 20, 2017). CRTC rules in favour of net-neutrality.
• CTV News (December 22, 2016). CRTC declares broadband internet a basic service.
• CBC (August 17, 2012). Interview with Dwayne Winseck on the CBC’s Lang and O’Leary show.

Print

• Thanthong-Knight, R. & Decloet, D. (April 13, 2022). Rogers keeps rising as Shaw deal nears key antitrust ruling. BNN Bloomberg.
• Gilmore, R. (April 5, 2022). Feds to force tech giants like Facebook, Google to pay for news with new bill. Global News.
• Patel, R. (March 31, 2022). Canada’s legislation compelling big tech to pay news outlines is on the way. Here’s how we got here. Toronto Star.
• Saba, R. (August 14, 2021). Media industry cautiously optimistic the government will soon force digital giants to pay for their content. Toronto Star.
• George, P. J. (Feb. 26, 2021). Should governments regulate online platforms? The Hindu.
• Corcoran, T. (Feb. 24, 2021). What is the market price for news? The Facebook-Aussie deal is not the answer. National Post.

Contributions to Public Policy Proceedings

2021    Winseck, D. & Klass, B. Submission to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology of the House of Commons (Canada) regarding the Competitiveness of the Canadian Economy (April 15, 2021).

2021    Winseck, D. & Klass, B. The Great Reversal: Why the Rogers-Shaw Merger is a Raw Deal and Regulators Should Deny It. Submission to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology of the House of Commons (Canada) regarding the proposed acquisition of Shaw by Rogers (April 2021).

2021    Canada, Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology (INDU) (April 6, 2021). Study of the Proposed Acquisition of Shaw by Rogers.

2021    Canada, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (March 29, 2021). Relations Between Facebook and the Federal Government

2019    Klass, B. & Winseck, D. Competition in Canadian mobile wireless markets: Pricing problems and wholesale solutions. Expert report prepared for the Consumers’ Association of Canada (Manitoba Branch), Winnipeg Harvest and the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg. Submitted to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-57, “Notice of hearing—Review of mobile wireless services” (75pp).

2019    Winseck, D. & Klass, B. Submission to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel. [submission].

2018    Winseck, D. Common Carriage and Cultural Policy for the Internet Age. SenVu live streaming coverage of hearings before the Senate Transportation and Communication Committee’s Review of the Telecommunications, Broadcasting and RadioCommunication Acts. (September 18, 2018).

2018    Klass, B. & Winseck, D. (2018). Poor internet for poor people? Why Canada needs better and more affordable mobile services for everyone.  Expert report prepared for the Consumers Association of Canada (Manitoba Branch) and the Public Interest Law Centre in consideration of: Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-98, “Call for comments—Lower-cost data-only plans for mobile wireless services” (101pp).

2018    Winseck, D. & Klass, B. Website Blocking, Clogging the Pipes, and Crippling Citizens’ Fundamental Communication Rights. CMCRP Submission in response to the Fairplay Coalition’s application for website blocking. Submitted before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Application 8663-A182-201800467 to disable on-line access to piracy sites (March 29, 2018)(76pp). 

2017    Shattered Mirror, Stunted Vision and Squandered Opportunities: A reply to the Public Policy Forum’s The Shattered Mirror: News, Democracy and Trust in the Digital Age. Canadian Media Concentration Research Project. Ottawa: School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University [Report]  (February 9, 2017) (28pp). 

2016    Klass, B., Winseck, D., Nanni, M. & Mckelvey, F. (2016). There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch: Historical and international perspectives on why common carriage should be a cornerstone of communications policy in the Internet age. CMCR Project’s submission to the CRTC’s Review of Differential Pricing (CRTC 2016-192). Plus responses to interrogatories and oral presentation)(88pp) (author split: 45/45/5/5)

2016    Rethinking Universal Service for the 21st Century and an All-IP World (September 2015) CMCR’s first submission to the CRTC’s Review of Basic Telecommunications Services (CRTC 2015-134). Available at: (Plus responses to interrogatories and oral presentation) (57pp).

2016    Klass, B. & Winseck, D. Why Bell’s Bid to Buy MTS is Bad News. Report submitted to the Competition Bureau assessing Bell Canada Enterprises’ proposed bid to acquire Manitoba Telecommunications Services. Available at (46pp) (author split 50/50)

2013    Expert Witness. Written brief and testimony for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in the matter of Bell Canada Enterprise’s Second Bid to Purchase Astral Media Hearings before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Montreal, Quebec, May 2013.