Media Globalization - Essay Example

MEDIA GLOBALIZATION Students Name Roll No. It is important to first look at the definition of globalisation before looking at the issue of media globalisation. This will facilitate the discussion of globalisation and its impact on media. Globalisation according to Stieglitz (2002) is the process by which countries and peoples of the world have been integrated as a result of reduced costs of communication and transport and the break down of largely artificial barriers to the flow of goods, capital, services, knowledge and people across set boundaries. The IMF (2002) defines globalization as the increasing volume and variety of transnational transactions of goods and services due to rising interdependence of countries worldwide as well as increased international capital flow associated with rapid increase and spread of technology. The Encyclopaedia Britannica (“globalisation”.britannica.com n.d.) has defined globalisation as the means by which the spread of ideas and commodities have standardized the day to day experiences of life. According to Marginson and Considine (2000), globalisation refers to the increasing role of global systems of economic life, finance, communication, transport, language and/or symbols and media. They argue that globalisation involves trans-national movement of people and ideas as much as it is of markets and money and more to do with networks than with off-shore production and trade in goods. From the definitions above it can therefore be said that globalization is a sum total of the processes through which cultures and economies of various peoples have been merged together through a global system of political ideas by trade, transport and communication. It is evident that globalisation has impacted many areas of modern life and one of these areas is in the media sector which is the main area of discussion of this essay. Media globalization refers to all the different ways in which globalization has led to the creation of a new and unique media system characterised by access to media information by diverse peoples on a global scale. The media sector has been claimed to be an area where globalisation has had greatest impact. Media systems have been restructured to conform to a single media entity. A global commercial media market has emerged to replace national media markets whereby organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have promoted media globalisation by encouraging states to deregulate their markets so as to enhance foreign investment. (McChesney, 1999) New digital and satellite technologies have arisen due emergence of global media markets which are highly profitable and that require relatively low capital input. Globalisation has led to the increased access to a wide range of media. World news, entertainment and increased access to communication technologies have been significantly broadened as the world becomes increasingly integrated. This is more so in the areas of media production and distribution. (McChesney, 1999) Globalisation has increased diversity within media in developed countries. As seen from the definition of globalisation, rapid spread of technology is one of the many features of globalization. The increased worldwide access to technology has in turn increased global innovations in communications technology which has enabled increased access to a wide range of media. It has been suggested that the U.S.A has overwhelmed other smaller nations with movies and programmes and that it has created a kind of cultural imperialism. An example is the television series “friends” that was popular in the U.K.But this is not entirely true since programs from other nations have also influenced other nations including the USA. For example, the program “Pokemon” from Japan and some Indian movies (from “Bollywood”) have found wide following in the US. This shows that globalisation has created different audiences within developed countries and has greatly diversified in the same as a result of increased ease of travel and migration. Media diversity is now so enhanced that an increased number of people are settling in countries foreign to their culture. (McChesney, 1999) Globalisation has also affected entertainment within media since global audiences have access to a wide range of media content such as television, cinema and print. This has led to acculturation-the phenomenon where societies constantly interact with each other and continuously influence each other. For example American features such as G.I Joe and Transformers were very popular in Eastern society and were released due to interest in shown in them. On the other hand, Japanese films such as “Howl’s Moving Castle” became popular in North America, Canada and Australia when they were re-made in English. This demonstrates the case where a foreign audience shows interest in foreign values. (Gauntlett, 1998) Globalization has placed the media in a position to pursue favourable societal ideals such as democratisation. A case in study is the democratisation of Nigeria. During the dark days of Sani Abacha (1993-1998) the press was suppressed through the intimidation of journalists and proscription of magazines and newspapers. Advancements in global communication helped the Nigerian press to campaign for democracy. The people of Nigeria were better informed and this increased discontent and opposition to the ruling elite while the political situation was also extensively covered on a global scale. This together with the activist press aided in the process of democratisation. Similar examples are to be found more recently in the Muslim world where a traditionally quiet populace has risen up against outdated, repressive and autocratic leadership as evident in nations such as Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. It can therefore be said that globalisation empowers the media to enhance democratic causes and it must be mentioned that new media technologies are also breaking down monolithic information control structures in places such as Africa. (Bourgault, 1993) New technologies within media have integrated many people across the globe thanks to globalization. It was previously impossible to communicate to a foreigner without involving actual travel. This is now history as all what is takes is for one to log in to the internet to send a message to someone thousands of kilometres away in a few seconds as an example. Countries have shared ideas leading to the development of broadband, telephones etc. Globalisation in this sense has been the driving engine that has brought about advancements that have paved way for the development and distribution of media. . (Head, 2001) Changes in media have affected globalisation in one way or another. For example China was opposed to privatisation and deregulation of its media sector before 1999. China was however keen to become a signatory to the World Trade Organisation(WTO), the opportunity to do so arose in 1999 but one of the entry condition was that it should allow foreign investors a certain percentage (49 %) in ownership to certain telecommunications firms. China agreed to this and thus deregulated its media sector, this portrays the eagerness that China had to be assimilated into the global free market system. This trend of deregulating markets has been increasing in the North and South. It can therefore be said that such media changes have affected globalisation by incorporating previously closed markets into the global free market system. (Head, 2001) In conclusion it can be seen that media globalisation has impacted media in largely positive ways. For example it has opened up previously closed economies, broken systems of authoritarian rule as well as language and communication barriers. It is evident that media globalization is here to stay. However one of the concerns of this world system of global information is that many people in the world cannot in reality afford the goods and services as advertised on global media. The people who are constantly bombarded with these recurring messages and advertisements may want to own things that they cannot afford. This may be a pre-requisite to social unrest. The lifestyle of consumption portrayed by mass media of a people of a certain place may be very different from the lifestyle of the people in another location.However the benefits of global media still outweigh the disadvantages.   Bibliography Gauntlett, D, 1998. Approaches to Audiences. Roger Dickinson, Ramaswani Harindranath and Olga Linne. http://www.theory.org.uk/effects.htm (Accessed 16th March 2008) [Accessed 23 August 2011] “Globalization” Available from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/755509/globalization Bourgault, L.M. (1993) Mass Media in Sub-Saharan Africa. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Globalization: Threat or Opportunity (2002) International Monetary Fund [Internet] Available from http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/ib/2000/041200.htm#chart1a. [Accessed 23 August 2011] Head, S. W., Spann, T. and McGregor, M. A. (Ed). (2001) Broadcasting in America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. http://www.theory.org.uk/effects.htm [Accessed 23 August 2011] Marginson, S., Considine, M. (2000) The enterprise university: power, governance, and reinvention in Australia.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McChesney, R. (1999) ‘The New Global Media’, The Nation, USA, November 29 1999. Stieglitz, J.E. (2002) Globalization and Its Discontents. New York: W.W. Norton Read More

 

Read More