Comparison between Cuba Media System and Western System - Literature review Example

Development system and western systems al Affiliation) Cuba media system The situation of press as brought out as the most complicated system in the world because of political and physical distribution of those living in the country. From the time of victory of forces that were led by Castro, an important Cuban exile community has grown in unites states and majorly in Florida. The Cuban community in the area has led to a significant information volume during the times that it has had in exile. The output that the community has caused is that in the language of English, which was mainly designed for the audience in United States (Brenner, 2008). There has also been an aspect of remains of Spanish language, which was aimed in consumption of by the population of Cuba. Ina similar situation, the offerings that are given out by the press on the island has been done with division on those that are aimed to international and domestic audience. Situation of press in Cuba is considered the most restrictive in Latin America. The restrictive aspect of the media has come about due to the accession by Castro government. This has led to lack of freedom of expression and the press in the island have had lacked freedom. The regime of Castro has maintained monopoly on information through the nation, removing the property linked to independent media, and maintaining a policy of constant suppression (Brenner, 2008). According to journalist Jose Marti on April 13, in Cuba, the government does funding of the television stations. This is what has restricted the development of independent TV stations. Restrictions in what is to be passed through the media are minimal but the television stations work with the aim of satisfying those that fund their activities, which is the government. The policy that is followed by media in Cuba is that of education which are considered ethics in Cuban television stations. The entertainment perspective of Cuban media is not restricted to the people but it is hidden to the people. Entertainment in this aspect is for the needs of people in the country. The nature of audience from Cuba has also been found to be complex. In an estimation that was done by the United States government, it was found out that the population was growing at a high rate with a more complicated ethical mix (Brenner, Jiménez, Kirk & LeoGrande, 2007). In the population, 37% were found to be of European descendant, 11% being of African descendant, and 51% of the population being from mixed races. Without the consideration of slavery in the country, the Cuban society has significance in race issues, which is less than that which is in United States. In the country, the journalists that are employed by the state are considered the voice of Cuban government. Journalism is restricted on the content that they are to give out and the styles that they should use in bringing out the issues that are in the government (Brenner, Jiménez, Kirk & LeoGrande, 2007). The journalism through the restrictions that are made is described to be unimaginative. Through a nonpartisan organization that is based in United States, there has been identification that when a journalist is separated from the media that is controlled by the government while achieving some degree of freedom of expression will lose both ends used in the process of journalists (Chomsky, Carr & Smorkaloff, 2003). The sources that were used by the journalist which were once open will become no more open and unapproachable to the independent journalist. Publication that was available to the journalist while in the government becomes unavailable to the independent journalist. According to journalist Jose Marti on April 13, there however has been claim by journalists in the country that they freely write what they are interested in and are able to air it freely. This has brought about controversies because the government finances the stations. The argument here is that payment is always given on the right job done to a master. The government in this aspect will only fund the media when the media abide by the policies that it puts up. Another characteristic of journalism in Cuba is that there is omnipresent bias. On one side of the bias is the control that the government has on the press that is much exercised on the island and other small scattered press organs that are around the world that sympathizes with the Castro regime to overlook the treatment and press freedom (Chomsky, Carr & Smorkaloff, 2003). The outlets that the press has are those that serve effectively for all the activities of Cuba and surrounding board from critic that is based on Cuba in the West, mainly in United States. The bias that is observed on the other side is that which deals with those that are independent and those that are anti-Castro agendas (Hanrahan, 2008). The sides face hardships that are associated to the career. Those that are against the agendas mainly originate outside Cuba and the writings flow from the community that is in exile in Florida. Those that tend to serve as partial observers face challenges from both sides. The side of the government while being extremely accommodative to those of foreign press provides no access to journalist that they have the feelings they cannot utilize (Hanrahan, 2008). Western media system The media type used in United States is that which consist of different types of communication media. In the current situation, the internet as also served as a different new media. The music industry in the country has also been identified to that which is broad. In the US, several things affect the media (Jonakait, 2003). The first characteristic is that the country enables citizens to elect their leaders and the authority at each level of governance depends on the people. The second characteristic is that each level of government raises money from the area that it serves. In the other characteristic is that there is no part of the government that that is able to supplant each other (Kudlac, 2007). There are also characteristics that are distinct in the media in the country. The country has media freedom that was due to amendments that were made to the country’s constitution in 1791. In the amendments, there is stating that the congress is not able to make establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise of freedom (Kudlac, 2007). In the amendments that were made to the constitution through bills of rights is currently intended to provide specific protection to citizens against an enhancement of power of the federal government. Media ownership when considered in United States is found out that ell the broadcasts in the country are owned by wealthy individuals (Mazzoleni, Stewart & Horsfield, 2003). The empires in which the media operate in the country are profit-making corporations and carry out themselves like other corporation when there is consideration of corrupting American politics. There is form of liberalism that is applied in media system in the country to advance the corporate agenda. In the aspect of media regulation and control, the mass media of United States enjoys great freedom than those by any other country in the world. Through the constitution, it has been provided freedom and even there is no requirement of registration to publish an article in a newspaper (Mazzoleni, Stewart & Horsfield, 2003). In government control, there is no direct or indirect control of the media by United States. The press is free from control such as those through subsidiaries, labor policies, and licensing. The media in the country however operate under a different regulation in the country (McChesney, 2009). Censorship is a factor that does not occur in media in United States. The government does not have the power to censor media. Journalists in the country are free from requirements of licensed or registered so that they are able to perform their works and activities. The journalists are able to publish freely at any time. The times when a journalist will require registration are those times of campaigns or linking with the state house (McChesney, 2004). Comparison between Cuba media system and western system Comparison in the two systems can be done through the consideration of media regulation and control, government control of the press, censorship, and regulation, licensing of journalists, and licensing of broadcast regulations. In Cuba, the restrictive aspect of the media has come about due to the accession by Castro government. This has led to lack of freedom of expression. This is very different from freedom in United States where the country has media freedom that was due to amendments that were made to the country’s constitution (McChesney, 2004). In Cuba, the journalists that are employed by the state are considered the voice of Cuban government (Melman, 2001). In United States, a journalist is able to compose any article through any style and present to the public without the consideration of the government. Journalism is restricted on the content that they are to give out and the styles that they should use in bringing out the issues that are in the government (Melman, 2001). The journalism through the restrictions that are made is described to be unimaginative, as journalists cannot make any publication at wish, as is the case in the US. This is different with the system that is in United States where journalists in the country are free from requirements of licensed or registered so that they are able to perform their works and activities. The journalists are able to publish freely at any time. In Cuba Media System, there are ways that are restricted to journalists to use in giving out the views that they have to the public. The journalists are not able to give and share their views through the internet, as they are restricted (Schweickart, 2002). In United States, journalists are not restricted on the medium that they use, as they are able to publish in the anything at any time. There are no restrictions or biasness in western system. The western system is fair and there exists no form of control over media. In Cuba, those that are against the agendas of the government mainly originate outside Cuba and the writings flow from the community that is in exile in Florida. Those that tend to serve as partial observers face challenges from both sides. The side of the government while being extremely accommodative to those of foreign press provides no access to journalist that they have the feelings they cannot utilize (Simmons, 2011). Electronic Colonialism Theory Electronic Colonialism Theory is described to be the means in which mass media have been leading the new concept of empire. The concept is not based on power or military actions but is major on controlling the mind. The concept is of physiological empire. It entails the influence that is experienced on the values, attitudes, and languages that an individual is exposed to around the world. Electronic Colonialism Theory was developed to focus on advertisement, global media systems, influence on the thinking of people and the actions of the people (Venegas, 2010). The aim of the theory is to account for the influence that mass media has on the mind. Electronic Colonialism Theory has been linked to industrial revolution just as it focuses on raw materials, finished products, and manual labor; Electronic Colonialism Theory focuses on digitally based informational revolution currently focus on the activities, roles and consequences concerning the mind. There is also focus on structural changes across the many aspects of life. With consideration of how culture is conveyed in a world of multimedia, there was use of books, tribal elders, and grandparents with a role of creating and transmitting cultures. In the historical aspect, those that spread the culture and created them relied on oral communication that done with consideration of community, family tribal and tribal connection. This shows that culture is also an attitude that is also learnt. Learning of cultures entails sharing of perceptions that are incorporated in the mind of an individual through education, through history, media or through rituals and family activities (Venegas, 2010). There are media systems that attract many users. The systems include MTV, Hollywood movies, the internet, soap opera, ESPN, and video games. The systems that are used tend to be output brought about by those that play major roles in communication such as Disney, Sony, and News Corporation. In the operations of the media with heavy users, they have the potential to alter and displace the cultural values, habits, lifestyles, family rituals and languages that were used before. Electronic Colonialism Theory states that the changes have impact on others in the society and community such as friends and family members over some duration. When there is a group of friends that share there are things that are placed through the sharing, different from that they originally have. In the first instance, the sharing leads to preoccupation with identical media for example Facebook and in the second instance there is embedding media and cultures that involves inclusion of new message, much different from the original message, habits and leanings (Wilson, 2002). An example of this preoccupation is a new slung of black slang. The slang has been at the core of the culture of new media-induced for the group. The trend has been used in movies, rap music, concerts, and the dressing code. For nations that are foreign to this, there is usually a representation of a tidal wave of media flooding indigenous cultures. According to Electronic Colonialism Theory, the empires of the media rather than the colonial empires of days that are gone by hijack the process of socialization. Through Electronic Colonialism Theory, there has been emergence of global phenomenon as a new culture that is driven by large multimedia companies. The companies control spreads and reduces global flow of pictures, sounds, and images. The aim of the companies is to affect the mind of the audience without consideration of places where the audiences are located (Wilson, 2002). The audiovisual productions of the companies are sold and standardized without consideration of time or space that they take. The products are marketed internationally to consumers who later come to view the outlook of their world and habits of buying as the logical outcome of a new culture in media as identified and outlined by Electronic Colonialism Theory. In an analytical example, many Hollywood films and DVDs sell and make more revenues in other countries more than in United States. In the same concert, other companies and services that providers give are to be expanded in other countries than in the United States. Microsoft, Google, and Apple have the plans to expand their operations in United States. International communication giants tend to describe their operation as being global than being in United States, Japan or European companies. The plans that the corporations have is to expand their global markets as on developing services and products for international consumption. In the operations, the corporations position themselves as being stakeholders, beneficiaries and advocates of the global economy. In the future of Electronic Colonialism Theory, There are factors that have been considered able to expand the phenomenon over time. The first factor that will be considered will be on the power of Hollywood to dominate the movie sector all around the world. Hollywood has been considered as a class with consideration of the productions that it has and the costs. The second factors that are considered are the power and success that come about on international advertising agencies who are working for companies that operate internationally. The largest firms in the world are located in United States, Europe, and Japan. Some of the firms however are due to joint ventures. The joint ventures have been seen to offer a wide range of offices in the whole world with the aim of expanding their operation. The ventures clearly promote a mentality of consumers and back it up with innovative research. This has made the joints in the front line in pushing Electronic Colonialism Theory. The third factor considered is the ability to collect important amounts of data on the tastes, preferences, values, and internet usage by consumers. There has been a secret logarithm by Netflix that has been able to predict future movie rentals. In an example, a movie that was produced by Amazon applied for a patent dealing with the concept of preventive shipping. This was based on the database that the company had with the habits. The company now holds that it can predict with the help of a complex logarithm the items that a consumer is likely to buy even before the consumer knows about it. The company then ships the items to a point of distribution, which is closer and waits for the actual order. In a prediction, the Electronic Colonialism Theory will continue to be in the spread as there is increase in modernization. Modernization has enabled many nations to become part of the consumer society. According to the theory, the primary American mass media is thought to be expanding at a high rate and with time will affect more people. The impacts will make the people that are impacted to be more homogenous or similar. Films that are indigenous, historical artifacts and small sized cultures are thought to become marginalized by the influence got from the high quality and mass produced messages and systems. The influence has also been seen to extend the effect on popular cultures such as those in hip-hop music, rap celebrity magazines, and video games. All this play important role in electronic colonialism (Wilson, 2002). Electronic colonialism in this aspect reveals the control of the Unites States as global American media and communication companies seek out the opinion the global economy as their market to control. Conclusion The main difference that has occurred between the two media systems is on the degree of freedom that the governments pose to operation of press in the countries. The situation of press in Cuba as brought out as the most complicated system in the world because of political and physical distribution of those living in the country. The complication is also brought out by the intervention of the government. The media type used in United States is that which consist of different types of communication media. In the current situation, the country is considered the most successful in terms of media. References Brenner, P. (2008). A contemporary Cuba reader. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. Brenner, P., JimeÌnez, M., Kirk, J., & LeoGrande, W. A contemporary Cuba reader. Chadwick, A. The hybrid media system. Chomsky, A., Carr, B., & Smorkaloff, P. (2003). The Cuba reader. Durham: Duke University Press. Hanrahan, C. (2008). Legal system. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Jonakait, R. (2003). The American jury system. New Haven [Conn.]: Yale University Press. Kudlac, C. (2007). Public executions. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. Mazzoleni, G., Stewart, J., & Horsfield, B. (2003). The media and neo-populism. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. McChesney, R. (2009). Rich media, poor democracy. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. McChesney, R. (2004). The problem of the media. New York: Monthly Review Press. Melman, S. (2001). After capitalism. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Schweickart, D. (2002). After capitalism. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Simmons, W. (2011). Cuba. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media. Venegas, C. (2010). Digital dilemmas. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. Vermilye, D., & Ferris, W. (1976). Individualizing the system. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Wilson, H. (2002). Capitalism after postmodernism. Leiden: Brill. Read More