Effects of Communication Media of Diaspora in the United States - Essay Example

Introduction The circumstances of the first Diaspora were unfortunate. It was the first of a series of instances in which Jews were persecuted for centuries and until 1948. Slavery caused Diaspora to take prominent form in the United States, though the modern form of that nation continues to attract immigrants from all over the world. Perhaps this is symbolic of modern Diaspora because communities now disperse voluntarily, rather than in oppressive abuse. Media is an omnibus term. Its kaleidoscopic forms do not impact Diaspora in any uniform manner. Nor is the service of Diaspora the sole aim of the media universe. Nevertheless, as a powerful form of human interaction, the media does influence the tendencies of ethnic groups to disperse, as well as the qualities of their lives away from their roots (Sulekha.com, 2008). Media can also be analyzed separately for its effects on first generation immigrants, the dependant members of wage earning Diaspora, and their children born and educated in foreign lands (Davies, Gadsby, Peterson, and Williams, 2003). Finally, real time and multi-media communication through the Internet as a medium has distinct and major implications for Diaspora. This document considers the roles and effects of various types of communication media on important categories of Diaspora through the ages. It seeks to draw conclusions on how media can help to improve the lives of growing Diaspora in the global village of today and tomorrow. The Origins and Conventions of Diaspora There is a Malthusian progression in the media needs of Diaspora (Naficy, 1993). Human dispersion is far from over. Executives with global corporations, bureaucrats with multi-lateral agencies, evangelists of all faiths, activists of varied persuasion, refugees, and blue collar workers in search of higher salaries, continue to move abroad from their native communities. Pioneers are content with even dated media content from homes they view with nostalgia. 16th to 19th century European colonialists were content with letters and print media that arrived by ship after many weeks. The radio continues to lighten burdens of early movers to this day, when they move to distant lands. Unemployment and consequential boredom awaits unskilled dependants of wage earning Diaspora. This is closely linked to the Asian practice of arranging marriages for young women. Media may be the sole refuge for these women who have nothing to do while their husbands are at work in foreign lands. Second generation immigrants are under peer pressure to ignore or even mock their own cultures. However, curiosity is bound to get the better of them with time, and they will eventually turn to ethnic media to sample the tongues and ways of their forefathers. Spirituality, all forms of media, and the Diaspora have indelible bonds. Most Muslim Monarchs forbid or severely restrict other forms of worship by Diaspora in their fiefdoms, but history shows that traces of faith cannot be extinguished by the State. Hindu temples endure throughout the Far East, and even practicing Muslims in the area keep the names of their ancestors from India. Perhaps the media has a large potential role for Diaspora if they can have it. The music of modern African Americans suggests that countless slaves must have died unsung for want of media support. We can also see the power of media in the stereotyped portrayal of Aleutians as villains in Hollywood’s largely fictional attempts to portray the violent and abusive colonization of North America. It is only natural to seek links with the past. Therefore, wealthy and materially satiated Diaspora tends to attach high values to specialized media which caters to their needs. Not all is well for host states and societies with respect to the nexus between Diaspora and the media. Cinema has been used to highlight the plight of immigrant farm workers in North America and the Caribbean. Communist trade unionism in and around Chicago has found resurgence through the Internet. No one from the administration has replied to electronic mail from Ahmadinejad, and Obama is deterred, wherever he may be, by the knowledge that regular communication may be used to track him down. Who knows what may happen when Guantanamo detainees finally have voices? Ethnic media do not need secret bonding symbols because their very script may be unintelligible for mainstream hosts. The subversive potential of Diaspora-specific media can be used productively. Media can be analyzed to understand the hybrid culture and mixed emotions of people separated from their native communities. This is best done by honest documentaries and faithful biographies, because fictional representations may be entirely misleading. Roles of Communication Media Religion, folk arts, and culture are obvious content categories for all media genres in helping Diaspora stay in touch with their native lands. Sublime qualities of music make it a favorite for adoption by mainstream host communities. Classical music from Europe and India, soul, country, and jazz, are all harmonious examples of radio and television performances, as well as of live performances that attract secular followings. Scripture and text books retain their authorities on Diaspora regardless of the advance of electronic media. The latter however, grow in influence over Diaspora by the day. Multi-media transmission over the Internet has the overpowering potential of a near monopoly in future. Conventional photography has already declined in its values for Diaspora, and the World Wide Web will make deep inroads in to cinema soon. It is not enough for media to connect Diaspora to their original homes. Magazines and radio have best positions to help Diaspora integrate in their adopted communities. Governments in the United Kingdom and Singapore have special successes in giving ethnic languages and scripts official supports to help Diaspora cement distinct identities while becoming worthy citizens of the adopted state at the same time. Media types have other important roles with respect to Diaspora: they need to set examples, and to portray realities for their would-be or potential followers (Hayward, 2000). Countries such as Canada and Australia can benefit by attracting more numbers of immigrants with specific skill sets, by due portrayal of the life-qualities of Diaspora in their jurisdiction. The reverse applies to the European Union, with large numbers of Africans, Asians, and former Soviet bloc citizens trying to enter member countries with false notions of benefits that may accrue from dispersion. Cinema Specifics Popular cinema from India is the most prominent example of the deployment of this medium for Diaspora (Ciecko, 2006). India beats Hollywood in terms of the numbers of new releases per year. Cinema is an important form of recreation in the country. Music, coordinated dance, fanciful story lines, and iconic stars are key features of this genre. Though virtually none of these films would stand any critical analysis, they provide delight to Diaspora from the sub-continent. Serious cinema from India deserves more exposure. Production and distribution costs act as entry barriers. While India is most prolific in new cinema production, film festivals indicate that all countries from which communities disperse can produce cinema to appeal to their Diaspora. Overall, there is a case for city planners with large Diaspora elements in their resident populations to plan dedicated exhibition facilities for ethnic cinema from relevant parts of the world. Cinema has poignant values for second and following generations of Diaspora. It is a pleasurable and memorable way of learning about one’s deep past of earlier generations. It is harmless that most works project perspectives of individual directors, especially if film viewing stimulates interest in further and structured enquiry. The entire Indo-China region produces large numbers of films based on mythology. Viewing such cinema is a crucial ingredient of personality development of young members of the Diaspora community. This is also why cinema can be a vast reservoir of information for researchers who wish to appreciate the emotional inheritances of Diaspora. Television Specifics Television for Diaspora is in an incipient stage. The fixed costs of satellite transmission must deter channel owners from distributing feeds in exotic locations where Diaspora reside. Religion, gambling, and show-piece sports event make unlikely partners for the kinds of content that justify global broadcasts on television. Ethnicity is not necessarily a driver for Diaspora to watch such programs. Asians in North America for example, may watch horse racing in Dubai purely because top races happen in the Middle East during the long winter at places of residence. Disasters bring Diaspora to the nearest television sets anywhere. Visual feeds have replaced radio which used to be the sole harbinger of real time news before the advent of civilian and commercial satellites. Though Diaspora may encounter a new TV channel only after an adverse incident, significant proportions will become regular viewers. CNN was established in the wake of the first invasion of Iraq. No other channel had ever shown real-time images of battle. Many U.S. citizens will continue to turn to CNN when they are abroad, though they may prefer other channels when back home. Global TV channels, especially the BBC, do have content producers all over the world. It does a remarkable job of beaming programs with strong local flavor. However, they seem to be directed at local viewers in the countries of content origin rather than at Diaspora. Documentaries seem to aim for global citizens rather than for any particular set of Diaspora. State run TV channels, which prevail in countries such as India, are also focused on their domestic constituencies rather than on Diaspora. The latter only receive passing attention during festivals, if they achieve something special, or if they are in trouble in an emergency abroad. Overall, there is a dearth of programs and channels which aim specifically and persistently at Diaspora (Butler, 2006). The economic powers of Diaspora will determine whether TV tries to reach out to them. The medium depends on ratings of viewing, and sequentially, to choices by advertising agencies and their clients. The general impression in the business world seems to be that Diasporas are content to watch domestic or global channels in their countries of residence. Radio Specifics Short wave radio has rendered yeoman service for decades. There are stations that cater to the listening needs of major world groups of Diaspora. Music, short stories, and topical discussions are some of the kinds of endearing content available for casual and regular listeners alike. FM stations bond with local audiences even better than conventional short wave. This could be a potential lacuna as far as Diaspora is concerned. Many members of dispersed communities may delight in receiving the kind of broadcasts that are available on FM for city and area residents. Low awareness levels plague radio. This limitation extends beyond Diaspora. However, people who have to live far away from their homes can be persuaded to use radio more. It should be easier to receive distant stations clearly and easily. Modern appliances for use with cellular telephones are often very limited in terms of reception. Mobile Internet has the technical capabilities to bridge gaps between conventional SW and FM radio broadcasts for Diaspora listener values. This format remains a domain for amateurs until now. It is set to grow in popularity as large bandwidth becomes more affordable. Professional broadcasters will need to conceive of revenue models to participate in this communication opportunity as a business. Amateur broadcasters are even less well known than professional radio stations. This is a pity because the format suits Diaspora needs so well. Hardware is a limitation, not just because of cost, but also on account of its complete absence from retail shelves. Radio overall seems to have lost many opportunities to serve Diaspora interests. The Internet is its best hope for revival though free user-generated content may make the endeavor financially unrewarding. Print Specifics Diasporas have traditionally used print media far more than host communities may know. Magazine subscriptions are honored by post. It is a relatively economical and engaging way of staying in touch with places of origin. Such values are enhanced when an ethnic script is involved, for it gives Diaspora who retain fluency in their mother tongues a private band for communication. Fortnightly and monthly magazines have been favorites with first generation immigrants. Special annual issues are coveted and often bound and stored for years after first receipt and reading. The phenomenon of late city editions of newspapers and distribution of copies by surface to other urban centers also proves the latent demand from dispersed communities for print media from their original homes. Print media types have been quick to establish online versions of their publications. Plasma screens cannot be folded or bent, but other than that modern technology allows a newspaper or magazine to appear on a computer in the same format as at any kiosk. Many Diasporas have conventions of exchanging gifts in the form of books related to their ethnicities. It is a gentle way for first generation immigrants to arouse interests in their children for their backgrounds. Internet shopping for books has not touched Diaspora in a major way, but the potential is there for new entrepreneurs to tap. Overall, the print media has borne major burdens of the communication needs of Diaspora before the advent of civilian Internet use. Senior citizens in Diaspora communities have not universally acquired computer literacy. That is why a break may exist in many cases with respect to transiting from print media on paper and their new web sites. It is conceivable that the print media will continue to fade in importance for both Diaspora and for mainstream communities. Event Specifics An occasional opportunity for Diaspora to gather at a central place is a powerful medium of communication (Event Management, 2007). Once again, music comes to the fore: Latino music and dance forms are celebrated by Hispanic Diaspora in the United States with such fervor that it has caught the imagination of others, and has developed secular appeal. Sacraments of Christianity have served similar purposes in 18th and 19th century colonies of European monarchies. Wealthy Asian Diasporas in the west have begun to arrange annual events of their own. The cultural expressions during such gatherings are unique: they do not attract any significant attention outside their closed circles. This may be advantageous from the Diaspora perspective, as they enjoy the freedoms of ethnic expressions without the prying eyes of host communities. Scouting for suitable partners is an example of the kind of ethnic practices that may prevail at Diaspora events, though such practices are abhorrent in modern communities. Asian Diasporas also transact serious business at their annual events. The latter are used as forums for successful emigrants to advise root country governments on matters of economic development. Large entrepreneurs combine business with pleasure, and search for investment opportunities in the lands of their ancestors. Diaspora Relevance as a Parameter of Media Analysis Even when a medium of communication exists exclusively for Diaspora, it cannot remain hermetically sealed for long. Media that do not seek to serve Diaspora exclusively, may or may not devote some portions of their capacities to members of dispersed communities (Conrad, 1983). Hence, any critique of media with respect to the values it may deliver to Diaspora is self-limiting. It is for Diaspora to derive benefits from media that engulfs them, or to create new genres and types using internal resources. Magazines produced by Catholic Parishes for consumption within their rather closed circles, are suitable examples in this regard. The overwhelming use of media by Diaspora appears to be entertainment, and simply having a good time. It is a productive way of occupying leisure time. It runs the risk of exaggerating nostalgia and diverting attention from the core purpose of dispersion. After all, dispersion is no longer an affront to personal choice. Diasporas should find the right balances to use specialist media types and enrich the qualities of their lives. A more significant drawback, from an academic perspective, is the distortion that fictional portrayals through media may convey. Popular cinema from India is a prime example in this respect. Many films from this part of the world present unreal images of actual life in the sub-continent. There is a strong case to strengthen the production and distribution of documentary films and other forms of factual content amongst Diasporas about the true pasts and presents in their original homelands. Another useful application of media is to cultivate a sense of identity amongst Diasporas (Torres, 1998). This can become a powerful constituency in its own right within a home country. Dr. Martin Luther King did not have electronic resources, but he used available media of communication to end discrimination against descendants of slaves dispersed from Africa. Moderate Muslims and other categories of Diasporas in the United Kingdom have important roles in national life, and in negotiating peaceful relations between their constituencies and other social groups, both ethnic and mainstream (Allievi, and Nielsen, 2003). Media Analysis Independent of Diaspora Considerations An amateur may portray intimacies of a family or an indigenous community with both accuracy and ingenuity, but the produced medium may be lacking in lighting, sound qualities, camera angles, and coherence. The artistic and professional values of media production should not be ignored because one wants to do something for Diaspora. Therefore, analyzing media with Diaspora in mind should not evade minimal quality parameters that have universal application as standards (Bazin, Renoir, Andrew, and Gray, 2004). Another approach is to view media as services. Anything that Diaspora should be appreciated as long as it does not promote sedition, violence, or any social crime (Ogan, 2001). Popular cinema is a case in point. Films on martial arts from the Far East may appear ridiculous to professional critics, but who can argue with adoring viewers? Conclusions Media analysis from a Diaspora orientation has to change from the past. Globalization and the Internet combine to change equations between Diaspora and the media. Communal dispersion, with notable exceptions of refugees from conflict zones, is voluntary and pecuniary in this Millennium. Physical location matters much less than it used to before satellites were available for real time audio and video transmission. Perhaps the new Mantra for media analysis from Diaspora perspectives should focus on how far group communication can promote tolerance and universal human values (Karim, 2003). . References Allievi, S, and Nielsen, J, 2003, Muslim Networks and Transnational Communities in and across Europe, BRILL Bazin, A, Renoir, J, Andrew, D, and Gray, H, 2004, What is Cinema? 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