Media Imperialism & Cultural Imperialism

CULTURAL IMPERIALISM:

- the impositiom of western culture on developing countries e.g. through TNC's

MEDIA IMPERIALISM:

- new form of imperialism in which media corporations dominate global media ouput, contributing to cultural imperialism

- the global economic system is dominated by transnational companies that are based in the rich, capitalist countries

- control the production/distribution of goods

- estimated that the richest 200 capitalist corporations control half of the worlds economic activity

- TNC's also transmit western values/attributes, changing their culture

- process referred to as 'Coca-cola-isation' or 'McDonaldisation'

• e.g. Coca cola & McDonalds introduced in developing countries (Mcdonalds found amoung pyramids in eygpt), compete with local food producers, changing their culture and the way they eat.

AS A RESULT: local cultures are battered into submission, swamped with western culture and will eventually disintegrate

- argues that mass media corporations play a major role in cultural imperialism

- not only are they the 'richest/most powerful' of these western organisations, they are also the dominant force in the distribution of information/advertising/ideas

- transmit western values/attributes all over the developed world

9 of the 10 top media companies are based in the USA

(MARXISTS would see this as capitalist corporations controlling the content/distribution of knowledge & ideas)

• Some sociologists regard this process of CULTURAL DOMINANCE as purposeful & intentional - PLURALISTS

• Others would see it as an inevitable consequence of capitalists corporations seeking new markets & higher profits - MARXISTS

In either case, MASS MEDIA remains the driving force in the process of 'Cultural Imperialism

Many researchers now argue that these theories either go too far or no are longer aplicable:

• CULTURAL RESPONSE:
  • different cultures respond/interpret media in different ways, does not mean they will be influenced by it- may still maintain local thoughts/values
  • E.g. Dutch viewers enjoyed US Soap Opera 'Dallas' but rejected the programmes celebration of American Capitalism
  • E.g. when rights to programmes such as 'Big Brother' & 'Who wants to be a millionaire' are sold to TV companies across the globe, rather than sticking to the western version, local versions are made, reflecting local cultures/views

• NATIONAL/REGIONAL BROADCASTING:
  • steady increase in local broadcasting specifically aimed at individual nations/regions culture
  • growing number of independent media production centres outside USA & Europe
  • E.g. TV Globo in Brazil produces many of its own programmes & is dominant force in Brazillian TV
  • in many countries, local progs. are replacing imports, more attractive - gel with local culture E.g. in 7 of 9 Asian countries, more hours of local progs. were broadcasted

This suggests local cultures are not being overwhelmed by Western Media products, still have their own independence

• MINORITY ETHNIC MEDIA:
  • flow of programmes can be reversed - local progs. from developing countries are exported to western societies
  • minority ethnic groups produce their own media products reflecting their culture of origin
  • E.g. in USA, Spanish speaking Latino's produce large quantities of recorded music, listen to own radio stations & watch own TV progs. specifically designed for their cultural requirements
  • Therefore it is not always 'Americanisation' that is occuring, people often remain tied to their culture regardless of huge media corporations

TOMLINSON  reinforces this point of 'Minority Ethnic Media':

- rejects the idea of cultural/media imperialism

- instead looks at 'CULTURAL FLOWS'

- he see's that not everything from Western culture sticks, people often keep to their own beliefs

- See's 'AUDIENCE RESPONSE' as having a larger impact - everyone will respond to the media differently, some being more influenced than other (everyone's individual)

By 1990's, theories of media/cultural imperialism were replaced with the term 'GLOBALISATION':

Main views of Globalisation & the media:

• CHANGING REALITY:
  • changes peoples perception of reality
  • compresses world - world is 'shrinking'
  • compresses time - events in one part of the world can be seen miles away as they happen
  • this new reality called 'TIME-SPACE COMPRESSION'
  • mass media plays important role - E.g. by broadcasting live transmissions of 911 as it happened

• CULTURAL PRODUCTS:

•  
  • global media corporations have not destroyed local cultures - the situation is complex/multi-layered with global/regional/national/local markets & products
  •  from this point of view, western media corporations do not dominate global markets
  • nor are the products they broadcast necessarily of Western content
  • often they are 'HYPBRID CULTURAL PRODUCTS' combining aspects of several cultures (SPARKS 2007)

• TNC's & STATE POWER:
  • some globalisation theorists argue globalisation of the media has reduced the power of nation-states to control what their people see/hear
  • transnational media corporations override nation state power
  • E.g. satelite broadcast systems & the internet bypass national boundaries

HOWEVER, some reject the view that the power of nation-states to controll media output has been reduced

•  
  • Nation-states are not helpless - still have some control E.g. have some regualtion on satelite broadcasting, seen in negotiations netween Murdoch and China - Murdoch's Star TV satelite was designed to broadcast to China, in order to do so, had to abide by Chinese law & adapt its programme to fit requirements
  • Another example: attempts to establish ******** pornographic services for the UK have been prevented by British Law