Assess the view that media imperialism is threatening the cultural identities of many nations (18 Marks)

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Many sociologists argue that media imperialism is threatening the cultural identities of many nations due to the mass media's focus on Western culture. However, there is also evidence to ispute this as the new media does provide more choice.

Pluralists argue that media imperalism is not  huge threat because of the new media and, especially, the internet. The internet allows anyone to set up a blog or website on which to publish their views from anywhere in the world. Equally, people in other countries are able to access these blogs and websites and thus find out about other countries. The sheer variety of meida now is also significant as smaller TV channels or newspapers are now economically viable. This means that channels can be set up which promote other cultures and many people can access these. For example, Russia Today and the Asian Network are available. Furthermore, films such as Slumdog Millionaire promote the cultures of other countries and make them available to the rest of the world.

However, the evidence to support the claims of the Pluralists is not very substantial. Marxists argue that media imperialism is threatening the cultural identities of many nations, this is because the Western view is the dominant ideology so it overshadows other views. This process has also occured through cultural imperalism, such as the idea of McDonaldisation. This concept describes how the Western chain Mcdonalds has spread throughout the world and now has stores in over 70 countries. The same priniciple will, according to Marxists, occur through the mass media…

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