History About The Media Culture Media Essay

Colin Sparks argues that the leading theories of globalization are all substantially wrong with regard to the media. He stated that no media is actually genuinely global in nature and in fact those labeled as global media audiences are too small, too rich and too English speaking to be considered inclusive (spark, 2000). Globalization is viewed as a positive force that unifies widely different societies making them a global village and enriching all people in the process. In some other words, it is described as an inevitable by product of human evolution and progress governed by the law of nature.

However, globalization is necessarily a natural progression emerging out of the ordinary communication and interaction of people and culture around the world, but it can also be considered to be as a result of deliberate human choice by a powerful group of nations and international organizations which are actually stakeholders in the whole process (Hesmondhalgh, 2005). Globalization of media is actually one of the mist pervasive at the level of media industry models or in other words in the ways of organizing and creating marketplace economies.

The world is becoming a more integrated market based in capitalist or marketplace economies. This being the case, there has been much pressure to the nations to make media a more commercial, aimed on consumers and privatization of communication companies which were formerly owned by the government. However, it is worth noting that, the world media systems are yet to give in to the kind of transnational media and programs that support the global village worthy content.

The globalization process is very much inclined to capitalism which promotes the ideology of consumerism. The media promote this through emphasizing what is considered to be desirable lifestyle, through the platform of advertising, sponsorship and product endorsement, and most importantly in promoting certain lifestyles as being more desirable than others with a wide range of media setting (Banerjee, 2002). This being the case, certain desirable lifestyles are embodied where for instance certain adverts are specific kinds of body image for men and women are promoted adequately. In other cases, the message is conveyed that if you buy a certain brand, you will somehow be transformed and become more desirable to men or women.

Countries are not fully capable to stop media culture. This is attributed to various aspects like; technological change, media ownership and access to global media. Media globalization has been made possible and easy by the ever dynamic development in information and communication technology. Cable, ISDN and digitalization and the internet have brought about large amounts of a clear platform where large amount of information can be transferred around the globe with a very short period of time. Technological development has therefore made it easy to transfer information easily where nations cannot be able to stop (Hafez, 2007).

The global media industry is currently dominated by a small number of powerful transnational media conglomerates that own and control a wide range of traditional and newest forms of media. This includes AOL Time Warner, Disney and Bertelsmann just to mention but a few distribute and sell their media products (Banerjee, 2002). Conclusively, the accessibility of the global media becomes easier now and therefore quite a large number of people across the borders can have access to the same.

Modern media is seen as an avenue which individuals and societies are able to overcome the supposed limitations of economic, political, social and cultural aspects which have for a long time being imposed on small scale and local ways of life. Due to the distance shrinking capability of information and communication technology, nations are not completely capable of stopping media culture to the isolation and underdevelopment due to the global influence which penetrates into localities where modernizing benefits are needed (Menski, 2008). It is also obvious that, the development of the mass media, satellite and the internet have made it simple to the development of a global consciousness and informal collective consensus in some areas of culture and society. In actual facts, t hese changes have led to major movement of people and the fast dispersion of information and convergence of cultural, linguistics and ideological templates and patterns, like the dominance of English language, fashion styles and music.

Many counties have employed strict policies to protect their culture. However, global culture has proved unstoppable by any nations. For instance, Iran has strict policies but globalization has much impact and created deep roots in the country (Banerjee, 2002). It is important to note that, there are even much greater possibilities for contact with global media in Iran for there is substantial access to satellite and technology. It is frequently articulated that, global media and culture industry has tremendously impacted the younger generation and students in Iran and this has spontaneous effect on other aspects of life such as religion and leisure, even though they are deep rooted in their traditional lifestyles regarding food and clothing (Mohammad, 2011).

It has therefore been observed that, globalization is apparent among the young people in Iran and this is attributed to the phenomena described by the culture industry and media globalization theories. This being the case, citizens are capable of understanding foreign languages mostly English and use more globalized media and therefore have more globalized lifestyles. It is clear that, their religious views are more open minded in comparison to the other social groups in the society and they spend their leisure and free time in more globalized manner (Wilson & Michelle, 2008). This therefore entails that, even when a state installs strict regulations and policies, the fast developing information and communication technologies have made global media and culture penetrate with ease even amongst their citizens mostly the young generation.

In Australia, media have tried all possible means to help achieve the social and cultural outcomes and therefore have been actively involved in the development and the regulation of the media and the telecommunications industry (Chalaby, 2006). They have for along time tried to strengthen national indemnity and cultural diversity, foster local talent and skills by ensuring that local programs are aired at specific times of the day. All this has been aimed to ensuring that, indigenous culture is maintained in the entire country. However, this has been interrupted due to other sources of media culture like the internet and the digitalization of the information and communication technology. This therefore means that, nations are not quite capable of stopping media culture whatever the case.

It is clear that, many nations have tried to regulate the media so as to promote a certain culture. However, this has continued to be incapacitated by the increasing sophistication, multiplication and dissemination of information machines which have completely changed the experience of all culture. It is also worth noting that, these machines are changing in such a rate that the modern institutions have difficult keeping pace with their development (Banerjee, 2002). Culture industries in many nations have not been able to integrate new media entirely within their commodities and rather have opted for globalization through mergers and acquisition, reducing to a handful of major layers. On the other hand the new media technologies allow anyone to start their own culture industry and this has become a common trend in many productions (Constantinou et al, 2008).

For example, it has been reported that, Australian Aboriginal use satellite technology to broadcast television across the large southern continent. The culture they transmitted was selected by Aboriginals and in most cases was they produced it as well. This means that, they used western technology as an adaptation of the media that promoted the interests of the non western group. This means that, despite regulations, they adapted satellite technology to enhance their culture with global knowledge and to preserve their own practice and beliefs. In the long run, all the information is detached from its location in space, losing its local binds and connecting with the global culture (Banerjee, 2002). And thus cannot be controlled when the use of the ever developing technology is at disposal.

The content of the current media culture has infiltrated many cultures in many nations. Media culture has developed due to an increased volume, variety and even importance of mediated signs and messages (Ampuja, 2004). The media is saturated by popular culture and penetrated in politics and the economy, leisure and even education and therefore the success of nations stopping it has proved futile. At the moment, the global media culture is a very strong force that has the potential to go beyond the achievements in many states. This in the long run has lead to the notion that, an increase of the new technologies and the global reach of highly concentrated culture industries, is shaping and refiguring all aspects of daily life (Constantinou et al, 2008).

The Chinese government has for a long time tried to protect the purity of its language by removing the use of foreign words. This is a movement that has been employed to ensure that, they are actually very sensitive to the cultural issues, and they therefore perceive that, they are a threat to their traditional way of life (Held & Anthony, 2003). However, having that they are unable to monitor the internet and other sources of information, trying to stop media culture has remained a big handle for them to evade. This therefore leads to a conclusion that, the technological development has made it hard for the nation to deal with media culture.

Additionally, before 2001, Chinese government did not allow any foreign media organization or company but this did not go on for long. After 2001, the government allowed foreign owned channels to land on local satellite and cable system. The regulatory systems governing the same started to gradually change. Their entry have not been said to have destructive consequences on the local culture but is said to be constructive to the local culture. It has therefore been concluded that, there are no strong or weak cultures in the trend of media globalization (Golding & Graham, 2005). And that each culture is subject to change all the time. At the end, it was concluded that, there was no need of locking out other foreign media with an aim of protecting the local culture for with the use of the current technology, these can be accessed anyway.

In many nations, with time they were unable to keep on regulating broadcasters and have given in to deregulation which has caused an increase in commercial operators and loosely regulated cable and satellite services. In Europe for instance, it was clear that localization of media players accelerated the process of multinational environment and therefore they easily overcome cultural diversity, remain competitive as a plethora of markets, challenge national broadcaster and advocate for expansion (Chalaby, 2002). This then means that, localization means adaptation of the international to local culture while retaining the global flavor. The demand for information and the accessibility of new technology to transfer the same has much contributed to the changes currently experienced in many nations. This has also made many states give in to the incorporation of foreign media organization and companies and this leads to media culture in the long run.

Media is an inevitable by product of globalization and therefore it is hard to imagine of globalization without media. Media is therefore a major player in globalization process and is not just a mere instrument, but an identity of its own, competing with national governments in respect to its power and influence to alter and nature (Bens & Smaele, 2001). The informational and communication revolution and the dynamism of the new technologies have even redefined the meaning of politics and power structure and thus power is given to those who produce, control and disseminate information more effectively.

This has lead to the conclusion that the cultural identity of the nations can be maintained effectively by utilizing the new telecommunication technology and by having a clear master plan on how to peacefully coexist with other cultures, races and nations. This therefore calls for nations not to try and stop media culture, because they will in the end fail but rather they should prepare a transparent policy and a strong course of action in regard to disseminating of information and give much emphasis to organization and plan for their media (Constantinou et al, 2008).

For example, in 1997, the European Union prepared new communication and media policy in three categories namely, enhancement of national and regional media coverage, strengthening European communication capabilities and protection of European media against American media. This is a clear indication of a realization that, information and communication is a source of power and those who cannot actively compete in the communication and information sector will suffer both economically and culturally (Lechner & John, 2008). It is also a fact that, the local and the national media cannot successfully see through their objectives of preserving national identity unless they are able to manage their traditional audiences as well as attract new viewers and listeners as well. This is made possible by accentuation of the advantages of their national cultures and enhancement of media coverage of micro cultures.

It is therefore a fact that global media can influence the national culture in different ways but the cultural hegemony of media exporters is unlikely in itself to result to cultural domination. In the case of India, the national and local media players tremendously develop and grow strong due to cultural factors and therefore do not give in to foreign competitors, however, even when this is happening, the final case is just like that of Australia and China who have strong regulations governing the media, but in the long run, their citizens are still prone to media culture. This therefore means that, it is not the nations that are the only definers of the cultural productions, but the influence of globalization as homogenized and unifying cultural force has a significant impact on the cultural experience across many nations.