Global Communications Media Chapter 16

International Media Flows

Globalization Media industry models Glo-cal Ways of organizing and producing media Draw on dominant international genres, formats, programming designs Glo-cal Global media models with local production Worldwide penetration of communication technologies Creates both problems & possibilities

Global Trends Regionalization Cultural proximity National production Creation of regional markets for media products Cultural proximity Cultures that are alike prefer media that is similar Language Cultural cues (slang, references, etc.) National production Increasing production National controls

Top 6 Global Media Corporations Time Warner Disney Bertelsmann Viacom NewsCorp Sony

News Circulation

Radio Broadcasting International National Shortwave Public diplomacy Radio networks important Local news & culture provides identity

Music National & local music revival Most localized & most globalized media form Government quotas Piracy Undercuts local musicians as well as global firms

Film and Video Most difficult to produce locally U.S. dominant High production costs Risky investment Globalized distribution channels U.S. dominant Other centers of production increasingly global Co-productions

Television Too expensive to be profitable in many small countries Governments involved in most systems Government owned & operated Public broadcasting Public-private ventures Increasing privatization in developed countries

Television Flows TV quotas in many countries Limit percentage of U.S. productions U.S. television increasingly profitable overseas Producers create with international market in mind High costs may limit distribution High profit per show & long running syndication make global market important

Cable & Satellite Cable & DBS rapidly expanding Targeted programming most acceptable DBS overcomes lack of infrastructure in many countries

Telecommunication Systems

Telecommunication Systems Public satellite systems INTELSAT Regional systems Television & telephone transmission Large scale fiber optic networks National telecoms going international Baby Bells Telefonica Cable & Wireless PT&Ts increasingly liberalized New influx of investment not evenly dispersed

Telecommunication Systems Partial privatization Basic services government controlled Open up advanced services to competition Wireless communication Primary phones in Africa, Eastern Europe, South Asia ‘leapfrogging’ traditional land lines Text messaging preferred Cheaper Cultural preferences

Computer Access

Computers Production limited to developed world Costly in many areas $200 monthly wage Access limited to wealthiest strata of societies

Internet Nations rush to get population online Scandinavia  highest proportion online Singapore, S. Korea  large-scale efforts to connect citizens International NGOs expand presence via the Net Truly ‘international’ medium? Government censorship China, others monitor & filter content

Regulation International law ITU-T ICANN No direct enforcement power Satellite footprints URL system ICANN Domain name systems

Global Issues Cultural imperialism Global village Media trade Trans-border data flows Unequal flows of information & ideas Global village ‘Americanization’ of cultural expression Media trade Media are products subject to trade agreements