The Global Village: International and Comparative Media Systems

International Media Systems Global Print Media – Newspapers General or financial The International Herald Tribune USA Today International WorldPaper The Financial Times of London The Economist The Wall Street Journal

International Media Systems Global Print Media – Wire Services International flow of news dominated by global wire services Reuters Associated Press Agence France Presse ITAR-TASS New York Times Syndicate Los Angeles Times Syndicate

International Media Systems Global Print Media – Magazines Reader’s Digest – 49 editions in 200 countries Time (International) – 190 countries Newsweek (International) – ½ M readers Cosmopolitan – 41 countries Popular Mechanics (Spanish version) – Latin America Business Week

International Media Systems Global Broadcasting Shortwave or partnerships with local FM 150 countries broadcast internationally BBC World Service Voice of America Radio China International Deutsche Welle (“German Wave”) Radio France International Growing rapidly: global news, sports, and music channels (CNNi, CNBC, BBC World, MTV, ESPNi)

International Media Systems Film and TV Internationally, USA dominates Box office (½ revenue of average film) Videocassette and DVD ($20B+ in 2004) TV programs (non-prime-time) TV program format licenses (Jeopardy, Temptation Island) Cross-border spillover

World Media Online Web radio stations Newspapers and magazines New York Times Le Monde Die Welt London Times Asahi Shimbun Sydney Morning Herald Asia Week Beat Tokyo Journal Art Bin Email and newsgroups enable informal exchange of news and culture WWW access not globally accessible

Comparative Media Systems Authoritarian Theory 16th Century England Parallel with development of printing press The ruling elite guides the low-intelligence masses Public dissent and criticism are a threat Compliance of the press through Licensing Censorship Exclusive printing rights Punishment of government critics

Comparative Media Systems Libertarian Theory Diametrically opposed to authoritarian beliefs Matched freewheeling, rugged early America Assumes people are intelligent creatures Government exists to serve the individual Citizens need to hear all sides of an issue Government serves best when it serves least The press should be free from control Four theories of the Press (1956)

Comparative Media Systems Social Responsibility Theory Press has right to criticize government Press also has responsibility to preserve democracy Properly informing the public Responding to society’s needs and interests Press not free to do as it pleases Government may regulate press in the public interest (example: FCC and broadcasting) Many Western nations use this approach

Comparative Media Systems The Communist Theory Media are owned by the people (represented by the state) The purpose of the media is to support the Marxist system and achieve the goals of the state Works best in a tightly controlled society Example: use of spillover by BBC, VOA, CNN, and others into Communist countries

Comparative Media Systems The Developmental Theory Government can mobilize the media to serve national goals in economic and social development Goals include: Information must be managed by the government Primarily used in non-democratic developing countries Losing ground to the social responsibility approach eradication of disease economic self-sufficiency political integration raising literacy levels

Comparative Media Systems Figure 17-1 Theories of Media-Government Relationships

Comparative Media Systems Figure 17-2 Typology of Media Ownership and Control

Comparative Media Systems Role of the media in various countries Developmental – develop and build; support government; provide technical information Communist – propaganda, persuasion, and education Social responsibility – inform, entertain, government watchdog and adversary, consumer support, free marketplace of ideas Economic Differences

Comparative Media Systems Economic Differences USA – advertising, little government support Western Europe Some indirect subsidies Scandinavia – direct support of newspapers by political parties U.K. – BBC is state-charted, independents sell advertising Communist – direct support by government, plus advertising Less-developed countries – developmental journalism

Examples of Other Systems Japan Social responsibility model 127M people; literacy nearly 100% 120 newspapers with 69M total circulation Yomiuri Shimbun Asahi Shimbun Several news and business magazines Nippon Hoso Kyokai patterned after BBC; yearly license fee imposed on all TV sets 5 commercial channels and 2 cable Pioneers in DBS and HDTV Media-rich overall

Examples of Other Systems Mexico Developmental model 106M people; literacy rate 90% 300 daily papers with 10M total circulation Excelsior (Mexico City) 200 magazines, best-known is Vanidades (Televisia) Government has controlled media through Supply of newsprint Broadcasting permits Bribing journalists Radio and TV based on U.S. system Produces telenovelas for Latin America Significant media content flow to USA

Examples of Other Systems China Communist model 2000 newspapers with 200M circulation Several national newspapers People’s Daily Xinmin Evening News China Daily 100 financial newspapers; 10,000 magazines Rural population relies on radio 650 radio stations reach 95% of population TV penetration at 90% Limits on imports, foreign news, satellite dishes Internet penetration 7%