1. GLOBALIZATION AND MEDIA
Globalization: world is becoming an integrated marketplace
 national borders less important
 transnational corporations dominate a global market
“time-space compression”
How is media being "globalized"?
Media ownership
Media content
Media access

2. Globalization most pervasive at level of organizing and creating media
Makes media more commercial, supported by advertising

3. Most countries produce own media culture…
but draw upon American models
“glocal” : “local” productions done with “global” forms
KEY QUESTION: Is globalization a process of cultural homogenization or hybridization?

4. Cultural impact of media and information flows:
Larger, more prosperous nations can create more media content than small, poorer nations
Cultural imperialism: when some countries dominate others through the media
Causes erosion of traditional culture and change
sometimes termed “Westernization” or “Americanization”

5. Conflict between
“free flow of information” and
“national sovereignty” idea that governments are entitled to assert national control over natural resources, culture, politics

6. GLOBAL MEDIA CASES
Music
Global industry based in US
Thriving national and regional industries
Cheaper so wider variety served
Major international companies also record and sell works by national artists

7. Film
Most globalized media and also most difficult to sustain on national basis.
Why?
 Expensive
Risky investment
Distribution channels globalized

8. Why have American films succeeded in variety of markets?
US market big enough to recoup costs
US audience diverse
Hollywood draws talent from around world
Hollywood studios control overseas distribution
Can other national film markets succeed?
If domestic market is large enough or film companies produce for a multicountry market

9. Television
All governments involved in controlling
“privatizing” selling government assets to private owners
Quotas limit amount of imported TV programming that can be shown.
“localized” media productions adapted to local tastes and interests

10. Is American media having less influence around the world?
Other nations are producing more programming
Media in many nations subsidized by government
Import of U.S. media limited in some nations
National and regional TV and music production increase because they are feasible economically and because audiences want them

11. Why Globalization ≠ Americanization
Regionalization: media through a geographical region
Language and culture more important than geography
Example: Europe & TV
Cultural proximity: desire for cultural products as similar as possible to one’s own language, culture, history, and values

12. “cultural-linguistic markets” build on common languages and common cultures that span borders
Examples:
Egyptian TV, film, music

13. Other reasons why Globalization ≠ Americanization
Reduces culture to commodities
Assumes what is “foreign” = national difference
America is not the only global power
Sees American culture as too monolithic

14. MEDIA, POWER, AND YOU!
Globalization of media and the question of cultural imperialism is about power.
Who has the power to:
Create media
Distribute media
Exhibit media
Censor media
Consume media