1. International and Comparative Media Systems
Chapter 18
© 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. CHAPTER OUTLINE International Media Systems World Media Online
Comparative Media Systems
Examples of Other Systems

3. INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SYSTEMS
Mass media can cross national boundaries
Simple spillover of media
Designed deliberately for other countries

4. Global Print Media
Many major newspapers provide foreign-language or international editions
General newspapers
Financial newspapers
Global wire services dominate the international flow of news
International distribution of magazines

5. Global Broadcasting
About 150 countries engage in international broadcasting
Top five global broadcast leaders are
World Service of the BBC; Voice of America (VOA); China Radio International; Deutsche Welle (DW; German Wave); Radio France International (RFI)
Proliferation of global news, sports, and music channels

6. Film and TV American films dominate many foreign box offices
Foreign box office accounts for more than half a film’s revenue
International DVD revenue is important
US dominates international TV program market
Local programs provide strong competition, and dominate prime time in many countries
Format licensing
TV signals ignore international boundaries
Lost international revenues; cultural domination

7. WORLD MEDIA ONLINE The Internet provides access to worldwide media
Radio stations
Streaming video
Major newspapers & magazines
Information also contained in , newsgroups, individual web sites
Limited use of WWW: In 2006, about 16% of world’s population was online, mostly in developed countries

8. COMPARATIVE MEDIA SYSTEMS
The political system of a country usually determines the relationship between the media, the government, and the people

9. Theories of the Press Authoritarian Theory Libertarian Theory
Social Responsibility Theory
Communist Theory
Developmental Theory

10. Control and Ownership of the Media
Media systems can be classified along dimensions of control and ownership.
Public ownership, decentralized control
Public ownership, centralized control
Private ownership, decentralized control
Private ownership, centralized control

11. Role of the Media in Various Countries
The role of the mass media differs according to its ownership and control
Biggest differences across the different levels of ownership/control are found in the interpretation, or editorial, function

12. Economic Differences US media largely supported by advertising
Many Western European countries provide subsidies to media
Developmental media systems get a mix of private and governmental funding
Communist media get most of their funding from the government, but advertising revenue is welcomed

13. EXAMPLES OF OTHER SYSTEMS
We will explore three media systems

14. Japan Literacy rate near 100%
Strong print tradition: 10 papers exceed 1 million daily circulation
Competition from new technology
News and business magazines
Broadcast system modeled after British
Commercial networks started after WW II
Pioneers in HDTV & DBS
American films dominate box office
Cell phone use high
Internet use 71%

15. Mexico Striving to form indigenous media system Literacy rate 92%
300 daily newspapers, combined circulation about 9 million
200 magazines
Government has controlled media; system is called “partly free”
Broadcasting influenced by US system
Top-rated TV shows are generally Mexican productions
Significant media content flow to US

16. China
With some exceptions, the trend has been toward less government control, and more diverse media landscape
200 newspapers; combined circulation about 200 million
10,000 magazines
650 radio stations reach 95% of population
TV penetration 90%
Limits on imports and foreign news
Internet penetration 11%; controls over access to web sites
Mobile media becoming popular