Global Media Culture

Some argue that media is actually a partial cause of

globalization, rather than just another globalized
industry. Media is largely a cultural product, and the
transfer of such a product is likely to have an influence
on the recipient’s culture. Increasingly, technology
continues to propel the globalization of media.
The media encompass all communications that transmit facts or
information to citizens and includes the mass media in print and on the
radio, television, and Internet. Lule describes media as “a means of
conveying something, such as a channel of communication/”
technically speaking, a person’s voice is a medium. However, when
commentators refer to “media” (the plural of medium), they mean the
technologies of mass communication. Print media included books,
magazines, and newspapers. Broadcast media involve radio, film, and
television. Finally, digital media cover the internet and mobile mass
communication. Within the category of internet media, there are the e-
mail, internet sites, social media, and internet-based video and audio.
Media theorist Marshall McLuhan once declared that “the medium is the
message.” He means that media reshapes society. Thus, television is not
a simple bearer of messages, it also shapes the social behavior of users
and reorient family behavior. TV has steered people from the dining table
where they eat and tell stories to each other, to the living room where they
silently munch on their food while watching primetime shows. Today, the
smartphones do a much wider effect.
Something similar can be said about cellphones. On the other hand, they expand people’s senses
instantaneously and simultaneously. On the other hand, they also limit the senses because they make users
easily distractible and more prone to multitasking. This is not necessarily a bad thing; it is merely a change
with a trade-off.

The collection of all forms of media that communicate information to the general public is called mass
media, including television, print, radio, and Internet. One of the primary reasons citizens turn to the media is
for news. We expect the media to cover important political and social events and information in a concise and
neutral manner.

The system is actually exploring during this Information Age. In the past, it all started with print
journalism. Now, with the addition of the Internet, many platforms allow users to communicate faster and
wider. The Internet also allows people to receive news of all kinds, initiate public discussion, and many more.
In the 1980s, it would take weeks before a greeting card could reach the United States. But now, messages
can reach the recipient in just a matter of seconds via social media.
Functions of Media

1. Media aims to inform, entertain, or interest the public and maintain a steady stream of
consumers.

2. Media is regarded as the fourth estate. As such, it helps maintain democracy and serves as a
watchdog of society and of public officials.

3. Media also engages in agenda setting or the act of choosing which issues deserve public
attention.
Media globalization is the worldwide integration of media through the cross-cultural
exchange of ideas, while technological globalization refers to the cross-cultural
development and exchange of technology. Globalization entails the spread of various
cultures. When a film is made in South Korea, it is shown not only there, but also in
other cities across the globe. For instance, the popular boyband BTS is from South
Korea, but their fans are millions who have never been or may never go to South Korea.
Due to their popularity, whatever their fans see what they use, eat, or endorse, there is a
big chance that they would use or patronize those products, or even copy how they look,
dress up, or even talk.
 Lyons (2005) suggests that multinational corporations are the primary vehicle of media
globalization, and these corporations control global mass-media content and distribution
(Compaine 2005). It is true, when looking at who controls which media outlets, that there are fewer
independent news sources as larger and larger conglomerates develop. The United States offers
about 1,500 newspapers, 2,600 book publishers, and an equal number of television stations, plus
6,000 magazines and a whopping 10,000 radio outlets (Bagdikian 2004).
 Globalization also involves the spread of ideas. For example, the notion of the rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities is spreading across the world and
becoming more widely accepted. Similarly, the conservative Christian Church that opposes these
rights moves from places around the world. This is possible because of media. Television
programs, social media groups, books, movies, music, and art made it easier for advocates to
reach larger audiences.

The intimate relationship between globalization and media is clear. Global trade evolved
because of the flow of information. Empires grew because of communication. Religion, music,
literature, film, cuisine, fashion, among others, developed because of the intermingling of media
and cultures.
The Global Village

McLuhan declared that television was turning the world into a “global village.” As more and
more people sat down in front of their television sets and listened to the same stories, their
perception of the world would contract. If tribal villages once sat in front of fires to listen to
collective stories, the members of the new global village would sit in front of bright boxes in their
living rooms. Now, the smartphones have that same effect, too.

Media scholars further assumed that global media had a tendency to homogenize culture.
They argued that as global media spread, people from all over the world would begin to watch,
listen to, and read the same things. They believed that media globalization coupled with American
hegemony would create a form of cultural imperialism where American values and culture would
overwhelm all others. In 1976, media critic argued that not only was the world being Americanized,
but that this process also led to the spread of ‘American’ capitalist values like consumerism.
Cultural imperialism has also extended to regional trends in the globalization process. Asian
culture, for example, has proliferated worldwide through the globalization of media. Japanese
brands – from Hello Kitty to the Mario Brothers to Pokemon – are now an indelible part of global
popular culture. The same can be said for Korean pop (K-pop) and Korean telenovelas, which are
widely successful regionally and globally. The observation even applies to culinary tastes. The
most obvious case of globalized Asian cuisine is sushi. And while it is true that McDonald’s has
continued to spread across Asia, it is also the case that Asian brands have provided stiff
competition. The Philippines’ Jollibee claims to be the number one choice for fast food in Brunei.

Given these patterns, it is no longer tenable to insist that globalization is a unidirectional

process of foreign cultures overwhelming local ones. Globalization will remain an uneven process,
and it will produce inequalities. Nevertheless, it leaves room for dynamism and cultural change.
This is not a contradiction; it is merely a testament to the phenomenon’s complexity.
Social Media and the Creation of Cyber Ghettoes

The internet and social media are proving that the globalization of culture and ideas can move
in different directions. While Western culture remains powerful and media production is still
controlled by a handful of powerful Western corporations, the internet, particularly the social
media, is challenging previous ideas about media and globalization.

Like other media, social media have both beneficial and negative effects but these forms of
communication have democratized access. Anyone with an internet connection or a smart phone
can use Facebook and Twitter for free. These media have enabled users to be consumers and
producers of information simultaneously. The democratic potential of social media was most
evident with the “women’s march” against US President Donald Trump that began with a tweet
from a Hawaii lawyer and became a national, even global, movement.
However, social media also have their dark side. In the early 2000s, commentators began referring
to the emergence of a ‘splinternet’ and the phenomenon of ‘cyberbalkanization’ to refer to the
various bubbles people place themselves in when they are online. This segmentation leads to read
articles, memes, and videos shared by like-minded friends. This precludes users from listening to
or reading opinions and information that challenge their viewpoints, thus, making them more
partisan and close-minded.

This segmentation has been used by people in power who are aware that the social
media bubble can produce a herd mentality. It can be exploited by politicians with less than
democratic intentions. This becomes a cheap tool of government propaganda. Russian dictator
Vladimir Putin has hired armies of social media “trolls” (paid users who harass political opponents)
to manipulate public opinion through intimidation and the spreading of fake news.
Fake information can also spread easily on social media since they have few content filters. Unlike
newspapers, Facebook does not have a team of editors who are trained to filter information. If a
news article, even a fake one, gets a lot of shares, it will reach many people with Facebook
accounts. As consumers of media, users must remain vigilant and learn how to distinguish fact
from falsehood in a global media landscape.
In many ways, globalization presents legitimate concerns about the endangerment of indigenous
culture. Yet simple concerns over the transfer of culture are not the only or even the biggest
worries caused by the spread of cultures and values.
 Why is social media bad?
Along with the good comes the bad. With all of its benefits, the nature of social media presents a range of potential issues.

 Online vs Reality. Social media itself is not the problem. It is the way people use it in place of actual communication and in-person socializing.
“Friends” on social media may not actually be friends, and may even be strangers.

 Increased usage. The more time spent on social media can lead to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content that is not age
appropriate.

 Social Media is addicting. When you’re playing a game or accomplishing a task, you seek to do it as well as you can. Once you succeed, your brain
will give you a dose of dopamine and other happiness hormones, making you happy. The same mechanism functions when you post a picture to
Instagram or Facebook. Once you see all the notifications for likes and positive comments popping up on your screen, you’ll subconsciously register it
as a reward. But that’s not all, social media is full of mood-modifying experiences.

 Fear of Missing Out. FOMO has become a common theme, and often leads to continual checking of social media sites. The idea that you might miss
out on something if you’re not online can affect your mental health.

 Self-image issues. Social media sites provide tools that allow people to earn others’ approval for their appearance and the possibility to compare
themselves to others. It can be associated with body image concerns. The “selfieholics” and people who spend most of their time posting and scrolling
are the ones most vulnerable to this. In fact, most college girls who use Facebook at least five times a day are likely to link their self-worth to their
looks. That doesn’t mean that the main problem is social media; it only provides a medium for it, which further elevates the problem. It also promotes
the same sort of behavior to others.
 Responsible Media Consumption
Social media has been woven into the fabric of our daily lives. Over 70% of youth report use of social media such
as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and the list of possible platforms continues to expand. The
majority of youth report using more than one social media platform. Social media use, and internet use more generally, is
a typical part of most youths’ daily lives. Supporting them in responsible use and navigation of various platforms is
important for any supportive adults in their lives.
Social media and technology offer us greater convenience and connectivity:
 staying connected with family and friends worldwide via email, text, FaceTime, etc.
 quick access to information and research
 banking and bill pay at our fingertips
 online learning, job skills, content discovery (YouTube)
 involvement in civic engagement (fundraising, social awareness, provides a voice)
 great marketing tools
 opportunities for remote employment