cultural imperialist perspective on globalisation of media

• cultural imperialist view of media globalisation

  negative view, associated with neo-marxism

  - media globalisation encourages conformity + lack of critical thinking, espec about the organisation of capitalism

  
  

  main arguments:

  - global media supports capitalism

  - americanisation

  - political consequences
• global media and capitalism

  adorno and marcuse: role of global mass media = to indoctrinate consumers into capitalist + homogenous society

  - encourages values e.g. materialism, creates FCC

  
  

  marcuse (1964): does this in three ways

  1) generates false needs

  - idea that in order to conform w modern lifestyle, consumers need to have a particular product

  - adorno: binds consumers to producers

  - not essential, but consumers persuaded it = central to lifestyle/identity

  - deliberate designed as obsolete (short life span) so next set of products can appear

  
  

  2) commodity fetishism

  - idea that products of pop culture have special powers that enhance the life of the user

  - turkle (2011): people feel lost/disconnected w/o their phone, see it as extension of themselves

  
  

  3) encourages conscious consumption

  - constant displays of wealth as normal

  - particular products of media + pop culture generated by it = higher status for consumption

  - encouraged to 'conspicuously consumed' = be seen with 'right' cultural products e.g. designer labels to attract praise from others i.e. iphone>android

  
  

  frankfurt school: popular culture = ideological product aimed at distracting poor from exploitation/inequality they experience daily
• americanisation


  flew (2007): cultural globalisation = americanisation

  - america imposes its cultural products on other nations e.g. through facebook, hollywood, US sports + advertising

  - american life is most viewed

  
  

  crowther: american-produced audio-visual media like movies, music and TV provide significant means by which images of 'american' way of life are transmitted across world

  - fastfood e.g. mcdonalds, coke and pepsi, NBA basketball, the superbowl, levi's jeans = global cultural icons. how the rest of the world sees american values

  
  

  mcchesney: americanisation = result of increasing media ownerships by US companies

  - e.g. disney, microsoft, apple, google, newscorp

  
  

  globalisation of american pop culture = aimed at replacing authenticity, vitality + diversity of local cultures with dumbed-down/sterilised american culture

  - kellner (1999): global media culture is about sameness, erases individuality, specificity and difference

  - crowther: loss of cultural diversity, focus on consumerism

  
  

  backlash to americanisation => rise of fundamentalism

  - barber (2003): provokes jihad

  - fundamentalists see american pop culture as threat that undermines their people's commitment to god

  
  

  aspect of americanisation = mcdonaldisation (ritzer)
• political issues


  fuchs (2014): global TNCs dominate world trade in pop culture --> denies consumers of choice, able to disproportionately influence govts, threatens democracy

  
  

  spread of data surveillance threatens democracy

  - e.g. russia, china (banning google etc)

  - govts use facebook data to manipulate how people vote

  
  

  increasing smartphone use = dumbing down

  - putnam (1995): spread of smartphones may cause civic disengagement across world, people no longer willing to get involved w/ communities

  
  

  keen (2008): twitter + facebook too wrapped up in 'me culture' to be effective tools of social change

  
  

  turkle: people so engaged with TV soaps/gaming they replace actual families and communities

  - become lost in real world, constantly distracted