Globalization and Media Culture

Globalization and Media Culture

• Globalization, international trade, global economy, prosperity, travel, communication, immigration, and migration are all made possible by the media, according to the text.
• Media acts in concert and cohort alongside globalization.
• The media creates a global imaginary of living in a global village.

History of Globalization

• Globalization began in the late 1900s and is largely due to advancements in media, transportation, and technology.
• Arjun Appadurai defines globalization as a “rupture within social life” and credits media and migration as the two reasons for it.
• The rise of modernity in the age of enlightenment began globalization.
• Columbus reaching America is a prominent example of globalization.
• Beginning of humankind includes the first Homo Sapiens setting out to seek food and water, and adventure, which can be argued as the first example of globalization.
• Nayan Chanda asserts that globalization has been working silently for millenia.

Media

• The word "media" is derived from the plural form of "medium," which refers to channels of communication.
• The term “mass media” was used to categorize a group of new social issues for debate.

Evolution of Media and Globalization

• Oral communication is the oldest and most enduring form of media.
• Humans have practiced speech for over 200,000 years.
• Scripts have existed for less than 7,000 years.
• Print media has existed for less than 600 years.
• Digital technology has existed for less than 50 years.
• Oral communication helped in early globalization by allowing humans to cooperate, share information about land, water, climate, weather, tools, weapons, and technology. It enabled the development of market and trade of goods and services.
• Sumer in the Middle East was the first civilization that harnessed the tools of Oral Communication, which led to the development of the wheel, plow, irrigation, and writing.
• Script allowed humans to communicate more effectively over larger spaces and across longer times.
• The printing press transformed markets, businesses, nations, schools, churches, governments, armies, and more.
• The printing press standardized knowledge and challenged political and religious authority.
• Electronic media includes the telegraph, telephone, radio, film, and television.
• The telegraph facilitated information exchange between corporations and businesses.
• The telephone marked a breakthrough in transmitting speech over long distances.
• The radio and film, while part of the Electronic Media generation, also helped to shape media and globalization.
• The invention of television integrated the visual and aural power of film with the accessibility of the radio.
• Digital media has revolutionized work in every industry and trade.
• The digital era led to the creation of some of the largest companies, including Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, and more.
• Companies like Microsoft and Google have been instrumental in globalization and are a direct result of the advancements in digital media.

Global Imaginary and Global Village

• Through media, people around the world became more aware of the world they lived in.
• The “Global Village” concept was introduced to create a sense of universal understanding and unity.
• Marshall McLuhan coined the term “global village” and posited that the media would help people from all over the world connect and create a utopian environment.
• The media has been used to spread messages of capitalism, militarism, profit, and power.
• The media may also be used to create a dystopian world that affects key areas such as economics, politics, and culture.

Explore the intricate relationship between globalization and media culture. This quiz discusses how media has enabled international connectivity and the formation of a global village. Learn about historical milestones in globalization and key theorists like Arjun Appadurai and Nayan Chanda.