Media, Globalisation, and Popular Culture PDF

**The media, globalisation, and popular culture** Global village theory Postmodernists- societies across the world are now interconnected. International boundaries no longer matter. All exposed to same media messages -------------------------------------- ----------------------...

**The media, globalisation, and popular culture** Global village theory Postmodernists- societies across the world are now interconnected. International boundaries no longer matter. All exposed to same media messages -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Global popular culture Media corporations operate on global scale, spreading a mass culture on a global scale Illusion/fallacy of choice (Marxist) Mass produced products are imposed on people. They give the illusion of choice, but the only choice is a range of trivial and uncritical products Infotainment (Marxist) Media owners, focusing on profit, , have made news programmes like entertainment  -Global Infotainment.  Emphasis is on celebrities, crime, and violence rather than other matters of serious concern.   Culture of consumerism (Marxist) Infotainment is based on Western and US Consumerist lifestyles, happy consumerist  American/Western lifestyle. "the cultural ideology of consumerism". Encourages acceptance of the Dominant Ideology of Western  Capitalism Commodity fetishism (Marxist) Commodity fetishism - the idea that products of popular culture, such as smart phones, give you special powers and enhance your life. False needs generated through advertising **Global Village Theory **  The **Postmodernist McLuhan** argued that technological change  had made the world into a **Global Village.** Globalisation means societies across the world have become more interconnected.  **Digital media** has **collapsed space and time barriers in human communication**. Many people across the globe  are **exposed to the same information and messages through the new media**, which cuts across national boundaries.     **The New Media and Global Popular Culture**  Media corporations now operate on a global scale and own media across the world. They produce cultural products designed to be sold on the global mass market to make profits. **The new media are now spreading a mass culture on a  global scale,** which we call**  global popular culture.** People in many countries of the world are now exposed to the same cultural products and media content    **The Marxist View**  **Marxists** of the **Frankfurt School**  argue that **Globalised Popular Culture** reduces  cultural standards and has  **harmful effects** on the audience. Globalised Popular Culture are  **mass produced products imposed on the masse**s by **Global Media** businesses for financial **profit.** They give people the **fallacy,** the illusion   of **Choice,** but the only choice ordinary people have is between a range of trivial and uncritical products   **Infotainment**  The **Marxist Thussu **  argues that the Media owners, in their desire to make profits through selling  and advertising, have made their **news programmes** **like entertainment**  - what **Thussu** calls **Global Infotainment**.  The emphasis is on **celebrities, crime, and violence** rather than  matters of serious concern.   **Culture of Consumerism**  This US style **Infotainmen**t is accompanied by a false *feel good* factor based on Western and US Consumerist lifestyles. **Skair** argues that the largely American based **Global Media** sells the idea of a  happy **consumerist ** American/Western lifestyle. **Skair** calls "the cultural ideology of consumerism",  This, **Skair** argues, encourages acceptance of the **Dominant Ideology** of Western  **Capitalism ,** because people's attention  is diverted away from more serious matters like wars and global inequality.    **Marcuse** argues that **popular culture is an ideological product** aimed at distracting poorer groups from their inequality and exploitation. Media companies encourage the poor to subscribe to commodity fetishism and false needs **Commodity fetishism** is the idea that certain products of popular culture such as smart phones give you special powers and enhance your life. **False needs** is the idea generated through advertising that you need a particular product, even though you don't. These products will also (deliberately) have short life span, so you have to buy them over and over again. **Marxists** link **global popular culture** to the production of **false consciousness** amongst the working classes -- they don't realise the extent of their exploitation, because they are being distracted by consumerism      **Postmodernist** views  +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Diversity of choice | media industries have made a huge | | | range of media and cultural | | (rejection of fallacy of choice) | products available to everyone. | | | There is  now a diversity of | | | choice which people select from | | | and critically respond to  | +===================================+===================================+ | Pick and mix culture | global popular culture made the | | | distinction between high and | | | popular culture meaningless. New | | | Media allows people to pick and | | | mix from either popular or high | | | culture. In fact, global media | | | has transformed popular culture | | | into high culture,  and high | | | culture into popular culture | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Baudrillard -- Media Saturated | Society is now a  Media Saturated | | Society and hyper reality | Society. Our view of the world is | | | created and defined by the media, | | | leaving audiences confused about | | | what is real and what is  media | | | created. We are in a state of | | | "hyper reality"; the lines | | | between  what is real and what is | | | simulated have become blurred   | | | | | |   | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ **Postmodernists** such as **Strinati reject the view that there is a "mass global culture"** that people passively and uncritically consume**.** The media based creative industries have made a huge range of media and cultural products available to everyone. There is  now **a diversity of choice which people select from and critically respond to**    **The distinction between high and popular culture is now  meaningless.**  **Strinati ** focuses on the way that **global popular culture** has now **made the distinction between high and popular culture meaningless.** High culture is no longer limited to the elite. Ordinary people have a wide variety of cultural choices and products available to them and **New Media** allows them to **pick and mix** from either popular or high culture. In fact, the global media has transformed popular culture into high culture,  and high culture into popular culture. Video games, for example, often use classical music, classical  architecture and museums, as part of the design      **However**, **Postmodernist**s  do have **criticisms and concerns  about the media**  **Baudrillard -- Media Saturated Society and hyper reality**  **Summary of Baudrillard's view**  Society is now what Baudrillard called a  **Media Saturated Society**. By this he means that **our view of the world is created and defined by the media  ** **Media images** are what Baudrillard calls **simulacra**.  They are reproductions and copies which appear to be showing real events but have no connection with those real events. A  simple example is "reality" TV shows, which are not real at all, but artificial simulations of real life  The replacement of reality by simulacra creates a **hyper-reality.** A hyper reality is a view of the world which is created and defined by the media. The image of the event becomes more real than the event it is meant to be depicting.   This means that the **media no longer reflects reality but actively creates a hyper-reality**, leaving audiences confused about what is real and what is  media created. **We are  unable  to distinguish between simulation and reality. the lines between  what is real and what is simulated have become blurred **     **Strinati** discusses how the **media saturated society** **dominates** **our world** by forcing  upon us **Celebrity lifestyles**, trying to create pressure to **consume**  the brands that the celebrities consume. The Celebrities themselves are **simulacra,** because they are only celebrities because they are celebrities! S**trinati** argues that **many of us define our identities in terms of Media Imagery of the celebrities.**  Media trends become more important than the quality of the product. If the product conforms to the trend, then we buy it.   **Further detail**  **You tube Postmodernism explained for beginners! Jean Baudrillard Simulacra and Hyperreality explained**    **Baudrillard** argues that we live in a **Media Saturated Society:** Media Images  **distort** and also **dominate** the way we see the world.   He calls this **distorted v**iew of the world   **Hyper Reality**.  **Baudrillard** argues  that we are so surrounded by media cultural representations that they are  now part of our daily life, our reality. All these videos we watch on *you tube*, and the adverts that go with them, the magazines we read, the *Instagram* posts, are all just as much part of our  reality as the trees and cars we see outside of the window  **Baudrillard** observes that our reality is made up of cultural representations  everywhere, so when we make new cultural products , we reference other pieces of culture, which means we are making **copies of copies**. Culture is no longer always based on an original reference ("reality"), but is based on the cultural products that we experience around us..He calls this "**simulacra".** New cultural products are not a simulation of reality  but a **simulation of a simulation.**  Example, if you draw a princess, it is likely to be based on Disney's simulation, which is based  to some extent on older simulations in  paintings. But your drawing has no basis in reality. It's a **simulation of a simulation**. We are now so surrounded by media  that we reference it when we are making a new product  He then argues that now, in the **postmodern** era, because of all the media around us, **WE ARE UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SIMULATION AND REALITY.** We are in a state of "**hyper reality**"; the **lines between  what is real and what is simulated have become blurred **  Example:  if you were asked about your knowledge of Chernobyl (the nuclear power plant disaster), how much of what you know is based on facts, and how much is based on what you saw simulated in TV series?  **Many people blindly accept simulation as fact.**  Young people see the simulated lives of successful young people in "reality " shows like *Made in Chelsea*, or *The Only Way is Essex*, and they overlook the fact that they aren't real (although they are called "reality shows").** ** **Hyper reality means we are no longer able to distinguish between the simulated and the real.**  We are given the "appearance"  of reality in popular media shows, but it  does not really relate to the real world. An example is ***Big Brother***, where contestants live in an artificial environment for two months and face challenges. This is not "reality", even though it is described as a "reality"  TV show. **Baudrillard** argues that In a **Media Saturated Postmodern** world, we **Identify** more with Media Imagery  than our own daily experiences. We are more likely to be excited about who is winning a "Reality" show, or talking to someone we don't really know on Facebook, than  getting involved with real people in our community  **Strinati** discusses how the **media Saturated Society** **dominates** **our world** by forcing  upon us **Celebrity lifestyles**, trying to create pressure to **Consume**  the brands that the celebrities consume. The Celebrities themselves are **simulacra,** because they are only celebrities because they are celebrities! S**trinati** argues that many of us define our identities in terms of Media Imagery of the celebrities.  Media trends become more important than the quality of the product. If the product conforms to the trend, then we buy it.   **Criticisms** of the **Postmodern** view  Postmodernists such as Baudrillard assume that people are passively submerged in media hyper reality.  They do not allow for the fact that people can discuss, ignore or reject media imagery and messages  Also, many people in the poorest countries do not have access to global digital media, so are not affected      **The issue of Cultural Imperialism** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Cultural homogenisation (Marxist) | Cultures  are becoming the same,  | | | merging  into One Culture, known | | | as Cultural Homogenisation.  | +===================================+===================================+ | Cultural imperialism (Marxist) | The word Global Culture  in | | | practise means the domination of | | | Western Culture over other | | | cultures -- cultural | | | imperialism.  Transnational | | | corporations dominate the world | | | the way the empires used to do | | | America imposes its media and | | | consumer  products and cultural | | | values on non-Western cultures | | | and undermines local cultures.   | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | McDonaldization | McDonaldization refers to the | | | homogenisation and | | | standardization of the world as | | | the result of globalization and | | | capitalism. The world has | | | increasingly become like | | | McDonalds, companies operating | | | everywhere with low skill, low | | | paid jobs (McJobs). | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ A concern is that globalised media content and advertising have undermined national and local cultures. **Cultures  are beco963** **ming the same,**  merging  into **One Culture**, known as **Cultural Homogenisation.**  **Marxists such as Nicola Fenton **  are concerned that what is really happening is the  **Westernisation of cultures**. This is the idea that global culture is   synonymous (the same as) American culture, and that lots of local cultures around the world are being lost as America **imposes** its **media and consumer**  products and cultural values **on non Western Cultures**, and undermines local cultures.   **Marxists** call this **cultural imperialism.**  **Cultural imperialism is when a dominant community imposes it's culture on a less politically or economically powerful community** **Fenton** points out that the word **Global Culture ** in practise means the **domination of Western Culture** over other cultures -- **cultural imperialism**.  Most multinational Media Corporations are based in America, and these **big transnational corporations dominate the world the way the empires used to do** (which is why it is called cultural imperialism). It has also been described as **Cocacolonization.**. **Ritzer** ,  who wrote the book The McDonaldization of Society argues that this weakens local cultures**.** The world has increasingly become like McDonalds, companies operating everywhere with low skill, low paid jobs (McJobs). **McDonaldization** refers to the homogenisation and standardization of the world as the result of globalization and capitalism    In other words, America has **Cultural Imperialism.**   **Challenges to Cultural Imperialism**  +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Cultural hybridization | the New Media makes it difficult | | (Pluralist) | for one culture to have Cultural | | | Imperialism. Rather, there is | | | growing cultural diversity | | | through Cultural Hybridization: | | | (mixing of two or more cultures). | | | People Pick and Mix and draw on | | | both Western/Global Culture and | | | their own Local Cultures- new | | | Hybrid Cultures.   | +===================================+===================================+ | Glocalization | Glocalisation is a term used to | | | describe how the global and the | | | local run side by side (It can | | | also be described as | | | hybridisation and also Glocalism. | | | Global products are adjusted to | | | suit the local community and is a | | | more positive way of looking at  | | | the effects of globalisation. | | | | | |   | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Reverse cultural flow | New Media/Digital Media allows | | | local cultures to distribute | | | their own media products across | | | the globe. The flow of cultures | | | is not only from the West. For | | | example, Bollywood films  from | | | India have spread from East to | | | West. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Resistance to American popular | some countries remain resistant | | culture | to America exports. For example,  | | | Hollywood movies and American | | | music are not well received in | | | Asian countries such as India. | | | Further, in India. Anti-Coke | | | activists believe cultural | | | imperialism threatens their | | | identity as a nation by | | | encouraging  youth into the | | | American lifestyle at a young | | | age. Local culture is also very | | | powerful in Islamic societies | | | because religion underpins all | | | aspects of those societies. It s | | | the European countries that are | | | more likely to be affected by the | | | cultural imperialism of America  | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ **Pluralists** **challenge** the concept of American Cultural Imperialism. **Pluralists** argue that in the Digital age, the **New Media** makes it difficult for one culture to dominate, to have Cultural Imperialism. Rather, there is growing **cultural diversity** through **Cultural Hybridization**: **Tomlinson** argues the Globalisation does **NOT ** involve direct **Cultural Imposition** from the Western world. Instead, there is a **Hybridization** (mixing of two or more cultures). People **Pick and Mix** and draw on both Western/Global Culture and their own Local Cultures. Westernized and Local Cultures are combined into new **Hybrid Cultures**.     Hybridization is also described a **Glocalization**  **Glocalisation** is a combination of the words global and local, and is used to describe how the global and the local run side by side (interconnected). It can also be described as **hybridisation** and also **Glocalism**. Global products are adjusted to suit the local community, and is a **more positive way** of looking at  the effects of globalisation. For example, the Western programme "*Who Wants to be a Millionaire*" has   **Glocalized**  **versions** ( different countries, such as India, have their own versions).    **Reverse Cultural flow** Further, New Media/Digital Media allows local cultures to distribute their own media products across the globe. **The flow of cultures is not only from the West**. For example, Bollywood films  from India have spread from East to West. This is called **reverse cultural flow.** Further examples are traditional Asian medicines and health and fitness practises from Asia that have become popular in America Tyler **Cowen** **rejects the notion of cultural imperialism**, showing that **some countries remain resistant to America exports.** For example,  Hollywood movies and American music are not well received in Asian countries such as India,  He thinks that **American popular culture is unlikely to dominate the cultures of countries such as India or Iran**. The Indian music market is 96% domestic in origin. And in India. Anti-Coke activists believe cultural imperialism threatens their identity as a nation by encouraging  youth into the American lifestyle at a young age.  Local culture is also very powerful in Islamic societies because religion underpins all aspects of those societies, including music, and the people are likely to be faithful to their own cultural products. For example, they will watch Al Jazeera  news rather than the American CNN.   Cowen argues that it is the European countries that are more likely to be affected by the cultural imperialism of America  **Exam Qs**  +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Outline and explain **two** ways in which the new media may be | | creating a global popular culture. | | | | \[10 marks) | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ A close-up of a question Description automatically generated ' Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation has had a negative effect on  culture (20 marks).    **ITEM M**  Some sociologists argue that media globalisation and the consequent globalisation of culture is really cultural imperialism; the domination of global cultures by the West. In this view, local cultures lose their identity, leading to cultural homogenisation and Americanisation.  **Applying material from Item M, analyse two criticisms of media globalisation 10 marks **    **ITEM  M**  For postmodernists, the globalised media provides access to a greater diversity of cultures than ever before, and the world's population has more choices of identities, consumption patterns and lifestyles. Marxists, by contrast suggest that cultural imperialism imposes a western based uniform global popular culture. This destroys local cultures and promotes lifestyles that most people in the world cannot afford  **Applying material from Item M, analyse the view that cultural  imperialism destroys local cultures   10 marks**    **Item N**  Cultural imperialism refers to the way western media corporations promote through advertising and sell the same media content , consumer and cultural products across the world. These products spread a globalised popular culture, which undermines national and local cultures, and consequently what were once different cultures become more and more alike  **Applying material from Item  N  and your knowledge, evaluate the view that cultural imperialism is a threat to the cultural identities of many countries  20 marks**