Lesson 9: Global Media Culture

Today, connectivity has intensified and become more complex due to

technological advancements.
This powerful force transmitted through media is known as culture. As
defined by Claudio and Abinales (2022), culture in this course refers to our
daily practices. Media, therefore, is the main conduit for culture, leading to
the globalization of culture. Various aspects of culture—such as food,
fashion, political ideology, music, and values—can be easily spread through
social media. Globalization relies on the media as its primary means of
disseminating global culture and ideas.

Global Integration - Refers to the process by which people and cultures

around the world become increasingly interconnected.
Media Literacy - The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in
various forms.
Cultural Imperialism - Refers to the practice of promoting and imposing a
more powerful country’s culture on a less powerful country.

What is media?
 derived from the Latin word “medius” meaning “middle”
 has evolved from its literal sense as an intermediary substance to a
complex concept in today’s digital age
 originally referring to traditional means of mass communication like
newspapers, radio, and television; now encompasses all channels
through which information is transmitted, created, or expressed
 includes print media, broadcast media, digital media
 In the contemporary context, media includes digital platforms, social
networks, streaming services, and interactive technologies
 represents both the technological means of transmission and the
content itself that functions as tools and environments that shape how
we communicate, share information, and understand the world
 Jack Lule describes media as "a means of conveying something, such as
channel of communication".

Media as Drivers of Global Integration

 Traditional mass media (international news broadcasts, television
programming, films, and music) have been instrumental in facilitating
cultural exchange and information flow across national boundaries.
  These media forms have contributed to a sense of increased
interconnectedness and a “shrinking world,” leading to a blend of
global and local influences (Matos, 2012).
 While concerns about cultural imperialism and media concentration
persist, global media has also fostered cultural hybridization,
cosmopolitan sensibilities, and transnational communities.
 The advent of digital media, particularly social media, has further
accelerated global integration. Social media platforms create spaces for
global participation and collaboration on various issues, increase
transparency of global governments, and enable public involvement.
 They provide avenues for cosmopolitan citizenship and global solidarity,
exposing users to global trends and problems (Matang et al., 2023).
 A study by Dutot and Lichy (2022) found that social media becomes a
driver of global integration by increasing users’ time spent on platforms
and expanding their international contacts when in different countries.
 Importantly, social media has a significant mediating effect on the
relationships between cultural novelty, social networks, trust, and
acculturation to global consumer culture (AGCC).
 This suggests that social media acts as a key platform for accelerating
cultural integration and the adoption of global consumer values,
thereby driving global integration.
 Marshall McLuhan – “the medium is the message.” Media, as a form of
technology, can reshape society. Thus, television is not a simple bearer
of messages; it also shapes the social behavior of users & reorient
family behavior. Prior to the cellphone, there was no way for people to
keep in touch. The technology (medium), not the message, makes this
social change possible.
 Before people wrote down things, exchanging memories was done
orally. Storytellers needed retentive memories to be able to exchange
stories verbally from one person to another. New technologies may
broaden communication’s reach, but they also impair an individual’s
communicative abilities.

Local vs. Global Cultural Production

 Local cultural production involves generating, sharing, and consuming
cultural outputs (goods, services, and ideas) unique to a specific
geographic area or community
 global cultural production entails creating and distributing these cross-
national boundaries and reaching an international audience.
  According to Firat (2016), the relationship between local and global
cultural production is symbiotic and complex, characterized by mutual
dependence rather than stark opposition. Local cultures derive
recognition and identity through their interactions with the global
sphere, which serves as a reflective mirror, allowing them to distinguish
and assert their distinctiveness.
 Simultaneously, global culture draws its richness and diversity from the
multiplicity of local traditions and practices it incorporates. While
globalization can lead to concerns about cultural homogenization and
commodification, it also facilitates a dynamic exchange where local
cultures contribute to and shape the global cultural landscape.

THE GLOBAL VILLAGE & CULTURAL IMPERIALISM

 Marshall McLuhan – television was transforming the world into a
“global village.” Members of the new global village would sit in front of
bright boxes in their living rooms, just as tribal villages sat in front of
fires to listen to collective stories.
 During the time when America’s power turned it into the world’s
cultural heavyweight, some feared that this would bring a cultural
imperialism in which American ideals & culture would triumph over all
others.
 1976, Herbert Schiller – stated that the world was becoming more
Americanized, resulting in the spread of American capitalist principles
such as consumerism.
 John Tomlinson – cultural globalization is really a cover for “Western
cultural imperialism” as it promotes “homogenized, Westernized
consumer culture.”

Critiques of Cultural Imperialism

 Media researchers began to pay attention to how audiences perceived
& interpreted media messages in the 1980s.
 American soap opera “Dallas.” 1985, study by Ien Ang, Indonesian
cultural critic among Viewers in Netherlands – rather than merely
accepting American culture in a “passive & resigned” manner, they
invested “a lot of emotional energy.”
 1990, Elihu Katz & Tamar Liebes – view from various cultural groups of
“Dallas.” Russians were dubious of the show’s content, believing it
featured American propaganda. American viewers felt it was mostly
about the lives of the wealthy.
  Cultural imperialism concept has been debunked. Through the
globalization of media, Asian culture, for example, has spread round
the world. Ex. Hello Kitty, Pokemon, manga, etc.
 The most obvious case of globalized Asian cuisine is sushi. While
McDonald’s has continued to spread across Asia, Jollibee is the no. 1
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.

Glocalization in Media
 Glocalization refers to the adaptation of global products, services, or
ideas to suit local markets and cultures, combining elements of
globalization with localization.
 Glocalization has been applied to analyze phenomena ranging from
multinational corporate strategies to the spread of popular culture like
K-pop.
 As a part of the new conceptual vocabulary for 21st-century social
sciences, glocalization is seen as particularly relevant in our increasingly
complex, post-pandemic world, where the interplay between global
and local forces continues to shape social, economic, and cultural
landscapes (Roudometof & Dessì, 2022).

Media Global Localized Version Description of

Type Product Adaptation
Television “The Office” “The Office” (UK, Adapted to local humor,
(US) Germany, France, work culture, and social
etc.) norms
Fast Food McDonald’s McAloo Tikki (India) Burger adapted with local
ingredients and flavors
Streaming Netflix Local language Offers region-specific
content and UI shows and local language
interfaces
Social Facebook Facebook's “Free Simplified version for
Media Basics” developing markets with
limited internet
Video FIFA series Localized Includes local languages,
Games commentary and commentators, and
teams regional teams
Music Spotify Regional playlists Curates playlists featuring
Streaming and local artists local artists and genres
Movies Marvel “Dangal” (India) Incorporates local themes
Cinematic while using global
 Universe storytelling techniques
Advertising Coca-Cola Ramadan ads in the Adapts global brand
Middle East message to local cultural
events
Print Vogue Vogue Arabia Features local fashion,
Media Magazine models, and cultural
content
Mobile WhatsApp Language and Offers local language
Apps sticker options and culturally
localization relevant stickers

Social Media: Connectivity and Challenges

 Social media platforms provide unprecedented connectivity. It allowed
people to maintain relationships across vast distances, share ideas
instantly, and access a wealth of information. This technology has
become a powerful tool for social movements.
 According to Balcı & Gölcü (2013), social media played a significant role
in the Arab Spring by facilitating organization, information sharing, and
mobilization of protesters. It provided platforms for coordinating
demonstrations, spreading news rapidly, and connecting like-minded
individuals. These platforms also offer opportunities for creativity, self-
expression, and community building. Activists opposing authoritarian
regimes utilized Twitter to coordinate with each other & disseminate
information because they lacked traditional broadcast media like TV.
 However, social media has introduced complex challenges like the
spread of misinformation and “fake news.” Aïmeur et al. (2023) discuss
the complexity of fake news in online social networks, summarizing
definitions, types, detection challenges, and potential solutions.
 The addictive nature of these platforms can lead to decreased
productivity and mental health issues, including anxiety and
depression.
 Pantic (2014) suggests that prolonged and excessive use of social
networking sites may be associated with signs of addiction and mental
health issues like depressive symptoms and low self-esteem, though
the relationship remains controversial and requires further research.
 Social media can also exacerbate social division, creating “echo
chambers” where people encounter only information or opinions that
align with and reinforce their own views. This can create
misinformation and distort perspectives, making it difficult to consider
opposing viewpoints (Digital Media Literacy: How Filter Bubbles Isolate
You, n.d.).
 Moreover, while social media can enhance global understanding, it can
also fuel cyberbullying, online harassment, and the rapid spread of
harmful content. The pressure to present a curated, “perfect” life
online can negatively impact self-esteem and body image, especially
among younger users.
 Herd mentality - It occurs when individuals adopt the beliefs, behaviors,
or attitudes of the majority in a group, often at the expense of their
own judgment or individuality.
 Russin President Vladimir Putin hired legions of “trolls” to control public
opinion to help Donald Trump win the presidency. Today’s global media
landscape permits politicians like Trump’s closest ides refer to as
“alternative facts.”