Beyond Domination And Interdependency In Globalization Through The Media
By Kokkeong Wong, Ph.D. Associate Professor Communication, Media & Theater St. Norbert College De Pere, Wisconsin 54115 U.S.A.
Paper for presentation at the 15th AMIC Annual Conference, "Media in Asia: Aspirations, Choices and realities," held in Penang, Malaysia, on 17 - 20 July, 2006.
Beyond Domination And Interdependency In Globalization Through The Media
ABSTRACT
Mass media, especially TV and movies, have contributed greatly to globalization through rapid circulation of news and entertainment, ideas and images throughout the world. But what is the character of this globalization so fostered? Scholars are largely divided into two theoretical camps. Critics argue that the globalization so fostered is characterized by domination of the North or developed nations, primarily the United States, through their vertically integrated and hyper-commercial media conglomerates the likes of TIME-Warner and Disney. They continue to be largely influenced by the perspective of cultural imperialism. The global dominance of U.S. movies and TV programs is seen as endangering the very survival of the movie and TV industries of the South or developing countries. This has, in turn, contributed to a distortion, marginalisation or suppression of cultural developments in the South, thereby further curtailing global cultural diversity. On the other hand, globalization advocates argue that the globalization of TV and movies actually promotes a diversity of cultures, including the formerly suppressed cultures of the South or developing nations. The neo-liberal push for de-regulation and privatization of media since the mid 1980s is seen as a liberating force that unleashes and promotes voices and cultures of the South despite the global reach of the Anglo-American media. A basis of the claim by globalization advocates lies in “glocalization,” which is seen as playing a crucial role in realizing a...