Media Imperialism: A Third World's Predicament

Since the rise of mass media, media theorists have had many debates on the implication of the use of it. First of all, does mass media have an impact on human civilization?

The obvious answer seems to be yes, as mass media is the form of technology in which messages are disseminated through the means of mass communication (Livesey, 2011).

Source: Degree Of Thought

Though it should be acknowledged that mass media has the power to influence people, the extent of it though, depends on the effects and the effectiveness of the message conveyed. 

As McQuail (1994) had defined, the effects refers to the consequences of mass media operation – whether or not it is intended – while the effectiveness refers to the capacity in which mass media can achieve its given objectives.

So given the fact that mass media has two levels of its effects and effectiveness, the impact of mass media and the magnitude of such impact – especially of those from larger nations to smaller countries – has generated the concept of media imperialism.  

In a world where democracy is widespread, media tyranny seems to be even more prevalent as regardless to how sophisticated the technology develops or degree of democratization, only a small fraction of the world’s population possess the resources, opportunity and skills that permit such access (Boyd-Barrett, 2010). Hence, the debate of media imperialism mounted as the Third World countries are deemed to be vulnerable against developed nations. Though, how true is that statement? 

Source: Bear Fact

As culture is part and parcel of media imperialism, the biggest concern stems from the implications of the market dominance for the audience that is consuming these media products. 

Then, does foreign media products have the power to change the patterns of culture within a society (Tomlinson, 2002)? 

One phenomenon that can shed some light on this predicament is the American Idol phenomenon. What first started out as a reality singing show in the United Kingdom, had spread to the United States, and as America is the media moguls, American Idol was broadcasted in all around the world even to South Africa. The irony comes into the fact that the show wasn’t even within the perimeter of the South African culture, but yet they had absorbed it and made it their own with their own version of ‘idol’. This might seem like a trivial notion, but what happens when it seeps into the wellbeing, politics and economy of the South African nation? 

Cultural Imperialism: Imposing one's values on another country or culture

Because of media imperialism, it appears that it has saturated the Third World nations media space. Foreign news and foreign counterparts broadcast news of the region with foreign notions permeating into their news and it will continue to recur as the local television broadcasting is faltering (Omoera & Ibagere, 2010). 

Source: ILETISIM

When foreign media products become a commodity, it has the power to homogenize cultures across the world making it appear as if westernization is the only path of modernization; hence shrinking the authentic cultural landscape of these Third World nations. 

Media imperialism seems to facilitate the dependency between advanced and developing societies and in all likelihood the invasion was deliberate as it goes hand in hand with either a commercial or political strategy of the nation (Omoera & Ibagere, 2010) in light of globalization. Modernization seems to be inevitable due to globalization, media products regardless of cultural content appears to be a commodity around the globe, and homogenization seems to be a threat to our thousands of distinct cultures. 

Having that in mind, will that mean that we will all become one culture? And if so, will media imperialism be the mediator of such phenomenon? (click here to read more about one world order)

References: 

Livesey, C. (2011). Sociology Central . Retrieved August 13, 2013, from Defining The Mass media:          http://www.sociology.org.uk/media_defined.pdf

Boyd-Barrett. (2010). Media Imperialism Reformulated. Oxon: Routledge.

Tomlinson, J. (2002). Cultural imperialism: a critical introduction . London: Continuum.

Omoera, O. S., & Ibagere, E. (2010). Revisiting Media Imperialism: A Review of the Nigerian Television Experience. The International Journal of Research and Review , 1-18.