Electronic Imperialism
Global Media Flows
Meeting 5
Global Media Flows
• US projects media power like imperial
powers did in gunboat diplomacy
• Old imperialist structures remain in place to
create relationship of dependency between
rich and poor countries.
• US domination of cinema and TV; $8
billion in export revenue; view film a a
product, not cultural invasion
One-way flow
• US central of all communication flow
• US is headquarters to international labor
and global business
• Rich countries with 16% world population
have 97% of Internet hosts.
• Email from Stockholm to London goes
through US
Dependency Model negative effects
1. Values - selling media with advertising
reinforces consumption and free choice
2. Displacement of public sphere with
entertainment - infotainment, crime, sex
and violence sell well
3. Strengthening of conservative political
forces that ignore social issues
4. Erosion of local cultures with
Disneyfication
Electronic Colonialism Theory
• Foreign produced cultural products have the
ability to influence or displace indigenous
cultural productions and media to the
detriment of receiving nations.
• Effects include attitude formation among
young consumers through music, comics
and videos from other cultures that provide
dreams and aspirations.
Core Nation Corporations & ECT
To maximize and profits, more large US
corporations are:
• Moving toward single global advertising
strategy and message (Coke)
• Consolidating their advertising from local
agencies into a single global agency
(Ford)
Americanization
• Term Americanism is used to describe
movement where immigrants are induced to
assimilate American speech, ideals,
traditions and ways of life
• Is Globalization simply the imposition of
American culture on the entire world?
Americanization of China
• Everything wrapped in real or metaphorical
red, white and blue
• Amway and Mary Kay thriving in China
• Michael Jordan more popular than Mao
• Basketball, bowling popular sports
• Muscle marketing - in your face philosophy
• Selling America is a weapon for capitalism
Americanization of Canada
• US TV programming 70% of all English
viewing; 12-17 largest watching segment
• Largest selling magazine is Reader’s Digest,
considered a Canadian magazine
• American model of business dominates
paperback industry
• US films have 96% of the market
World Views on Americanism
• World Values Survey (U of M) conclude world’s
enduring cultural values could be more influential
than US economic dominance.
• 1999 Mother Jones says “Pervasiveness of
Americanization doesn’t mean world will end up
full of Clint Eastwoods. Many foreigners drawn to
US values and practices are disturbed that US
exports its pathologies.”
Discussion Questions
• Will new communication technologies
affect the configuration of the world
system? Why or why not?
• How has the word Americanization changed
since it’s original definition?
• Do proponents of Americanization as a
global threat have a case?