Essay #1 - Jeff Jacobson - American and British Television: A Two-Way Flow

For many years, American television has been exported to other countries and sold more programs and formats than shows from any other country.  Often, however, these were not viewed as the best of television programming.  As many countries deregulated their television systems and opened broadcast rights to private corporations, concern developed that ?crass? American programming would wipe out higher-quality, locally-produced fare.  Now that this liberalization of television markets has been occurring for well over a decade in many European countries, we are able to see whether this has happened.  In particular, this paper will look at Great Britain.  The surprising result is that while British television has taken a turn to more low-brow programming, many American exports in recent years have gained a reputation for high-quality, and the British down-turn may have less to do with an American influence and more to do with market pressures.

In most countries, the early development of television was seen as something the government should be involved in, and most television was produced by the government and funded with fees paid by viewers (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, & Perraton, 1999, p. 357).  The notable exception was the United States, which left most aspects of television broadcast up to private industry, saving for itself regulatory duties (the Public Broadcasting Service was formed in 1969 (http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/aboutpbs_corp.html) and never charged a set fee in the way other countries did, relying instead on voluntary donations and some government funding).  As time passed, however, a greater demand for television was seen, and governments sought to meet this demand, often through a combination of increasing their own channels and funding, sometimes with advertising, and allowing private corporations to enter the national broadcast market.  The offshoot of this was that most countries could not match the required increase in production and began importing programming from other countries, which was one of the factors in the globalization of television (Held et al., pp. 357?358).  In this new market, American television companies with their long history of independent production were well-poised to take a lion?s share (Wynyard & Caputo, 1993, p. 67).  Wynyard and Caputo?s survey published in 1993 found that American-produced content accounted for 30?45% of television watched in Great Britain at that time (p. 69).  In contrast, British television made up around 5% of the American market, and was on less-popular or less-widely-available channels (such as on cable) (Wynyard & Caputo, p. 70).  Wynyard and Caputo felt this minimal influence would continue, but they overlooked the emerging growth of independent producers in Britain to fill the void referred to by Held et al.

Independent producers in the UK began producing content for both the BBC and independent channels.  However, they still owned many rights to their programming and could re-sell their programs just as American companies do.  According to Phil Wickham of the British Film institute, ?that also is a big incentive for them to start distributing their product in other territories.  And, of course, America is the big prize? (as cited in Beard, 2006, 1:48?1:57).  Stephen Beard relates that in 2005, British companies made a record $1.1 Billion in overseas sales, $400 Million of which came from America, for programs such as Supernanny, Pop idol (American idol), and Dancing with the stars (2:03?2:20).  These are not going to be considered among the high-quality programming Britain was formerly known for selling to the U.S.  Syracuse University?s Bob Thompson told Beard that this was Britain?s revenge for programming such as Baywatch and The love boat (2:20?2:31).  However, I don?t think this is the real reason behind the surge in low-brow British TV.  Beard seems to be much more on-point when he says that the independent producers ?were looking for bigger and faster profits? (1:21?1:27).  This ?trashy? TV was less about copying American styles and more about making cheap programming that would sell well.

However, is American TV really that trashy in the first place?  Bob Thompson points out to Stephen Beard a ?curious role-reversal? where some highly-acclaimed American shows such as Deadwood or The west wing were finding ?small but appreciative? audiences in Britain (2:30?3:15).  This is much like the small audiences earlier, high-quality British programming was finding in Wynyard and Caputo?s study, and they actually noticed that a similar phenomenon was happening to quality American programs in Britain even at that time (1993, pp. 70 & 71).  However, Wynyard and Caputo point out that at least some American programming that were regarded as more low-brow or superficial in other countries are in fact victims of the deeper meanings being lost in the translation to another country?s culture.  For instance, All in the family?s Archie Bunker would be viewed in different ways, depending on people?s background, even within America (Wynyard & Caputo, pp. 71?72).  Wynyard and Caputo point out that while American programming can convey both deep and superficial meanings, criticism of low-quality American programming coming from other countries may not be understanding the deeper messages or are finding them irrelevant to their own viewing (p. 66).  Thus, blanket statements about American television being low-quality seem unfounded.

As we?ve seen, then, ?trashy? American television may not have been as much of a cause behind a recent surge in ?trashy? British TV as financial pressures have been.  In fact, American TV may not actually be all that trashy in the first place.  What I have found so far seems to regard television viewership in both countries from a very mainstream perspective, as described by Stephen Wiley (2004, p. 79?80).  This first look suggests that even when programming is sold abroad, the nation-state where each program is shown has a very distinct view of it.  Further research will look at whether international programming transcends this perspective.

References

Beard, S. (2006, August 25).  A British invasion of American TV.  In Marketplace.  [Radio Broadcast] London and Los Angeles: American Public Media.

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999).  Globalization, culture, and the fate of nations.  In Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, and Perraton, Global transformations: Politics, economics, and culture, (327?375).  Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004).  Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization.  Communication Theory, 14, 78?96.

Wynyard, R., & Caputo, J. S. (1993).  The Americanization of British television: A comparative study.  Journal of the Northwest Communication Association, 21, 65?73.

Posted at 03:54PM May 25, 2007 by Jeff Jacobson in General  |  Comments[1]

Essay 1: Tisha Buelto- Blogging for Darfur

?Essay #1

Tisha Buelto

?Across the globe, blogging has become a safe forum for oppressed voices to be heard.?¹ In the Middle East, for example, blogging can be a refuge ?from authoritarian governments that monitor political and social activism in their countries.?² ?Even during the paralyzing war in Lebanon last summer that restricted access and made reporting dangerous, bloggers inside the country posted pictures and stories online that were seen by millions watching the war unfold.?³

Today, NGOs around the world have begun advantaging this recent technology. Save Darfur, an alliance of organizations committed to making the public aware of the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to ?mobilizing a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of two million people in the Darfur region,? is one of such of these NGOs.⁴ Save Darfur's website, among its many resources, includes a site blog. The blog is cross-posted between SaveDarfur.org and GlobeforDarfur.org, which blogs in eight different languages. The blogs are posted weekly and often campaign for action in Darfur or sum up that particular week's press on the Darfur region

?Few expressions of globalization are so visible, widespread and pervasive as... the simultaneous communication of events by satellite broadcasts to hundreds of millions of people at a time on all continents.?⁵ Save Darfur's most recent international action, the Global Days for Darfur campaign, was quite visible, extensive, and pervasive in its expressions of globalization by way of blogging. In this campaign, the organization, in coalition with activists around the world, held rallies, marches, as well as vigils. During the week of April 23, 2007 to April 30, 2007, people around the world were moved to highlight that 'time is running out' for the people of Darfur.⁶ ?Despite the complexity of cultural interactions between societies over the last three thousand years, the intensifying movement of images and symbols and the extraordinary stretch of modes of thought and modes of communication are unique and unparalleled features of the late twentieth century and the new millennium.?⁷

?Since the 1990s, there have been growing discussion of Internet activism and how new media have been used effectively by a variety of political movements.?⁸ The global Internet has since, been ?creating the base and the basis for an unparalleled worldwide anti-war/pro-peace and social justice movement during a time of terrorism, war and intense political struggle.?⁹

Posted at 02:24PM May 25, 2007 by BUELTO, TISHA in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay 1, Alicia Thomas - Redefining Native identity through digital globalization

NVISION: The next 500 years - Redefinining Native identity through digital globalization

      Of the United States? 4 million plus Native American population, a greater number reside in urban areas than in traditional reservation and rural communities. This trend is not limited to the U.S., as other indigenous communities in the Western hemisphere are being affected as well. Economic opportunity, educational advancement and higher living standards have created a shift in tribal populations and redrawn the boundaries, lifting constraints that Native people were subjected to through colonization. With this demographic shift, challenges arise as historically communal cultures struggle to adapt to individualistic and capitalistic societies without compromising their traditional values.
      The advent of the internet has proved a central role in shaping the modern experiences of First Nations people searching for ways to preserve ?community? and ?identity? in new settings.  Native people have always relied on oral tradition.  But as Held (1999) notes, for while individual agents have been important carriers of cultural practices, they themselves have been limited to communication by presence. (p. 329). The digital age is, in a way, a new and improved storytelling mode with unlimited forms of communication. "Indigenous peoples and nations are now a specific presence on the Internet, and they have made the global computer network a site for information
exchange, analysis and action on self-determination". (O?Donnell, 1995).
      The emergence of a digital tribe, so to speak is taking root ? sharing experiences and adopting a Pan-Indian attitude, allowing the heterogeneous Native community, historically seen as ?clannish?, to reorganize itself as a core, unified group. These online and multi-media collaborations have resulted in partnerships of economic development, business transactions, cultural/religious exchange, language preservation, legal rights and sovereignty issues, mobilizing voters, etc. "More and more, the Internet has become a conduit for Native Americans to tell their individual and collective stories?and for journalists to print and broadcast them" (Merina, 2005).
      A recent development in Native media is the conceptualization of the non-profit multi-media outlet NVISION. ?NVision is committed to raising political, social, and cultural consciousness of current and emerging generations of young Native peoples and promoting informed and innovative action? (NVISION, pg 1.). A rallying cry from Native people in over 500 American tribal communities, NVISION is poised to enter the global realm, as it works to further its scope across the entire Western hemisphere. At the heart of its purpose is the cultural perspective that Natives view their indigenous relatives/relations as being/existing without borders. This new form of hybridization is connecting ancient cultures that are very diverse, but yet share common cultural ground. It allows a new temporal space for this community or nation. In accordance with the contextualist theory, ?the space of the national is a porous, perhaps precarious, organization of economic, demographic, and cultural flows that must constantly be redefined and reinforced in the midst of a fluid geography? (Wiley, 2004). Through multi-media channels, (television, movies, art, grassroots activism) NVISION is redefining what it means to be Native in the 21st century.  It is a uniquely authentic voice that challenges the historical stereotypes and misrepresentations of Native culture by the ?majority.?  Just as the culture evolves and finds ways to co-exist within modern American society, so do the constructs and realities of what it means to be Native today.

As more indigenous people gain access to the digital realm, the global impact of these new realities and expanded identities will continue to positively shape and ?reshape? the ways in which this community is viewed by the world.

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Globalization, Culture and    the Fate of Nations. Ch. 7 in Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, and Perraton. Global    Transformations: Politics, Economics, and Culture (pp 327-375). Stanford, CA:    Stanford University Press.

Merina, Victor. (2005). The Internet: Continuing the Legacy of Storytelling. Nieman Reports; Vol. 59 Issue 3, p32-34, 3p

NVISION, (2007). Retrieved May 25, 2007. http://www.myspace.com/nvision1

O?Donnell, Susan, Delgado, Guillermo. (1995). Using the Internet to Strengthen the Indigenous Nations of the Americas. Media Development; 1995, Vol. 42, Issue 3, p36-38, 3p

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization.    Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

             

             

             

Posted at 02:05PM May 25, 2007 by alicia kathryn thomas in General  |  Comments[1]

Essay#1 - J. Preston - Public Education Reform.

    American public schools have changed their curriculum very little in the past ten to twenty years.  It would be a false statement to say that our schools are completely frozen in time, but compared to other aspects of our continuously evolving lives, they seem outdated and obsolete.  Children in contemporary schools spend much of their days in classrooms just as their parents and grandparents did: sitting in desk aligned in rows, listening to a teacher?s lecture, writing their notes by hand, and reading from text books that contain information that is outdated by the time they are published and distributed. Public education reform is necessary in order to keep up with the growing phenomenon of globalization.
    Contemporary cultural globalization is associated with several developments including global infrastructures of an unprecedented scale, generating an enormous capacity for cross border penetration and a decline in the cost of its use, and an increase in the intensity, volume, and speed of cultural communication and communication of all kinds (Held, 1999, p.341).  This concerning subject matter became a major topic of conversation and ridicule when the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, a high powered, bipartisan assembly of Education Secretaries and business, government, and other educational leaders released a blueprint for rethinking American education from pre-k to12th grade and beyond in order to better prepare students to thrive in the growing global economy.  While the reports included some controversial proposals, there is nonetheless a remarkable consensus among educators, businesses, and policy leaders on one key conclusion: we need to adjust what we teach and how we teach into the global community of the 21st century.
    Back in 1979, the average worker with a college degree earned 75 percent more than the average high school graduate. Because of technology and globalization, the gap has leapt to 130 percent (Washington Post, 2006, p.1).  Today?s economy not only demands a high level of competence in the traditional academic disciplines, but also what might be called 21st century (Global) skills. A gained general knowledge of the world around us and how it works is one example.  Kids are considered global citizens by today?s standards, even in small rural towns, and they must learn to function in society that way.  CEO of UPS, Mike Eskew, talks about needing workers who are ? global trade literate, sensitive to foreign culture, and conversant in different languages. 
    Developing good people skills is another skill that is necessary to thrive in our growing global community.  The cross-border movement of populations has led to new ethnic conflicts as well as the formation of new audiences, while the globalization of money and commodity flows has led to new forms of property, to new international conflicts over property, and over regulatory authority (Wiley, 2004, p87).  An individual?s EQ, or emotional intelligence is as important as their IQ for success in today?s workplaces.  Most innovations today involve large teams of people, and CEOs are putting emphasis on communication skills and the ability to work in teams and with people from different cultures.
     Public education reform is necessary in order to keep up with the growing phenomenon of globalization.  Can our public schools, which were originally designed to educate workers for agrarian life and industrial age factories make the necessary shift?  The Skills Commission will argue that it is possible only if we add new depth and rigor to school curriculums and standardized test, redeploy the dollars we spend on education, reshape the teaching force, and recognize who runs our public schools (Wallis, 2004 p2).

References.

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J., (1999) Global Transformation: Politics, economics and culture. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Wallis, Claudia, Steptoe, Sonja, Miranda, Carolina, A., (2006) How to Bring Schools out of the 21st Century. Academic Search Premier NC State University.

Washington Post (2006) www.washingtonpost.com Globalization and Schools.

Wiley, S., (2004) Rethinking Nationality in the Context of Globalization. International Communication Association.

Posted at 01:18PM May 25, 2007 by PRESTON, JASON in General  |  Comments[4]

The Globalization of Apple by PAtrick Bedics

Posted at 12:10PM May 25, 2007 by BEDICS, PATRICK in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay #1 Jeff Jacobson - Delay

My computer just made a very loud noise and then popped up a warning about the cooling system, saying I need to shut-down the computer immediately and return it for service.  My essay will be delayed a bit as I transfer to a new computer.

Posted at 11:57AM May 25, 2007 by Jeff Jacobson in General  |  Comments[0]

Essay #1 Claire de Lespinois- WSF and the Net

       Alter-globalization is a social movement, which supports the international integration of globalization, but values human rights over economic concerns. Supporters of alternative forms of globalization do not like the form that globalization is taking in the world today. Instead, they are trying to find different methods to interconnect the world. As a result, multiple transnational social movements have emerged. The largest Anti-globalization group is the World Social Forum. The World Social Forum is a political social process of networking inside and organized social society, which holds forum events around the world, regulated by the WSF charter (WSF common space, 2007).
        Globalization is linked with several developments such new global infrastructures. Alter-globalization is related to such developments as well. The global structure of the Internet has created an enormous capacity for cross boarder penetration at a high speed while remaining relatively inexpensive (Held, 1999, p.341). WSF achieves this infiltration of boarders by maintaining their own website. The common space on the web by WSF ?provides people organized in movements, networks and organizations with intercommunication tools and collective publishing spaces for building and communicating their views, for initiating and developing collaborations, and joint initiatives. It provides individual participants with a cyber space where to get in contact with those organizations movements and networks.? (WSF common space, 2007). It is interesting to think that a space that does not physically exist can organize so many people around the world. WSF uses the Internet as it?s primary means for communication. One can only wonder if the reason that WSF is so large is a result of it?s online community.
           The WSF meets once a year at various locations around the world. In the year 2000, the organizers were expecting around 2,000 people to participate in the debate in Brazil. To their surprise, 5,000 people showed up. This was astonishing to the members of the WSF. People wanted to know how so many people found out about the event. Just one month before the meeting, the organizers put up the website which is now the WSF common space. ( Lefort, 2001). It can be assumed that by setting up this online community, more people were able to learn about the event. As Professor Wiley stated in his essay, ?Processes of globalization are widely believed to be altering the forms and dynamics of human social relations.? (2004, p. 78). This is certainly true when looking at this example. The creation of a virtual community allowed many people around the world to become informed of this particular meeting, allowing 5,000 people to show up at the same place at the same time for the same purpose. It is interesting to see the effect that the Internet has on transnational social movements such as the World Social Forum. It is important to understand how the Internet can be used to interconnect people and make them globally aware.

References:

Held, David and Anthony McGrew, David Goldbatt and Jonathan Perraton. (1999). Globalization, culture and the fate of nations. In Global Transformations (pp. 328- 375). California: University Press.

Lefort, Rene. (2001). Striking media giants with news on the web. Retrieved May 24, 2007, from Academic Search Premiere database.

Wiley, Stephen B. Crofts (2004). Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization. In Communication Theory (pp. 78-96). International Communication Association.

WSF Common Space. Retrieved May 24, 2007, from the world wide web: http://wsfprocess.net/front-page?set_language=en&cl=en

Posted at 11:38AM May 25, 2007 by DELESPINOIS, CATHERINE in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay #1 - Christina Kellmann - Americanization of Foreign Advertising

Essay #1

Christina Kellmann

Americanization of Foreign Advertising

 

            Globalization, westernization, and Americanization are all somewhat interchangeable. These terms, for the purpose of this essay, mean the imposition of American ways and culture on another culture which is not American. Historically and presently the United States is seen as a powerhouse. We are seen as having the best government, the greatest freedoms, and the most satisfaction from life. The American Dream is alive and well, especially from outsiders looking in. Other countries strive to do things the American way, and advertising is one aspect of communication that is Americanized frequently in foreign countries. The rise of digital communication has increased the ease at which advertisements can be produced and also the accessibility that foreign companies have to all things American. At the same time, American companies have the same accessibility to foreign markets, and use their advantage to market products to publics that they know will buy their product, simply because it is American. This essay focuses specifically on the influence of American brands and icons in Japan. There are a handful of factors that combine to give an explanation as to why advertising has become so Americanized in other countries, but this phenomenon can be best explained by looking at the history of telecommunication in America and other countries and the widespread use of English worldwide.

            Telecommunications over the last fifty years have come a long way. In ?Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture?, David Held explains the transformation of telecommunication from analogue to digital. Digital communication means that things work faster, more efficiently, and can be stored in smaller spaces. This makes it easier to transfer information rapidly, which in turn can spread ideas across the world in no time. In his essay entitled ?Japan as a Manipulated Society?, Tetsuo Kogawa (1981) explains, ?Thirty years ago, no one would have imagined that Japanese society would be filled with more Americanized commodities than the United States itself? (¶ 7). The advancements of telecommunications have paved a way for American ideas and idols to be shown all over the world. This, combined with America?s ?image?, contributes to the ease in which advertisements take on an American feel.

            English is almost globally understood to some extent. Held (1999) points out that telecommunications alone would not expedite globalization as much ?if it were not accompanied by a further form of collective infrastructure ? shared language and linguistic competencies? (p. 345). He mentions the ?diffusion of any one individual language across the globe? (Held, 1999, p. 345). This is obviously English. For example, Japan is a huge market for American brands. In an article entitled ?Standardization vs. Specialization: An Examination of Westernization in Japanese Advertising?, Barbara Mueller (1992) explains how the Japanese adopt many American words and styles because they equate Americanism with both ?modernism and high status? (p.18). They do not view the English language and American culture as something negative. Mueller (1992) says, ?Western actors, actresses, musicians, and sports stars are now increasingly advertising Japanese and foreign products on television and in magazines in Japan? (p.18). The appearance of these stars also contributes to America?s desirable image there and further spreads the abundance of the English language.

            The wide reach of modern-day telecommunications and the global use of the English language contribute greatly to the Americanization of advertisements because American culture can be so easily transmitted to other cultures, and in cases like Japan, they want to emulate our way of life.

 

 

Sources:

 

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Globalization, culture and the fate of         nations. In Global transformations: Politics, economics and culture (327-374). Stanford,         California: Stanford University Press.

 

Kogawa, Tetsuo. (1981). Japan as a manipulated society. Retrieved May 24, 2007, from             http://anarchy.translocal.jp/non-japanese/manipulated.html

 

Mueller, B. (1992). Standardization vs. specialization: an examination of westernization in Japanese advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 32(1), 15-24.

 

 

 

 

Posted at 11:23AM May 25, 2007 by KELLMANN, CHRISTINA in General  |  Comments[1]

Essay #1-Keitris Weathersbe-The New York Times Adapts to Globalization: A Look at the Response

The New York Times Adapts to Globalization: A Look at the Response

            With increasing readership and the histories of producing reliable and credible publications, the New York Times and the Washington Post are the central forms of receiving news information in New York and Washington, D.C.  New York City, an ethnic melting pot, has become more globalized within the past one hundred years.  Immigrants from Europe, the Caribbean, West Indies, and parts of Latin America have shaped New York City into one of the most diverse cities in the United States.  With the merging of several cultures and nationalities come several cultural influences.  Each culture brings their own set of values, practices and beliefs, thus creating the opportunity for globalization.  As the coexisting cultures in New York City influence globalization, local publications such as the New York Times attempt to adapt to globalization.  In more recent years, the New York Times has begun to address how globalization will affect its readers on local, national and transnational scales. 

            The issue to address is how the New York Time?s adaptation to globalization poses a conflict between its local readers?those residing in New York City?and its national and transnational readers.  Is the way in which the New York Times covers globalization fair and balanced?  In other words, is the same information (news) available to all readers, whether local, national, or transnational?  Is the New York Times catering to one sector of its readers for the sake of globalizing as a publication? 

            New York City is a prime example to consider when rethinking nationality.  Culture and people do not remain in a set nation.  At their own discretion, people move from their nations of origin to other areas of the world; their cultures with them.  New York City has become a locale in which several cultures can coexist while still maintaining its identity as a city?much like the United States, as a nation.  According to Stephen Wiley (2004), ?if communication technologies both express the social relations of a human community and shape those relations, the globalization of media and telecommunications infrastructure raises significant questions about what kinds of community can exist, what sorts of national spaces can persist, and how the shapes and purposes of communication technologies are better determined.?  In support of this argument, the New York Times both expresses the relations and shape of relations of residents in New York City. 

In 2002, the New York Times and film director, Jean-Marie Colombani collaborated for a project to produce a weekly insert in the Times on ?How Market, State and Globalization Shape News Content? (Benson, Hallin, 2004).  With the insert on globalization and news content produced in the New York Times, local, national and transnational readers received this information.  Here was the New York Time, a well-known publication on a global scale, which was now delivering coverage of globalization and news content.  The insert outlined the affects of globalization on the New York Times and news in general.  Several points were raised in the insert regarding possible state intervention?the concern that news organizations would lose focus on it local and state readership and place more focus of national and transnational readership.  The difference in national and local newspapers is not of significant importance in America.  ?The New York Times has been essentially a local newspaper for most of its history, and there is not historically a division of labor between national and local press in the U.S.? (Benson, Hallin, 2004). 

In the article, ?Globalization vs. Growth,? Jim Naureckas comments on the New York Times editorial which attempted to demonstrate the benefits of globalization. The editorial was written by Richard Fisher and Michael Cox who argued that ?globalized nations tend to pursue policies that achieve faster economic growth rate, while least globalized nations are prone to policies that interfere with market growth and lead to stagnation? (Naureckas, 2006).

?Prior to the emergence of nations and nation-states, most cultural communication and interaction occurred either between elites across many different societies or at very local and restricted levels?spatial and social reach of many cultural networks and cultural institutions have changed? (Held, 1999).  The nation became also involved in ?controlling the kinds of cultural messages and symbols available to the public.  The New York Times, since its establishment as a publication, has assisted in the control and delivery of cultural messages and symbols available to the public.

The purpose of further research on this topic is to understand how the New York Times is both communicating and embracing globalization, what local, national, and transnational spaces are influenced; and by what means the New York Times adapting to globalization.

References

Benson, Rodney, Hallin, Daniel C.  (2004).  How States, Markets and Globalization Shape the News: French and American National Political Journalism, 1965-1997.  Conference Papers ?International Communication Association.  1-32

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Global Transformations:

Politics, Economics and Culture. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press

Naureckas, Jim.  (2006). Globalization vs. Growth.  Extra!  19(3) 16

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking Nationality in the Context of Globalization. Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

Posted at 11:17AM May 25, 2007 by WEATHERSBE, KEITRIS in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay 1 - Allison Cuculich - Global Spread of Music

                                       Band Sets Tone for Global Appeal of Music

    The telegraph and railroad networks in America could not have been manufactured without the contributions from Africans, Asians, and Latin American elements (Wiley, 2004, p.84).  The same concept can be seen in the notion that rock music was saved, thanks to the British.  The Beatles not only made a name for themselves in their native country, but also appealed globally. 
    The idea of shared languages and linguistic competencies is what enables musicians to spread their voice to multiple continents.  These aforementioned characteristics are vital in both the act of intercultural communication and interaction as music is the vehicle (Held, et al., 1999, p.345).  The connection of the English language could be drawn from most of the countries that fed into this phenomenon and their growing popularity.  The current trend of bilingual and multilingual people also plays a major role in the integration of musicians from outside countries (p.345).  In the U.S., namely, we did not as a country focus on pointing out the differences that The Beatles and their music were bringing in as a negative or a bad type of change but rather as a pioneer influence on music to come.  The understanding that they were from another country did not hinder their popularity, but rather became a beneficial selling point.
    There was a matchless quality about The Beatles in both their music and their appearance.  In America, teens were immediately attracted physically to the band members as well as connected to their music.  They were creating music that was unheard of at the time and brought about a new perspective on life as well as innovative sounds (Wolfe, 1995, p.75).  They performed a single of theirs in 1967 as the first worldwide and live telecast, which reached about 400 million people throughout 24 nations (p.72).
    After the explosion on the scene of multiple countries, the music did not fade away or lead them to become a band name to soon thereafter forget.  The Beatles had staying power, and the ability to grow with the times.  According to the BBC, as of 1998 the city of Liverpool was still reaping the benefits of The Beatles almost 30 years after their demise.  They projected that the local hotel rooms would be booked full of fans that come to celebrate the anniversary from around the world as people represent an estimated 40 countries (Bowerman, 1998). 
    The outstanding fact about The Beatles was that their popularity was not only accepted and embraced by numerous countries, but also continued to impact music to follow in years to come as well as still remain a staple in most record collections today.  The Beatles are just a specific example of a band, a group of musicians, that were able to make the break out of their native country and successfully put an imprint on accepting nations that looked at this band almost as their own.  Looking at this incredibly successful band, today, it is hard to imagine how they sold themselves and their music to the world without the technology we would expect musicians to use.

References

Bowerman, K. (1998).  BBC News.  Retrieved May 24, 2007, from BBC News Web site:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/158770.stm
Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999).  Global transformations:
    Politics, economics and culture.  327-375.
Wiley, S. (2004).  Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization.  Communication
    Theory, 14(1), 78-96.
Wolfe, A. (1995).  Song of the ?60s: Toward a cultural history of a mass media text. 
    Journal of the Northwest Communication Association, 23, 70-90.

Posted at 09:43AM May 25, 2007 by CUCULICH, ALLISON in General  |  Comments[3]

Essay #1- Julia Tew- Amnesty International and Women's Rights

Amnesty International?s Framing of Women?s Rights

    Feminist discourse has proposed a number of potentially useful frameworks from which individuals and societies may choose to view ?women?s issues.?  Historically, some of the frameworks have served to alienate and divide individuals even within the movement along racial, ethnic, class, religious and ironically, gender boundaries (Lorde 1984).  This study evaluates how modern organizations view and communicate issues regarding women?s rights on a global scale through the use of culturally relevant frameworks.  Due to outside constraints, this study will be limited to Amnesty International?s work on women?s rights in the Middle East.
    As Held (1999) notes, world religions have been one of the most effective means of widespread cultural expansion, often working in conjunction with national and state powers and frequently organized into hierarchical structures (p. 332).  Wiley (2004) expands on this hierarchical social construction, referencing the role such structures play within relational theory, noting that once the nation is defined as the primary standard for culture, alternative cultures, politics and beliefs are changed from ?the other into the different? (p. 85).  This combination of religion with state power and a culturally defined standard that privileges males while discounting females as secondary subset creates a challenging environment in the Middle East for women?s rights.  The politically religious culture has been used to shape public discourses, legislation and norms regarding gender roles and expectations- many of which have been widely and deeply accepted by both males and females within the geographic nation and the cultural nation.
    Amnesty International then faces the tricky task of identifying and/or criticizing specific cultural practices that carry a large amount of authoritative power in the citizens? lives.  It seeks to deal with this challenge through several key strategies.  First, the organization limits its focus on women?s rights to issues of civil and political rights, thus sidestepping many cultural or social practice issues (Stevens 1996 p. 5).  Secondly, when addressing rights violations, AI first and foremost recognizes governments and nations as the responsible parties, then, secondly, specific individuals.  Again, this allows the organization the freedom to tackle tough issues without the incredible challenge of attempting to alter underlying social causes.  It also provides an organized and understandable prescription for change- through ?top-down? policy changes (Stevens p. 6, Amnesty International 2004, p. 1).  Finally and perhaps most importantly, Amnesty International has adopted a modern global feminist approach to women?s rights.  That is, it defines women?s rights within the broader context of human rights (Amnesty International 2004, p. 2).  This redefinition serves to add power and authority to the cause.  As Stevens explains, ?by framing gendering-based oppression as a human rights issue, activists seek to guarantee women?s rights globally rather than leaving them culturally specific? (p. 2).
    This redefining of women?s rights as part of global human rights creates the overarching framework used to then foster greater relevancy for women?s issues worldwide, transcending national, religious, and cultural borders.  It rests upon Kramarae?s oft-quoted ?radical notion that women are people.?  It seeks to build that into governmental policy regardless of which specific nation.

Amnesty Internantional. (2004). Stop Violence Against Women Press Kit. Retrieved May    24, 2007. from http://news.amnesty.org/pages/svaw_press

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Globalization, Culture and    the Fate of Nations. Ch. 7 in Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, and Perraton. Global    Transformations: Politics, Economics, and Culture (pp 327-375). Stanford, CA:    Stanford University Press.

Stevens, G.H. (1996). Translating human rights into women?s rights. Peace Review. 8(3),    411-416.

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization.    Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

Posted at 02:52AM May 25, 2007 by TEW, JULIA in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay #1 - Will Long - The Miami Herald and the Latin World

Essay #1 ? Will Long ? The Miami Herald and the Latin World

 

According to the United States Census Bureau?s population estimate in 2000, the City of Miami is home to 362,470 people. The census also revealed that almost 66% of those residents were of Hispanic or Latino origin.  Miami is home to neighborhoods named ?Little Haiti? and ?Little Havana? and the influence by this population is undeniable.  As the Hispanic population has grown throughout the years, especially since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Miami has become an important city in the Latin world.  The media of Miami has had to recognize the demand from the Latino community within the city, as well as their significance in South America, Central America, and in the Caribbean.

 

            In 1976, the Miami Herald started running a Spanish language insert titled ?El Herald.? It was renamed El Nuevo Herald in 1987, and became a separate newspaper in 1998. It is now one of the United States? fastest growing newspapers.  Although its newsroom is located one floor above the Miami Herald in its downtown Miami office, El Nuevo Herald is not just a Spanish translation of its sister publication. It covers different stories with different style to appeal to its readers. For example, while the Miami Herald was covering a contractor scandal at Miami International Airport (a series submitted as a Pulitzer Prize candidate), El Nuevo Herald editor Carlos Castaneda decided to give importance to the aftermath of a tropical storm that had hit over the weekend because it affected his readership more.  The newspaper uses ?bold graphics, big pictures, lots of color and eye-catching headlines? to attract its daily circulation of 89,224 (Clary, 2000). Its style conflicts with that of traditional American newspapers, but that is because it is not a traditional American newspaper.  Then again Miami is not a traditional American city. It has even been called the ?Capital of Latin America.? (Booth, 1993). El Nuevo Herald is, as Clary puts it: ?a hybrid, a flashy mix of Latin élan, Cuban exile political fervor, and People magazine. It's a broad-sheet with a tabloid mentality.? (2000). It is a Latino newspaper, made by Latinos, made for Latinos that happens to be owned, printed and distributed in the United States.

 

Miami, due to location, has become a hub of transportation and communication between the United States and Latin America/Caribbean. Miami International Airport ranks third in the nation for international passengers, earning Miami the nickname ?Gateway of the Americas.? The Miami Herald is now trying to reach the popularity of television shows such as ?Sabado Gigante? which is ?projected regionally to a Spanish-speaking population throughout the Americas (North, Central, and South)? (Wiley, 2004).   As early as 1946, the Herald was circulating an international version of the paper by plane, then in 1996 by satellite to the Bahamas, Cancun, Bogota, and the Dominican Republic. (Rosenburg, 1996). In 2000, the Miami Herald began saving each edition to a server which allows printers in the Caribbean to access it via the internet and roll it off their own presses.  These printers then distribute the daily paper to smaller locations throughout the islands. (Gordon, 2000). Technology is allowing the paper to reach the smaller towns and islands, as well as the urban centers of Latin America.  Although the version of the paper has a more international view, American news and advertisements and, therefore, culture is spreading in a new way to places it has not reached before.

The city of Miami is an example of how globalization is a two-way street. The distribution of the Miami Herald throughout the Latin world and the creation of El Nuevo Herald in the United States support a transformationalist view as described by Held (1999). The Latin world centered in Miami is becoming, if not already existing as, a hybrid culture, a mix of American and Latino. Although physically located within the borders of the United States, Miami has transcended the confines of nationality, maybe more so than any other city in the world.  It has become an important international city more than an American city and the media has begun to reflect this attitude.

 

References

 

Booth, C. (1993). Miami: The Capital of Latin America. Retrieved May 24, 2007, from

         http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979733-3,00.html

Clary, M. (2000). Would You Create Another Newspaper to Compete with Your Own?

In Miami, the Herald Did. Columbia Journalism Review, 39(1), 56.

 

Gordon, S. (2000). The Island-Hopping Miami Herald. American Journalism Review,

22(9), 16.

 

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., & Perraton, J. (1999). Global Transformations:

Politics, Economics and Culture. Stanford, CA: Standford University Press

 

Miami International Airport.. (n.d.). Facts at a Glance. Retrieved May 24, 2007, from

http://www.miami-airport.com/html/fact_at_a_glance.html

 

Rosenberg, J. (1996). Satellite carries Miami Herald to Latin America. Editor &

Publisher, 129(8), 35.

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking Nationality in the Context of Globalization. Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

Posted at 01:54AM May 25, 2007 by William Long in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay 1-Danielle Tibbetts- "The Melliennium Project: Globalized But Still Falling Short"

           Globalization; throughout the world today all "contextualized spaces" and "various logics of nationality" (Wiley, 2004) are witnessing the world in a new interdependent and interconnected economical, technological, cultural, social and political  "net" allowing messages, ideas, values, products and money to flow in and out; reshaping and reorganizing what was once a strictly shaped world of countries, nation-states and territories. Throughout history various developed countries and nation-states, such as America and Great Britain, have intercepted and aided other developing areas, countries and nations such as Israel (after WWII), Korea (after the Korean War), and currently Iraq. The ability and expected responsibility of powerful countries and organizations such as, America and the United Nations, to involve themselves in other nations' affairs has exponentially risen since the onslaught of late 20^th century and our new millennium's advancements in information and communication technologies. These technologies have fostered the globalization of our world's spaces and places from the richest countries to the many developing countries of Africa and Asia. As Held stated, "These shifts have opened up a massive series of communication channels that cross national borders?increase the range and type of communications to which any region or locale has access, and radically diminish the costs of transmission and transport" (p. 363).

           Because of the interconnection that information and communication technologies have allowed the world's masses, we, citizens of the world, can no longer pretend to be ignorant to the horrors of hunger, disease, death and exploitation that occur in various developing areas all over the world. At the same time, those of us, human beings, residing in these developing areas, living through the horrors of sickness and poverty, realize that there are countries, areas in which none of what they have to go through, on a daily basis, exists. The technology and interconnections created have also created a shared truth of the world, and for those of us in powerful countries a responsibility we can no longer hide from.

            This is why in 2000, during the United Nations Millennium Summit, 147 various country representatives, joined together and developed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for the purpose of raising the monetary, structural and governmental support needed to help those countries less fortunate. The goals were divided into 8 major categories in which UN members proclaimed they would reach by the year 2015 (Sachs, McArthur, 2005). The 8 goals established were "to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal primary education; to promote gender equality and empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to ensure environmental sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for development" (U.N.M.P, 2005). The focuses of the 8 goals were under-developed and developing countries throughout the world.

            Since the creation of the MDGs the U.N. has created a multitude of programs to enforce the necessary developments and changes such as the, U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization. In 2002 the U.N.'s report showed that overall incomes in these areas of need "increased by 21 percent", and that the amount of people living in poverty decreased by 130 million. Although these numbers seemed positive overall, the U.N.'s reports were not consisted over various countries/areas they were trying to help, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa, in which the poverty and mortality levels of women and children were and are steadily rising.

            The U.N., in a 2005 report, pointed to 4 main reasons of why this area still suffered, even with the multitude of programs created to help, they summed them up into 1) poor governance; 2) poverty traps; 3) persistent pockets of poverty and 4) policy neglect (Sachs, McArthur, 2005). Yet, as you read these 4 nicely summed up issues of why African areas are still impoverished and health stricken, this brings to mind what Wiley discussed as the issue of comparing various nations in "international comparative research", when trying to fix a variety of nations problems yet holding on to a certain standard procedure which should work with each country, yet the "cookie-cutter" plan may not fit to all regions. Just as Dr. Wiley stated, "claims often hinge on the assumption that nationally defined units are comparable to one another...and not subject to...the existence of external variables such as...imperialist influence that might explain the differences" (81) of why the African continent, which was only recently (last 100 years) freed from imperialistic rule, can not seem to rise above the devastating problems that other countries have gotten rid of. In the next 5 weeks I hope to go through the various goals covered in the MDG's, in relation to our globalized world, and speculate why it is that Sub-Sahara Africa's issues are not being eradicated, even though the "international flow of information" (Wiley 2004) will not let the empowered countries/nations/areas of the world claim ignorance anymore.

Cites

1)      Held, David, McGrew, Anthony, Goldblatt, David, and Perraton, Jonathan (1999b). ?Globalization, Culture, and the Fate of Nations.? Ch. 7 in Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, and Perraton, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, and Culture, pp 327-375. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

2)      Sachs, J. D., McArthur, J. W. (2005). The Millennium Project: a plan for meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Lancet, 365, 347-353. online: http://image.thelancet.com/extras/04art12121web.pdf

3)      UN Millenium Project. Investing in development: a practical plan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. New York: January, 2005. online http://www.unmillenniumproject.org

4)      Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization. Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

Posted at 12:15AM May 25, 2007 by TIBBETTS, DANIELLE in General  |  Comments[2]

Essay#1 - Chris - The $100 Laptop

Will Globalization Increase in Areas that use the XO-1? 

            The XO-1 (also known as the "$100 Laptop") is a durable, hand-powered laptop that is intended to cost under $100 to produce.  It is being developed by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) trade association, led by Nicholas Negroponte and supported by various organizations including Google, eBay, AMD, and Red Hat.  The laptop will be available for purchase by governments and then distributed to children through schools.  The OLPC website shows that the vision of this project is to make information and modern education available to children in underdeveloped countries, thereby reducing the "digital divide" between information-rich and information-poor nations (http://laptop.org).  This phenomenon is discussed in a book by Pippa Norris, Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty and the Internet Worldwide.  According to Norris, the "digital divide" is a problem because "access to digital technologies is likely to reinforce the economic growth and productivity of richer nations while leaving the poorest ones farther behind" (Norris, 2001 p. 234).  The development of the XO-1 is aimed at solving this problem by creating an extremely cheap way to get people on the internet.  The design of the laptop will include an optional hand crank to power the machine so that it can be used in areas where access to a power supply is limited.  However, the use of this new technology will still be dependent on the creation and maintenance of Wi-Fi networks in any area that wishes to participate.

            At first glance, one would predict that the introduction of such a laptop into a previously internet-free society will undoubtedly globalize that society by exposing its members to thoughts, ideas, and information from all over the world.  Indeed, this will probably be one of the results of this project.  However, there are some factors that should be considered that will limit the affect of globalization in the participating regions.  First, the laptops will be sold to governments to be distributed to students within their own countries.  This gives the government control over the choice to participate in the program in the first place, the actual distribution and availability of the machines, and the ability to determine who accesses what wireless networks.  Exposure to worldwide news and ideas will still be limited by governmental regulations.  In Wiley's, "Rethinking Nationality in the Context of Globalization," he notes that "Significant critical debates about the nation - and the inequalities among nations - emerged within the fields of international communication and development communication in the 1970s and early 1980s" (Wiley, 2004, p. 81).  These debates may become more prevalent than ever as the OLPC carries out their plans for the widespread use of their XO-1.  Another factor that may limit the globalization caused by this project is language.  The design calls for the operating system and other programs on the laptop to be released in the native language of its recipients.  However, access to the world-wide-web will do little in the way of globalizing a people group that can speak no language but their own.  "Globalization, Culture, and the Fate of Nations" emphasizes that, "While human beings can communicate with each other in many ways and many media other than written and spoken language  - visual art, dance, music - it is the existence of shared languages or language capacities that is the key infrastructure of intercultural communication and interaction" (Held, 1999, p. 345).  It will certainly be interesting, in light of these factors, to see the impact that this new technology will have on the establishment of an interconnected global culture.

References:

Norris, Pippa. 2001. Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty and the Internet

Worldwide. NY: Cambridge University Press. p234

OLPC homepage ? http://laptop.org

Held, David, McGrew, Anthony, Goldblatt, David, and Perraton, Jonathan (1999). ?Globalization, Culture, and the Fate of Nations.? Ch. 7 in Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, and Perraton, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, and Culture, p 345. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Wiley, S. B. C. (2004). Rethinking nationality in the context of globalization. Communication Theory, 14, 78-96.

Posted at 05:29PM May 24, 2007 by BIGELOW, CHRISTOPHER in General  |  Comments[2]

Welcome & Introductions

Welcome to COM 447, Communication & Globalization, an undergraduate course at NC State University being offered during the first summer session, 2007. The purpose of this blog is to provide students enrolled in