Today, media is an integral part of daily human life. Globalization is defined as the rapid development process of effective interconnections and associations among societies and cultures and various institutions (Held, 2000). Economies and societies are integrated into all ways through a worldwide means of communication and commerce. On the other hand, media refers to tools used to deliver information (Lule, 2017). Electronic media, specifically, is playing the main role in uniting people across the globe. Diverse online groups are increasing multifaceted acceptance among people, and this is an extreme source of globalization. Media has influenced the social as well as the cultural world that we are living in today. Media aspects such as the internet, radio, and television are considered pivotal in influencing globalization. According to Marshall Mcluhan, time has come to an end, and space has disappeared (Lule, 2017). People are living in a global village that is characterized by simultaneous occurrences. Marshall McLuhan developed the term global village to show mass generation and consumption of media across the globe. Countries across the world have come together in a single gigantic network of media. For example, popular news channels such as BBC and CNN can be watched by people throughout the world.
The media has played a major role in the creation of these simultaneous occurrences. The pervasive media environment has made it possible for individuals across the globe to share the same moment, regardless of the distance between them. As a result of linked electronic information, an interlinked global village has been created. Communication space has collapsed, and the existing time barriers diminished (Krewani, 2015. People are able to associate and live on a global platform. Globalization also influences the media. Global communication networks is helping individuals reach out to the rest of the world create diverse understandings and meanings about different things. Most cultures are visible in the daily lives of individuals because of media sources such as television and the internet and their increased use. The youth, for example, use approximately 6.5-8 hours every day on interaction with different media such as television and the internet.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Access to foreign media is no longer a preserve for the elite because with the increased use of the internet and other media sources such as the internet where there are online groups that comprise of people from different cultures across the world and television channels that present content from different parts around the globe, almost everyone is able to easily access foreign media (Rantanen, 2005). Pervasive media has allowed the exchange of knowledge on different areas of life, such as culture, and as a result, people are able to understand how people live in other countries. As a consequence of globalization, access to a wide range of media has grown. Therefore, both media and globalization associate with each other and offer mutual help in expanding their sphere of impact. Moreover, the global media is making it possible for people to take action on issues such as environmental protection or even send help to disaster victims from far away.
Influence of Media on Economics, Politics, and Culture and the Effects on the Global Village
Media has a major effect on cultural globalization in two interdependent ways. First, the media offers an extensive international transmission of culture-related products. Second, the media contributes to the creation of communicative means and social structures (Held, 2000). This has both and negative effects on the global village. On the positive side, the media has contributed to the development of different local cultures. Local cultures are brought into contact and are being aligned with the social reality of a global village. In addition, cultural reflexivity has grown at an individual level in the global village as a result of the role played by media in globalizing culture. However, there are concerns; the influence of media on cultures has raised concerns about the existence of local cultures. Conflicts between different cultures, cultural fragmentation, and cultural domination are some of the problems that may arise in the global village (Held, 2000). There are questions of equal representation, sharing with one another, an enriched diversity, and mutual understanding between cultures.
Global media cultures have created a cultural exchange that is characterized by loss of local cultural aspects such as identity, cultural norms, and nationality, among others. Foreign cultures have found their way into local cultures, and as a result, foreign cultural practices are continuously being incorporated into local cultures. Dominant cultures influence other cultures and this is causing a loss in many local cultures as hybrid cultures are being created in order to incorporate the dominant ones in local cultures (Held, 2000). Cultures are being restructured by the global media as new social groups in which members from diverse cultures interact with one another. This is a major threat to cultural traditions as well as autonomy. Dominant cultures are also likely to enter into conflict in the global village. As each dominant culture tries to dominate the global culture, conflicts may arise, and this is another main negative impact of globalizing culture. The impact in the global village is seen in different cultural aspects, among them cuisine, values, beliefs, and norms, among others. The shift in culture is attributed to the loss of cultural identity in individuals. When individuals incorporate foreign cultures in their local cultures, their identity as a cultural group begins to diminish.
The media plays a major role in political components such as interpretation of both political and economic relationships, linking politicians and the public, representation of the interests of diverse groups, initiation of public discourses, and influencing public opinion, among other aspects (Held, 2000). This has major political effects on the global village, both negative and positive. As a result of pervasive media use, there are both negative and positive political consequences in the global village. The power and liberty of countries, different groups, and civil societies have increased. A new political culture has been created, loss of sovereignty, and illegitimate control of countries and preponderant authority over other countries has weakened in the global village, among other consequences.
From a traditional perspective, politics are conducted with a national political framework. National governments are considered responsible for ensuring security as well as the economic well-being of citizens within their borders (Krewani, 2015). However, with changes associated with globalization and the development of a highly integrated economy, political activity is occurring on a global platform. In the global village, politics is increasingly happening above the state level through political integration systems such as the EU and intergovernmental agencies such as the IMF and World Bank, among others. Civil society agencies are creating alliances with other agencies in different countries by applying worldwide communication systems. One of the main negative effects of pervasive media on politics in the global village is giving up some state sovereignty. For example, the European Union began as a trade bloc but, over time, has developed significant political integration between member states. Although the EU is far from being considered a unified state, member states have given up some sovereignty while retaining most of it with individual member states. However, it is expected that as globalization intensifies, the member states could be required to give up a considerable amount of sovereignty towards having a unified political bloc. In most cases, international organizations such as the EU weaken national democracy while providing declining accountability at the larger policy-making platform.
Media has had a major impact on the economy in the global village. Increased interconnectedness as a result of media has led to more opportunities for business in both developing and developed nations. Access to foreign markets has increased, and information flow across the globe has promoted foreign investments. Consumer choices on products have increased thanks to the role played by the media making economic changes. As a result of globalization, consumers have access to lower prices, quality products, and a wide variety of products. However, economies in the developing world are likely to face increasing hardships for workers who have to compete with low-cost markets for opportunities. In addition, workers’ unions might not be able to defend workers against the threat presented by multinationals, which provide an alternative between a reduced pay and no job to a supplier in a labor market that is cheaper (Krewani, 2015). Numerous studies suggest that the effects of media on the economy in a global village may cause disparities and inequalities in income as well as an increase in child labor in third world countries.
Personal Opinion on McLuhan’s Global village versus Lule’s global village of Babel
In my opinion, I believe Lule’s global village of Babel best describes the current world that we are living in. The media has played a major role in turning the world into a global village. In the current world, the interaction between people for whatsoever reasons is no longer limited by space as well as time. Looking at the world today, globalization would not have been possible without media because it is only through communication systems that geographical boundaries have been overcome. As a result of increased interconnectedness and interaction, essential aspects of human life, such as culture, economy, and politics, have been affected in both negative and positive ways.
References
Held, D. (2000). A globalizing world?: Culture, economics, politics . Psychology Press.
Krewani, A. (2015). McLuhan’s global village today: Transatlantic perspectives . Routledge.
Lule, J. (2017). Globalization and media: Global village of Babel . Rowman & Littlefield.
Rantanen, T. (2005). The media and globalization . SAGE.
