globalisation

Question 1

what is globalisation

Answer 1

Globalisation - process of world becoming more interconnected, leading to a merging of cultures and national boundaries.
- has led to time-space compression
- concept is typically associated with Postmodernism - hugely accelerated since the 1970s, which is arguably when Postmodern Society began.
- Globalisation creates a mass culture - so lots of the perspectives focus on the impact of a globalised mass culture in the media.

Question 2

economic globalisation

Answer 2

Financial transactions are now global, and economic structures in one country can have global repercussions e.g. the 2008 recession.
• Production of goods is now carried out globally, and consumption creates a homogeneous global culture.
• The world consumes global products created by global companies e.g. Disney, McDonalds, Coca-Cola.

Question 3

political globalisation

Answer 3

Countries are linked to multi-national organisations such as the UN, EU, NATO, OECD and IMF.
• Global events attract huge interest around the world, and the speed of communications means we are more aware of global politics.

Question 4

cultural globalisation

Answer 4

Culture increasingly spreads out over national borders. This means Western culture often dominates.
Skrair - this is leading to a global consumerist culture.

• People in ‘traditional’ societies are now exposed to modern technologies eg mobile phones and modern ideas such as democracy and equality.
• Often cultural globalisation is a one-way process.
• Beck argues that we increasingly live in a global world defined by risk. Issues that affect one nation will often affect many others.
Giddens refers to this as living in a runaway world.

Question 5

globalisation and media ownership

Answer 5

•Shared ownership (integration) allows for transnational media companies to cross-promote (synergy) - products between their various media institutions - promoted and sold globally.
Eg. Batman
- internet is dominated by large corporations such as Microsoft, Google (Alphabet) in terms of access and software whilst content is dominated by the traditional media companies
- Satellite and internet developments allow transnational media corporations to broadcast globally throughout their vanous products.
- Advertising is increasingly global e.g. Coca-Cola, Nike and McDonalds.
- New forms of technology eg smart phone applications (technological convergence) have increased the commodification of media and allow greater profits to be made by the owners of media.