7. Global Media Bazaar - The Global & Local in Media Cultures

Throughout this chapter entitled Global Media Bazaar- The Global & Local Media Cultures, Thussu discusses the idea of the control of some countries (mostly Western) over other countries (mostly Eastern) concerning media industry on numerous levels and through different ways.

First, we have to know that the control does not only concern a specific area. In fact, this monopoly is polyvalent and aims to influence different fields such as the entertainment which includes TV shows, films and other content meant to provide the society with enjoyment. Adding to that, the control also tackles informational media content such as the news. Since there are numerous foreign news agencies that are adapted to different cultures from the countries they target, the news are highly influenced by a minority and not too many decide what to include in the content hence, a very narrow perspective on the global news and the minds are implicitly shaped and guided to the same direction. Moreover, the economic side is also influenced by those same minorities that seek to gain power over distance thanks to media content spread over the area. The advertising model adopted in Eastern countries, for instance, are almost all inspired from Western countries that makes “us” think they’re following the most suitable and right model to achieve the economic development and improve the country’s situation.

Second, This influence is a win-lose relationship because, it’s clear that the control is being more and more considerable hence, the difficulty to step backward and create an different identity or methods to inverse the direction of the influence. Indeed, the ways Western countries are using to practice their control are numerous and not limited. Technological as well as institutional methods are explored with a main and very straightforward aim which is spreading influence and unifying the ideologies in many countries. The more they follow, the more they’re trapped inn their strategy and perceive the world from their specific angle.

We might have the illusion that these adopted tactics and techniques are very beneficial for unifying the world and making it more globally woven, however, it also carries a lot of hidden meanings such as having power and controlling the societies over the distance with their local tools and their investment sometimes. It’s a persuaded image that the consumers (Eastern World) have developed through time in order to convince their communities that the foreign media content and view is more accurate and more internationally involved.