A WORLD OF IDEAS
LESSON 5
GLOBAL MEDIA CULTURES
• Media is the “main means of
mass communication
(broadcasting, publishing, and
the Internet) regarded
collectively.”
> It is a cultural product.
Transferring such product will
likely influence the recipient’s
culture.
• Relationship of media and technology:
-Technology allows for quick
communication, fast and coordinated
transports, and efficient mass
marketing, all of which have
allowed globalization—especially
globalized media—to take hold.
–It in technology has propelled
media to greater heights
Media globalization – the worldwide
integration of media through the cross-
cultural exchange of ideas
• Media and Culture:
-Media, which delivers ideas, information, values, etc. across borders, affects one’s
culture. Much globalized media content comes from the West particularly from
the United States. Some believe that this will “contribute toa one-way transmission of
ideas and values that result in the displacement of indigenous cultures.”
Examples: Filipinos subscribing to Netflix and Viu tend to emulate or adopt the
ideas, practices and values show in these media platform.
Most people who are exposed to Western media content tend to be more accepting
of liberal ideas which originated in the West (e.g. gender equality, divorce, same-
sex relationships, etc.).
-In a way, the globalization of media leads to homogenization or
heterogenization of cultures.
Example: Just like how we use products and technology from other countries in our
everyday lives, we are able to adopt and personalize the culture that comes with media.
• Media and Economy
-Just as media influence culture, media also influences the
economic.
Examples: Driven by advertising, U.S. culture
and media have a strong consumerist bent (meaning
that the ever-increasing consumption of goods is encouraged
as an economic virtue), thereby possibly causing foreign
cultures to increasingly develop consumerist ideals.
Therefore, the globalization of media could not only
provide content to a foreign country but may also
create demand for U.S. products.
Dynamics of Local and
Global Culture
• Global flows of
culture tend to move
more easily around
the globe than ever
before especially
through non-material
digital forms.
3 perspectives on global cultural flows
1. Cultural differentialism
Emphasizes that cultures are
essentially different and are only
superficially affected by global flows.
“Catastrophic collision” may potentially
occur when different cultures interact.
Example: After Cold War,
increasing interaction among different
“civilizations” (e.g. Sinic, Islamic, Orthodox &
Western) would lead to intense clashes,
especially the economic conflict
between Western and Sinic civilizations.
2. Cultural hybridization
Emphasizes the integration of local and global cultures.
Globalization is considered to be a creative process which
creates hybrid entities that are not either global or local.
Ex: glocalization
3. Cultural convergence
Emphasizes homogeneity. Cultures are deemed to be greatly
altered by strong flows.
Ex: cultural imperialism – this happens when one culture
imposes itself on and tends to destroy at least parts of another
culture.
The globalization of religion
Today most religions are not relegated to the countries they
began. Religions have, in fact, spread and scattered on
a global scale. Globalization provided religions a fertile
milieu to spread and thrive. Scholte (2005) said:
“Accelerated globalization of recent times has
enabled co-religionists across the planet to have greater direct
contact with one another. Global communications, global
organizations, global finance, and the like have allowed ideas of
the Muslim and the universal Christian church to begiven
concrete shape as never before.”
Information technologies, transportation means and the media are
deemed important means on which religionists rely on the dissemination
of their religious ideas.
-Countless websites that provide information about religions have been
created. This makes pieces of information and explanations
about different religions ready at the disposal of any person regardless of
his or her geographical location.
-The Internet allows people to contact each other worldwide and
therefore hold forums and debates that allow religious ideas to spread.
-Media also play an important role in the dissemination of religious ideas. A
lot of TV channels, radio stations and print media are founded solely for
advocating religions.
-Modern transportation contributed considerably to the emergence
revivalism and fortification of religion. Ex: improvement in transportation
has allowed many Muslims to travel to Mecca and return with reformist
ideas.
-Therefore, modern technology has helped religions of different forms to
• Globalization has allowed religion or faith to gain considerable
significance and importance as a non-territorial touchstone of
identity. Being a source of identity and pride, religion has
always been promoted by its practitioners so that it could reach
the level of globality and be embraced by as many people as
possible.
• By paving the way for religions to come in contact w/ each
other, globalization has brought such religions to a circle of
competition and conflicts. Globalization transforms the
generic “religion” into a world-system of competing
and conflicting religions. Globalization has paradoxical effect of
making religions more self-conscious of themselves as being
“world religions”.
