by Avik Dutta
Media Conglomeration in today's world has already encroached nationalist domains to take-over the global cultural and political space. It is not about a gradual development of simple media ownership transformation, but an imperialist accumulation toward unipolarity of global media. Noted Journalist Avik Dutta rediscovers the development of global media.
Introduction
The public medium of information and communication* have undergone a sea-change in recent years. The main feature of this change, which seems to be unstoppable, is that in the past, technology was dependent on a huge amount of capital, whereas now it is much cheaper and more easily available.
Secondly, even as we are excited by the new media technology and regard it is as omnipotent, it is worth remembering at the same time that the media is still inaccessible to the great majority of the world population. But the scenario is fast changing, with the underdeveloped countries trying hard to keep pace with the developed world.
The third important factor is the mixing and mingling of technologies; one single gadget is now able to offer a dozen facilities. News has become entertainment, and entertainment has taken on the aspect of news: in short, infotainment. This convergence between content and technology is now used as an instrument – or rather, a weapon – to boost the further development of the media. The increasing demand for satellite technology and information network; the craving for news spiced up with entertainment; the united assault of the radio, TV, computer network and the good old press or newspapers on the public mind – they have all conspired to present the media in a totally new garb.
The last point to note by way of introduction is that 90% of this union between technology and content is under private control, not only in the USA but also in India. Now that we are approaching the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the question that comes up uppermost in our mind is what kind of media is awaiting India in particular and the world in general.
Media and One World Market
Capitalism and globalization are co-eval. From its very birth in western Europe towards the end of the 15th century capitalism sought to develop a world market through its imperialist and colonialist henchmen in Asia and Africa. However, a single world market remained a dream, for by the beginning of the 19th century the world had come to be divided into two distinct parts: on the one hand, there were the militarily powerful and industrialized states and on the other the undeveloped and economically weak nations, some of them independent only in name. An additional factor, – namely, the international rivalry between the industrialized states and the empire – builders acting on their behalf – stood in the way of building a unified world market. Thirdly, in the mid-20th – century years of decolonization the USA emerged as a world power, seeking to economically take on the role of the old-style imperialists and lord it over the world. Simultaneously, during the post-colonial age the newly independent countries, too, were engaged in a struggle to rebuild themselves industrially. In this endeavour, many of them received the support of the Soviet Union, much to the chagrin of the USA. The cold war between the American and Soviet camps thus turned out to be a stumbling block in the path that could have led to the formation of a single world market.
The political disintegration of the Soviet Union has removed a serious obstacle in the path of American capitalism. It has come to dominate a unipolar world almost unopposed since the last decade of the 20th century. The political hegemony of the US has furthermore been bolstered by the development of electronic technology which seems to obliterate political boundaries. The new-born Multinational Companies (MNCs) have no respect for national identities; they are international. The owner of an MNC could be an American holding a German passport or a German carrying an American passport! Today’s media has likewise assumed the variegated character of modern multinational economy, being dependent on news and entertainment rolled into one: infotainment. No longer known by any distinct local or national birthmark, today’s media is a universal enterprise or a global industry.
The world has reportedly become a global village. But to what extent has the global media industry been able to spread its net among the people? How large is the audience composing today’s information society? Which part of society is reflected in this universal media enterprise? How extensive is the information society which is so hyped about? Would it not be correct to say that it is but the people of the more developed nations who really enjoy being part of the information flow? In other words, is the new infotainment really aimed at catering to the needs of the underprivileged many, regardless of their age and gender?
For the entire write up follow the link : http://www.thescape.in/newsdetail.asp?newsid=827
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