Media imperialism

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On the one hand, media imperialism is a political catchphrase and criticizes an excessive influence of the western (especially the US-American) media worldwide. In more recent times the catchphrase has also been used to criticize globalization in relation to the worldwide mass media . Media imperialism is also used as part of the cultural imperialism hypothesis .

1960s to 1989

With the beginning of decolonization , the catchphrase of media imperialism came up. A new type of imperialism appears in this way; many nations are at a disadvantage compared to the media products of some of the most powerful countries or companies, criticizing the dictatorships of the Third World and the Eastern Bloc . As a countermeasure, a “new” world information system was called for, ie the strengthening of local media compared to that of the former colonial powers . In fact, this demand concealed the desire for censorship .

globalization

With the collapse of the Eastern bloc, the discussion of a new world information order that should end media imperialism broke off. With the beginning of the globalization criticism , the catchphrase was taken up again and discussed with new emphases by the opponents of globalization.

These hypothesized that multinational media conglomerates would grow rapidly and become more powerful and that small local media outlets would become increasingly difficult to survive. Major authors in this field include Noam Chomsky , Ben Bagdikian , Edward S. Herman, and Robert W. McChesney .

US corporate media reporting would therefore restrict press freedom. The loss of (journalistic) integrity is a serious danger among large corporate media giants. Combined with the control of the flow of information, this fact reduces the fairness and accuracy of messages. American news channels such as CNN often also have large international workforces, some of which produce country-specific regional programs.

Press concentration

According to these hypotheses, media imperialism is not always just an international phenomenon. If a single corporation controls all media in a country, there is also a national form of media imperialism. Countries like Italy and Canada are often accused of having an imperial media structure based on the fact that a large part of their media outlets is controlled by a corporation or by an owner ( Silvio Berlusconi ). Another catchphrase for this press concentration is media dictatorship .

A media source that ignores and / or censors important issues is seriously damaging the freedom of information . Many modern tabloid media as well as other mainstream media are criticized in this context for their lack of compliance with general standards of journalistic integrity.

See also

Web links

  • Orwell Rolls in his Grave - Documentary film on the subject of media imperialism, in which many academics have their say, who represent what they consider to be the dubious nature of reporting in the mass media.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rosemary Righter: Invented Truth: The Third World Information Policy , 1981, ISBN 9783776611359