The post Global Implications of Media and Technology appeared first on Sociology Learners.
]]>However, it is worth observing that the Friedman was an economist, rather than a sociologist. His all work greatly focused on the risks and economic gains in this new and orderly entailing world. This article is going to discuss the technological globalization and media globalization more closely, to pay more attention to the sociological perspectives. Media globalization is all about integrating the world with different media with the help of cross cultural ideas and exchange of perceptions, whereas the technological globalization deals with the development of the cross cultures and technological exchange (Bagdikian, 2004).
It has been suggested by the Lyons, (2005), that the multinational corporations and organizations are major and primary vehicles of the media globalization. Moreover, these corporations and firms also control the global content of mass-media and its distributions. It has been a fact, that when looking and taking care of who is controlling the media outlets, which are some of the independent source or new source, or the conglomerated ones, which are newly developed. Around 1500 newspapers, 6000 magazines, 2600 publishers and equal value of the television stations along with 10,000 radio-outlets are offered by United States (Bagdikian, 2004).
On its surface, there is still the endless opportunity of finding the diverse and different media outlets. Still the numbers are quite misleading. The media consolidation considered to be in process, where the fewer owners only control the major number of media outlets. The ideological and cultural bias are not only about media globalization risks. Furthermore, the cultural imperialism and its associated risks along with some loss of the local culture, and other issues come with some advantages of more integrated world. There is a risk which is potential for the censoring by the national governments, which let-in only information, data and media which they feel, must be served their messages as the occurring of China. In addition to this, the core nations like United States, and United Kingdom risks the consumption of the international media through the criminals for circumvent the local laws and rules against the socially dangerous and deviant behaviors, like gambling, sex trade and child pornography. International or offshore websites, assist the countries and their citizens to seek the illicit and illegal information, they required from the 24 hours online sites, which do not need any age proof. Such examples clearly illustrate the risks of the society of unfettered flow of information (McLuhan and Marshall, 1964).
The technological globalization has been speeded up in the greater part of the world with the help of technological diffusion. The technological spread has been observed across the borders. In previous two decades, rapid development and improvement has been seen in the spread of the technology for semi-peripheral and peripheral nations, and both such benefits are considered as ongoing challenges and issues of such diffusion. Generally, there has been reports found, which discuss the economic growths and technological advancement or progress rates which were linked, and thus, the rise in the technological progress improves the conditions of several people lives who were living in the poverty. It has been recognized that the low-tech and rural products like corns could gain benefits from the new technological innovation and conversely, that technologies such as mobile banking could aid the rural existence which consist of the low-tech vending in market. Furthermore, the technological advancement in the areas like the mobile phones could lead the competition, concurrent improvements and lowered prices in related fields like information sharing and mobile banking (Bagdikian, 2004).
However, there are same patterns in the social inequality, which create the digital divide within the semi-peripheral and peripheral nations. While the technological growth and its usage among different countries has been risen dramatically over several decades. The technological spread and advancement in less-developed countries and developing countries are relatively slower, because far fewer individuals have skills and training for taking the advantages and benefits of the new technologies and access it alone. The technological access are tends to be more clustered around the urban areas, and also leaves the vast swaths. Whereas the information technology diffusion has much potential in resolving various social problems across the globe, it is more like the population in the affected areas through the digital divide. For instance, the technology used for purifying the water can save several lives, but still the villager do not have access of purifying the water or need for doing so, because of technological access and development, as they lack in funds for purchasing it, and the comfort level of technological for introducing it as the solution (McLuhan and Marshall, 1964).
It has been concluded that technological helps in driving the globalization, but still what it means is that it could hard for the decipher. Whereas, there are some economists, who see the technological advancement and improvements, which helps in leading towards more playing field and areas, where anywhere and anyone could be the global contender, and the reality is considered as the opportunity, which still clusters in the geographically the advantaged areas. Hence, the technological diffusion which has led the spread more technology across the borders in the semi-peripheral and peripheral nations. However, the true technological implication global equality is very long way-off.
Bagdikian, B., 2004. The new media monopoly (Rev. ed.). Boston, MA: Beacon.
Friedman, T.L., 2005. The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. Macmillan.
McLuhan, Marshall. 1964. Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. New York: McGraw-Hill.
The post Global Implications of Media and Technology appeared first on Sociology Learners.
]]>The post Media and Technology in Society appeared first on Sociology Learners.
]]>Technology and media evolved hand-in-hand, from the early print towards modern publications and posting, from radio to television and to film. It is obvious that new media has emerged constantly, like seen in the online world.
Early types of the print media, was found in an ancient Rome, and were copied on boards and carried the informed citizenry. With an invention of printing press, multiple ways which shared the ideas and changed the ways of informing other. It also store and produced the mass information. Along with widespread use and invention of television in 20th century, circulation of newspaper steadily dropped-off and in 21st century, the circulation was further dropped because more people are now turning towards internet and prefer online news and sites. They also use different other sources of media for staying informed. This all shifted from the newspaper as the information source, which has profound the effects on the societies. At the time, when news are given and provided for the large diverse and conglomerate of businesses and people, it should maintain different level of the broad based balance and reporting. With the decline of the newspaper, different other news sources have become fractured, so the audience could choose particularly what it really wants for hearing and avoiding (Holmes, 2005).
The radio programming preceded the television, but, it both played vital role in shaping the lives of people in more or less same way. In many situations, entertainment and information could easily be enjoyed at workplace, home or other places, with some form of community and immediacy, which newspaper was unable to provide. Even though, individuals were at houses, media allowed and provide assistance in sharing such real time moments. This is the same form of separate but the communal approach, which happened with the entertainment. Office employees, workers and school going children gathered and discuss the last night serial episode on radio show or television. Television has powerful and strong socializing effect, and with such types of visual media giving the reference groups, during social values, beliefs and norms (Lenhart, Duggan, Perrin, Stepler, Rainie, and Parker, 2015).
Film industry took a long period to evolve from 1930s, when sound and color were the first integrated among featured films. Such as television, the early films and dramas were unifying for the society. As more audience started to visit the theaters for new releases to be seen in initial days, they laughy, they cry and also scared together. Films started to act as the cultural touchstones and time capsules for the society. From the tough talking of Clint Eastwood for Facebook founder’s biopic, and also the dropout off Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg, films illustrates the dreams of the society, their fears, and share their experiences. While several Americans still consider Hollywood as the epicenter of the moviemaking, and Bollywood produces relatively more films annually, and reflect on their own traditions, cultures, norms and beliefs (Winston, 2002).
New Media usually encompass the interactive forms of different information exchange, which include networking sites, podcasts, blogs, virtual worlds, and wikis. Clearly, all list grows every day. The new media has the level to play in the field of the construction, i.e. publishing, creating, developing, planning, distribution, accessing, and assessing the information. New media also offers some alternative forums for the groups, which are unable to gain the access to the traditional and political platforms. However, the accuracy and reliability of the information does not have any guarantee. In fact, new Medias’ immediacy coupled with lacking in oversight of the means, which should be careful and ensure the news to be gained from the right and authentic source (Lenhart, Duggan, Perrin, Stepler, Rainie, and Parker, 2015).
Advertising and promotion has changed a lot, as the media and technology allowed the consumers for bypassing the traditional venues of advertising. From inventions of multiple remote controls that allows and help us in ignoring the television advertising, and commercials, without leaving the seats, and recording devices which helps in watching the programs by skipping advertisements, the traditional advertising and promotion approaches are on wane. The print media is also no ore different. The revenue of advertisements from newspapers and televisions fell significantly, which shows that companies should find new ways and strategies for communicating with consumers (Winston, 2002).
It has been concluded that technology and media are interwoven from beginning days of the human communication. The telegraphs, printing press, internet, radio and many others, are all examples of the intersection. The mass media has already allowed the shared experiences on social media platforms, but the new media creates the seemingly endless and huge amount of the airtime for every voice, which wants and needs to be heard. The advertising has changed the technology a lot. The new mass media allows customers to bypass the traditional venues of the advertising, which cause the companies and firms to be intrusive and innovative for gaining the attention.
Boyd, D., 2014. It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press.
Holmes, D., 2005. Communication theory: Media, technology and society. Sage.
Lenhart, A., Duggan, M., Perrin, A., Stepler, R., Rainie, H. and Parker, K., 2015. Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. Pew Research Center [Internet & American Life Project].
Winston, B., 2002. Media, technology and society: A history: From the telegraph to the Internet. Routledge.
The post Media and Technology in Society appeared first on Sociology Learners.
]]>