Reader Response (edited version)

In "Globalisation of Culture through the Media", Kraidy (2002) discusses the controversies on the effects of mass media on globalisation of culture. One group of international communication theorist believe that cultural imperialism, a phenomenon whereby Westerners propagate their culture through media, has had massive effects on global culture. However, another perspective is that global culture can be affected by all parties with power to control the media. This perspective is called "hybridisation", whereby cultures and traditions from various countries interact and reconstruct. Kraidy also questions if the media is the cause for the rising homogeneity of culture or if it only acts as a catalyst to boost such globalisation. He is supportive of the idea that the existing culture hybridity is intensified by mass media.

I agree that parties with power will be able to control what media releases to the audience. In Paddy Ashdown’s talk on “The global power shift”, he mentions massive effects on the world by “globalisation of power”. This effect can be easily seen via an analysis of the K-pop market, using Girls Generation as an example. They are supported by a strong Korean record company (SM Entertainment) that operates internationally and is able to control the media easily. This allows the artists and their work to gain fame globally. With this, I agree with Kraidy’s view that the concept of cultural imperialism is no longer applicable to the world because the world’s culture is not only shaped Westerners but by Asians as well.

I also agree with Kraidy that transnational media intensify the culturale hybrids that already exist. It is undoubted that the concept of idolisation existed way before transnational media was established. However, only when transnational media started rising, did it bring about the sudden rise of the popular culture. In “Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture”, Ho (2012) mentions that it is the spread of Korea’s entertainment media to Japan that caused a surge in the Korean Wave, even to the extent that Japanese middle age house wives, who have the social perceived role of being “supporting wife” and “devoted mother”, leave their homes and spend a lot of money just to follow their Korean idol. It is because the Internet media propagates this popular culture so fast across the globe that it actually intensifies the effects of popular culture to people of other countries other than the place of its origin.

However, I do not agree with Kraidy’s view that there is no homogeneity in the culture. The reason being I feel that Kraidy has overgeneralised culture. According to ICACP report (2012), culture includes all the changes which man adds to nature, implying the existence of different categories of culture. Perhaps it might be impossible for countries to have a uniform culture, but I believe it is possible for many people in some countries to share certain cultural component. Just like how idolisation is not an effect that is seen only in Japan but a worldwide phenomenon, supporting my belief that homogeneity does exist if we look at specific type of culture.

References

ICSCP. 2012. Many Voices, One World: Towards a New More Just and More Efficient World of Information and Communication Order. London, New York and Paris: UNESCO.

Kraidy, M. (2002). Globalisation of Culture through the Media. University of Pennsylvania.

Patrick W. & Jason G. (2012). Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture. University of Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved from: masterofants.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/idols-book.pdf