After, what has been a `very long, uneven and complicated process and is currently called globalisation′, world capitalism and the underlying system of sovereign states have become `the first historical system to include the entire globe within its geography′. The brands, images, and the cultural output of transnational companies of mainly North American origin are flooding almost every part of the world. What George Ritzer has called McDonaldization, `the rationalization of everyday interaction and individual identity′ - the principles of a fast food restaurant that `more and more sectors of society are adopting transforms national economies into one global, interdependent economy′. As a consequence, activities, which were previously carried out within a national or regulated international framework, will from now on be carried out globally, in accordance with the needs of the global marketplace, which is steadily growing. By 1980, it was estimated that there were over 10.000 transnational corporations of all national origins, and by the early 1990s more than three times as many.
In the media sector the vision or the nightmare of a global business would look like this: one single mega-corp, which delivers down its cable, to our homes, every intellectual morsel (it thinks) we need. The films, sit-coms and documentaries it has made; the news it makes; the information and e-mail services it controls; the chat-rooms it monitors and the celebrities it has made famous.
In the following this essay will examine how true this fantasy of total control is in reality by looking at two German conglomerates, KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG, which are currently expanding in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, the cultural effetcs of globalisation will be looked at in this context.
Table of Contents
1. Question: 3. With a case or case studies to illustrate your answer, critically examine the cultural effects of globalisation.
1.1 After, what has been a ‘very long, uneven and complicated process and is currently called globalisation’
1.2 In the media sector the vision or the nightmare of a global business would look like this
1.3 The two media giants, KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG, control 90 per cent of Germany’s commercial TV stations
1.4 In Germany, “Bertelskirch” how the German press likes to call the two conglomerates, have divided the TV market among each other in a cosy duopoly
1.5 On the one side is Bertelsmann with major investments in book, magazine, records, and music publishing, broadcasting, on-line services, and other allied entertainment and information products
1.6 On the other side is the KirchGruppe, which is Germany’s biggest TV-family
1.7 Other players worth mentioning on the TV market are only the public broadcasters ZDF, ARD, its local channels, and the culture channels Phoenix and Arte
1.8 This treatment of the legislation stands in support of Andrew Marr’s opinion
1.9 Two big blocs are facing each other in Europe and between these two TV-conglomerates around Kirch and Bertelsmann is only little space left for medium-sized and small television providers and production companies
1.10 In addition, the media exerts power and control on formation of opinion in terms of specific market forces
1.11 He maintains that with the current system of polyarchy the gap between poor and rich is widening within each country
1.12 Another noteworthy aspect of globalisation is the homogenization impact it has on cultural diversity
1.13 The KirchGruppe has developed a decoder to receive the digital television signal, which is called d-box
1.14 The transition from the analogue to the digital technique will give him even more power
1.15 It gets clear that the change from analogue to digital is not only about radio and TV
1.16 The movie and television industry builds upon the concept of ‘predictability’, which is one of the five dominant themes George Ritzer outlines within McDonaldization
1.17 Global cultural distribution networks like Bertelsmann and KirchGruppe spread their cultural products by means of vertical and horizontal integrated enterprises
Objectives and Core Themes
This essay critically examines the cultural impacts of globalisation by analyzing the market dominance of two major German media conglomerates: KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG. The work explores the tension between global economic trends and local cultural autonomy, investigating how media concentration influences public opinion and cultural diversity.
- Analysis of media concentration and the formation of a duopoly in the German television market.
- Critique of the "McDonaldization" of media and its effect on cultural predictability and diversity.
- Examination of the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting as a mechanism for increased corporate control.
- Investigation of the relationship between global corporations, national policy, and the threat to democratic discourse.
- Evaluation of the broader socio-political implications of transnational capital on cultural homogeneity.
Excerpt from the Book
The Convergence of Global Media and Market Control
‘The convergence of Internet, TV, and print creates a global market in which the big conglomerates are ruling. This has been demonstrated by the last mega-mergers of AOL with Time Warner and Vivendi with Universal. Anti-trust commissions can cut the resulting media power only on the fringe (Pitzer, 2000). The global conglomerates are almost independent from national laws and nation states loose their power to formulate cultural policy. The effect of this on culture is that the free market will be regulator of cultural products (more than ever before). The culture we will get and already have today therefore emerges through a very contested terrain. By looking at the TV programmes around the world one can find examples of such contested, McDonaldized culture. Almost everywhere one can watch Big Brother (Norway, Poland, Germany, Denmark, USA, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Portugal), Who wants to be a millionaire? (runs in 23 countries and already 77 countries in total have bought the licence), Emergency Room, Ally McBeal, talk shows à la Jerry Springer and so on…
Summary of Chapters
1. Question: 3. With a case or case studies to illustrate your answer, critically examine the cultural effects of globalisation.: The introduction contextualizes the theoretical framework of globalisation and McDonaldization, establishing the investigation into German media conglomerates as a case study for global cultural trends.
Keywords
Globalisation, McDonaldization, Media Concentration, KirchGruppe, Bertelsmann AG, Cultural Homogenisation, Transnational Corporations, Digital Television, Monopoly, Market Power, Cultural Diversity, Polyarchy, Public Opinion, Media Regulation, Infomercial.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this work?
The essay explores the cultural consequences of globalisation, specifically focusing on how massive media conglomerates influence societies through economic concentration and the rationalization of media output.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include the rise of global media monopolies, the erosion of cultural diversity, the impact of digital technology on market control, and the "McDonaldization" of everyday life and media products.
What is the primary research goal of this essay?
The objective is to critically examine the extent to which the fantasy of total global control by media mega-corporations reflects reality, using two German conglomerates as a case study.
Which scientific methodologies are employed?
The work utilizes a qualitative case study approach, synthesizing secondary research, media reports, and sociological theories of globalisation and communication studies.
What is the focus of the main body of the text?
The main body examines the duopoly of KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG, their influence on television distribution, the shift from analogue to digital broadcasting, and the resulting threats to democratic discourse and cultural variety.
Which keywords define this academic work?
The work is defined by concepts such as globalisation, media concentration, McDonaldization, transnational capital, and cultural homogenization.
How do KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG illustrate the effects of globalisation?
They exemplify the "cosy duopoly" where two entities dominate a national market, leveraging vertical and horizontal integration to control content, production, and distribution on a scale that circumvents national cultural policy.
What role does the digital d-box play in the context of the author's argument?
The d-box is presented as a crucial technological barrier that allows the KirchGruppe to standardize access, potentially dictating prices and market conditions, thus further concentrating their control during the transition to digital media.
- Citation du texte
- Florian Mayer (Auteur), 2001, Examination of the cultural effects of globalisation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/9034
