Global Media Cultures

Media

— Are the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data

— Various means of communication

Pre industrial age

— Enhanced processing of language

— Oral tradition as the basic ancestor of information and communication flow

— Communication through writing symbols and drawing crude pictures

— Symbolic impressions in clay and stone tablets

• e.g. clay of hamurabi

— With discovery of papyrus by ancient egyptians and other forms of writing tools led to advent of paper

Industrial age

— Inventions with electricity related experimentation

— Active role of technology in communication and dissemination of information

— Existence of printing mass

— Newspaper to access news and information

— Image recording and invention of photography

Electronic age

— Began when electronic equipment, including computers came into use

— Realization of the importance and relevance of information as a commodity

— Development of fax machine and cellphones faster way of transmitting messages

— Cable and satellite technologies

— Development of broadcast industry; expansion of radio and television

— Portable gadgets like Walkman and discman revolutionized the access to mass media

Digital age

— Refers to our current age; information is seen as commodity

— Evolution of personal computer

— Emergence of digital photography with digital single lens reflex camera known as DSLR

Cultural imperialism theory

— Argued that audiences across the globe are heavily affected by media messages emanating from the western Industrialized countries