The Global Village: International and Comparative Media Systems

1. The Global Village: International and Comparative Media Systems

2. International Media Systems • Global Print Media – Newspapers • General or financial • The International Herald Tribune • USA Today International • WorldPaper • The Financial Times of London • The Economist • The Wall Street Journal

3. International Media Systems • Global Print Media – Wire Services • International flow of news dominated by global wire services • Reuters • Associated Press • Agence France Presse • ITAR-TASS • New York Times Syndicate • Los Angeles Times Syndicate

4. International Media Systems • Global Print Media – Magazines • Reader’s Digest – 49 editions in 200 countries • Time (International)– 190 countries • Newsweek (International)– ½ M readers • Cosmopolitan – 41 countries • Popular Mechanics (Spanish version) – Latin America • Business Week

5. International Media Systems • Global Broadcasting • Shortwave or partnerships with local FM • 150 countries broadcast internationally • BBC World Service • Voice of America • Radio China International • Deutsche Welle (“German Wave”) • Radio France International • Growing rapidly: global news, sports, and music channels (CNNi, CNBC, BBC World, MTV, ESPNi)

6. International Media Systems • Film and TV • Internationally, USA dominates • Box office (½ revenue of average film) • Videocassette and DVD ($20B+ in 2004) • TV programs (non-prime-time) • TV program format licenses (Jeopardy, Temptation Island) • Cross-border spillover

7. World Media Online • Web radio stations • Newspapers and magazines • New York Times Le Monde • Die Welt London Times • Asahi ShimbunSydney Morning Herald • Asia Week Beat • Tokyo JournalArt Bin • Email and newsgroups enable informal exchange of news and culture • WWW access not globally accessible

8. Comparative Media Systems • Authoritarian Theory • 16th Century England • Parallel with development of printing press • The ruling elite guides the low-intelligence masses • Public dissent and criticism are a threat • Compliance of the press through • Licensing Censorship Exclusive printing rights • Punishment of government critics

9. Comparative Media Systems • Libertarian Theory • Diametrically opposed to authoritarian beliefs • Matched freewheeling, rugged early America • Assumes people are intelligent creatures • Government exists to serve the individual • Citizens need to hear all sides of an issue • Government serves best when it serves least • The press should be free from control • Four theories of the Press (1956)

10. Comparative Media Systems • Social Responsibility Theory • Press has right to criticize government • Press also has responsibility to preserve democracy • Properly informing the public • Responding to society’s needs and interests • Press not free to do as it pleases • Government may regulate press in the public interest (example: FCC and broadcasting) • Many Western nations use this approach

11. Comparative Media Systems • The Communist Theory • Media are owned by the people (represented by the state) • The purpose of the media is to support the Marxist system and achieve the goals of the state • Works best in a tightly controlled society • Example: use of spillover by BBC, VOA, CNN, and others into Communist countries

12. Comparative Media Systems • The Developmental Theory • Government can mobilize the media to serve national goals in economic and social development • Goals include: • Information must be managed by the government • Primarily used in non-democratic developing countries • Losing ground to the social responsibility approach eradication of disease economic self-sufficiency political integration raising literacy levels

13. Comparative Media Systems Figure 17-1 Theories of Media-Government Relationships

14. Comparative Media Systems Figure 17-2 Typology of Media Ownership and Control

15. Comparative Media Systems • Role of the media in various countries • Developmental – develop and build; support government; provide technical information • Communist – propaganda, persuasion, and education • Social responsibility – inform, entertain, government watchdog and adversary, consumer support, free marketplace of ideas • Economic Differences

16. Comparative Media Systems • Economic Differences • USA – advertising, little government support • Western Europe • Some indirect subsidies • Scandinavia – direct support of newspapers by political parties • U.K. – BBC is state-charted, independents sell advertising • Communist – direct support by government, plus advertising • Less-developed countries – developmental journalism

17. Examples of Other Systems • Japan • Social responsibility model • 127M people; literacy nearly 100% • 120 newspapers with 69M total circulation • Yomiuri Shimbun Asahi Shimbun • Several news and business magazines • Nippon Hoso Kyokai patterned after BBC; yearly license fee imposed on all TV sets • 5 commercial channels and 2 cable • Pioneers in DBS and HDTV • Media-rich overall

18. Examples of Other Systems • Mexico • Developmental model • 106M people; literacy rate 90% • 300 daily papers with 10M total circulation • Excelsior (Mexico City) • 200 magazines, best-known is Vanidades (Televisia) • Government has controlled media through • Supply of newsprint Broadcasting permits • Bribing journalists • Radio and TV based on U.S. system • Produces telenovelas for Latin America • Significant media content flow to USA

19. Examples of Other Systems • China • Communist model • 2000 newspapers with 200M circulation • Several national newspapers • People’s Daily Xinmin Evening News China Daily • 100 financial newspapers; 10,000 magazines • Rural population relies on radio • 650 radio stations reach 95% of population • TV penetration at 90% • Limits on imports, foreign news, satellite dishes • Internet penetration 7%