Chapter 2: Modernization

1. Chapter 2: Modernization Dominant paradigm 1945-1970s

2. CULTURAL IMPERIALISM • Proposes that a dominant sociopolitical group influences and shapes the culture of weaker groups, or nations, through mass media and other practices and institutions. Frankfurt School • Theory emerged from the Neo-Marxist school of philosophy, fueled by the evolution of the US into a world superpower. Herbert Schiller leading scholar • Development benefited advancement in the understanding of cultural interaction and the importance of the media within the broad mix of foreign aid and commercial efforts.

3. Herbert Schiller • Schiller and a few others began publishing a series of articles, essays, and books outlining the foundation for a theory of cultural imperialism • It had three key ideas • First: in a free market the economically powerful will become more powerful while the poor get poorer • Second: further concentration of media ownership will influence and reduce the variety, plurality, and type of messages in the media • Third: media technology is a social tool, created and used for sociopolitical means and economic ends

4. IMPLEMENTATION NEEDS • To implement a new model of mass communication, media need to evolve in order to enable democratic communication • Participatory communication relies on the horizontally constructed exchange of information rather than the traditional, vertical dissemination of knowledge/rules/procedures from the top down • The recent proliferation of the World Wide Web, has allowed for greater horizontal communication

5. The Khomani Bushmen THEORY VS. REALITY • The bushmen in Africa are photographed, filmed, and interviewed by many people around the world • The bushmen consider performing for tourists, researchers, and photographers one of the few employment opportunities • To them information exchange is a commodity and they expect immediate payment • They do not have a say in what is done with the information they provide

6. PARTICIPATORY COMMUNICATION • Approach focuses on the effects of individuals on mass communication • With special emphasis placed on the development of the third world utilizing media • Emerged in the late 1970s and took over in the 1980s • It emerged as a counterbalance to theories such as cultural imperialism and modernization

7. ENTERTAINMENT-EDUCATION • Major movement to combine media and social change has emerged • Known as entertainment-education theory or in some cases labeled as “edutainment” • This applies a multi media or a single medium approach with educational objectives • The concept of using media to push for social changes • Diffusion of innovation scholar, Everett Rogers, also was instrumental in developing this approach

8. LATIN AMERICAN EXPERIMENTS • History of entertainment-education as a strategy using television is linked with the work of Miguel Sabido • Well known writer-producer-director of theater and television in Mexico • He helped more than any other to formulate the intellectual basis and successful models for the entertainment-education strategy for television • He sought to use television for educating the poorer people about how to lead better lives

9. SOUL CITY • The Southern Africa region has the highest HIV infection rates in the world • South Africa has found its own way to educate adults and teenagers on the danger of HIV/AIDS – a soap opera with its very own mission called “Soul City” is the first show of its kind on television and radio • The program is a vehicle for social education by the non-governmental organization: The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication • Reaches more than 16 million viewers and 70% of Africa’s youth watches the program • Also MTV, Population Media Center, and ClearVision

10. The International Institute for Communication and Development • (IICD) is a non-profit foundation based in the Netherlands that specializes in information and communications technology(ICT) as a tool for development • Focuses on the less well off people by assisting local partner organizations in nine developing countries to make effective use of ICT’s on their own • Currently it is active in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Ghana, Jamaica, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia • Enables people to improve their living standards and quality of life by using technology as a link to benefits gained via information and communication.

11. Chapter 2: Conclusions • Cultural Imperialism • Herbert Schiller • Participatory Communication • Implementation needs • Entertainment-Education theory • Latin American experiments • Soul City and other models • IICD