Cultural imperialism and cultural diplomacy, Детальна інформація

Eric Berne explained this case by one of the quality of the human psychic: when something is imposed to a person our mind makes us to love it. In any case for a some time. The other reaction when this influence is finishing. In the time of “the cold war” many Western radio programs can be heard in the USSR, such as “The Voice of America”, “Radio Liberty”. After the disintegration of the USSR  very tendentious “The Voice of America”    became non-interesting and lost its audience.

By the way it did not enlarge the sympathy to the USA. It may be too simple illustration.

For example can be  used a powerful agitation  USSR’s influence upon the former members of East system and what it resulted in afterwards. All examples have one common feature: an action always turns by opposite action. Even an action of political pressure such as Soviet tanks in Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan and Chechen, American B 52 over Vietnam and rackets Patriot over Baghdad. Regardless of that how many years or days mankind has come without wars, the methods of rude influence will be continued in future The question of effectiveness  of these measures is opened.

In the time of running of Napoleon the newspapers of France started to describe this event beginning from the titles such as “ the Blood-thirsty Tyrant Got away from a Cage” and this events were finished in articles as “The Emperor is taking  his throne”. This particularity  of journalism has been available till present time. 

However despite that which  methods have been applied:  mild or heavy, cultural politics must be understood by them for whom it has been carried on. Therefore it’s hardly to say about cultural imperialism, for example, provided by CNN in respect of Russia or China, or Japan. There an English speech can not been understood. In general, a large ethnic groups in respect of their language are very conservative, feeling itself in its consciousness as a part of a huge language group. In this connection one American  saying is very interesting: a person who speaks one language is a citizen, a person streaking two languages is an immigrant, three languages is a vagrant. When it’s known before that the words won’t be understood a statement can be impressed by gestures (Khrushchov’s shoe in the session of UN) or by understandable images (Iraq tanks in Kuwait).

If  the military conflicts would be left , since  state and commence electronic mass media must lead  determined  policy, because on the contrary (TV is a “heavily selected interpretation of events” (R. Hoggart “Bad news”. London, 1976, p.x.)), and cultural imperialism is becoming more and more active. In case of considering a journalism as an important transmitter of state propaganda or ideology, in the most powerful and developed countries the chain: government - journalist - audience won’t be full because of principle of pluralism, equality of political factors and institutions. Besides that since the competition fights for audience the modern mass media  lost their opportunity for strategic planning. For instance even the USA has worked at the image of its country shown the interrogation of the USA President. For the politics of the USA this fact is not positive. But the modern regulation of mass media played here their part.  Perhaps, the commerce protects people from any kinds of imperialism. “International bodies and international competitive pressures are having an impact on the development of national structures of Broadcasting” (Negrine. Op.cit. p. 210).

Conclusion

As a summary of this work several general moments can be mentioned. At present time an opportunity of the manipulation with  human consciousness, is especially real as never before since a spectator (listener) receives  a huge amount of information which can not grasp it.

From the other side an opportunity of influence became weaker because of the increasing opportunity for comparison, the information became more assessable and the one of the particular feature of foreign policy became taking part of almost all countries of the world. Therefore a chance of the influence upon the more non-developed countries using the powerful methods of the cultural imperialism are minimized.

The opportunity of defend of oneself from the power influence has increased proportionally to  increasing of the influence of the world community where all countries take essential part.

In this work the statements interpreting the conjunction between  journalism and propaganda (weapon of any foreign and inside influence). However at present time journalists are being more  interested in sensations, show and dynamics of programs. Therefore means of mass media which without doubt multi - level structures can exist for means received from  advertise sale: thus they are less interested in social orders. In this situation commerce can  protect  an audience from ideological  influence. Though “ for some observers the globalization of journalism carries with it the threat of cultural imperialism - the dissemination across the planet of a journalism dominated largely by North American (read CNN) values, agendas, and ideological assumptions”. (Brian McNair “News and Journalism in the UK”. London, 1994, p. 188.

Cultural diplomacy in contradistinction to pressure influence of cultural imperialism, probably must influence upon elite classes negatively. Since the educated people grasp rude propaganda methods at once and in many cases able to separate information from ideology and infotainment as well. Thus rude methods of industry will not work here.

For easier understanding it can be supposed that well done programm on Discovery Canal about, for example, American Air Forces of the World War II had more influence effect than the a direct translation of CNN about  bombardment of Baghdad.

In conclusion it ‘s desirable to impress  a hope that  the rude methods has been finished at least in respect of actual participants of the world community.

References

A.J. Lee (1976) “The Origins of Popular Press. 1855 - 1914”, London, p. 121

R. Negrine (1994) “Politics and the Mass Media in Britain”, London,  p. 47 - 48

R. Hoggart “Bad News”, (1976), London, p.x.

Brian McNair (1994) “News and Journalism in the UK”, London, p. 188

A. Briggs, (1979) “Governing the BBC”, London, p. 211

R. Friedman (1992) “American Law”, Moscow