Globalization and media imperialism

Globalization is a widely discussed and debated phenomenon. It is a rebranded form of colonialism or imperialism. It represents the dominance and power over humanity's accumulated resources, as well as a vast market for goods and services…

To interpret it from the perspective of communication literature, it is the 'Disneyfication' of daily life.

In fact, terms such as 'Disneyfication', 'Cocacolonization', and 'McDonaldization' are also used to explain the globalization of American culture.

The concepts of 'Disneyfication' or 'Disneyisation' have been used to describe the phenomenon that emerged following Walt Disney's theme parks, intended to "define the position of parks within consumer culture, explain changes in the cultural economy, describe the new understanding of space brought about by consumer culture, and denote this type of construction seen in many parts of the world."

As the name suggests, 'McDonaldization' is a concept that emphasizes eating habits. It describes a community sustaining its life according to the requirements of fast-food style eating and drinking. Quick consumption is essential; it is fast, serial, and a benchmark… It is significant in terms of responding to immediate needs.

The principles of the economic structure of this type of nutrition are clear: profitability (efficiency), calculability, control, and uniformity.

As its name implies, 'Cocacolonization' refers to the situation where the masses accept American culture and habits through cultural globalization. This concept first emerged in France in 1949. During the Cold War, it became a symbol of the identification of American culture with Coca-Cola.

The goal was to market American dreams to humanity through cola as a counter to the threat of 'socialism'.

In this process, the media has exerted an unprecedented influence in the form of creating, deriving, and penetrating culture on a global scale.

With the liberalization of media markets, the proliferation of new media applications has also led to a 'concentration' in media ownership.

It is under these conditions that debates on 'media imperialism' began. Since the 1970s, the dominance of developed/capitalist countries over the media has faced backlash from developing countries.

Regardless of whether it is called 'globalization' or the 'New World Order', mass communication tools (radio, television, news agencies, newspapers, magazines, cinema, etc.) have formed the dimension of political, social, economic, educational, and cultural-artistic exchange across the entire world.

In this international communication system, international information flow channels are distributed across the globe. This situation, referred to as 'imbalanced communication', occurs based on the reality that there is an information and news flow from developed countries to underdeveloped countries in technical and technological forms.

At this point, 'globalization' carries dominant cultures and tastes to a global stage and spreads them.

In this emerging picture, there is a one-sided operation. By one-sided, it is meant the flow from capitalist countries toward underdeveloped countries. A one-sided flow of information and news creates dominant positions and makes them even stronger over time.

This picture also paves the way for a monotonous perception of the world, contrary to diverse cultures and productions…