Blockbusters and Cultural Imperialism

After reading the below article, please answer the questions that follow.

Why blockbusters are taking over the arts The Boston Globe October 13, 2013

Please answer the following:

How does Elberse’s theory on blockbuster media reflect the idea of cultural imperialism?
What implications do trends in the way media companies promote and distribute products have for global media?

Reply to below post:

#1: It is interesting that this course finishes up with how globalization impacts the entertainment industry and media and how they all impact intercultural communication.

Here are my thoughts on Elberse’s theory of blockbusters and how it reflects the idea of cultural imperialism. With the way in which the internet and online economy have globalized the entertainment industry, it “wildly expands our choices…” as she put it. So, I think in relation to the concept of imperialism, if it is the customer or viewers who made the choice to either go with other entertainment brands or the blockbusters, I would not describe that as cultural imperialism unless it is either forced upon the consumers, or there is no other choice.

The way media companies are promoting and distributing their products, I can see and experience that some cultures, especially in poor nations, are shifting and slowly adapting the western culture. Aided by Globalization, global media and its products are transforming or replacing aspects of the poorer country’s cultures. In the South Pacific, most of the countries down there were very tight in their cultural view about entertainment practices. Today, with all the TikTok trends going around in social media, those values that were once strictly held by the community, are all gone. Global media, due to the products they put out, causes a lot of young people, especially, to change the way they behave and act in their communities. But at the end of the day, I will not say that Global media has forced these impacts on people, it just allows people more choices, and people choose to go with what trend they see they can fit it.

Going back to the big picture, how is intercultural communication affected by all of these media products? I think the media has portrayed or at least made us believe that with a certain group of people or cultures, you can talk to them only in a certain way. Because of what we see in that media, we carry on that belief or stereotype towards that group of people. That’s not always been the case. For example, When I first moved to the US, I thought that all my African American friends in college are Hip-Hop fans. Tends out that is not true. So, I believe that with the way the media portrays a lot of things nowadays, we have to be open-minded and willing to learn and not define a certain group of people, race, or culture based only on what or how the media portrays it or them to be.

#2: For this week’s discussion, we had to read Chapter 11 from Baldwin and the Article from the Boston Globe, “Why Blockbusters are taking over the arts”. Right off the bat, in the article itself, we can see Albert Elberse (Professor at Harvard School of Business and Author of “Blockbusters”), arguing that the previously thought theory of long tail, from Chris Anderson, is actually not the way the media industry is leaning, but rather, more of an amplified current star model. Anita argues that our society would rather consume “Blockbusters” than breakout new “singles” when it comes to entertainment. That a name brand product, in terms of entertainment, holds more profits than a “lone wolf”. Recent market trends and stats back up Elberse’s claims.

Elberse’s theory on blockbuster media reflects the idea of cultural imperialism because it lines up with what the trends and responses of the consumers are. Speaking from personal experiences, I know when I used to travel back to Europe, especially in the Eastern Block of Europe, the trends and hits of the Western cultures, havent reached their audiences(this was in the 90s and 2000s) and thus, you can see how that society reacted to such hits. They werent exposed to the media of the West, due to lack of communication and integrating their media with the West, however, after the 2010s, whenever I visited, any trend or hit from the West, matched perfectly with the trends of those nations, particularly Romania. This is a fine example of Cultural Imperialism. The effects American Media companies and its bi-products have on consumers around the world and almost grasp/control, is so evident. If you travel to a rural village today in Vietnam or Central part of Africa, TikTok, Hollywood, and other products are household names. That’s in large part due to Cultural Imperialism. Generations today are familiar with the latest trends and blockbusters, due to the grasp Western Media Companies have on the content that is being disturbed and methods of distribution. Social Media has allowed even the remotest of users to be up to date with the latest trends. This aligns with Elberse’s theory, stating that Blockbusters will be even more consumed and desired, an amplified Star model. Anita states that Blockbusters are what consumers want, and the fact that societies around the world respond to trends and products of Western Media Companies accordingly, proves her theory. Again, I see this in even Eastern European country, that were once under the veil of the USSR. They are eager to stay trendy and relevant, so they consume the products of the West.

These trends are a result of the way media companies promote and advertise their products, through social media and other avenues. The implications are so evident, especially in the terms of Eastern Societies and their Media. Prime example would be Bollywood. Clearly a naming “knock off” of Hollywood, but when Bollywood started, they focused on the desires and consumption preferences of their local populace. As the years evolved, we noticed a shift in the genres and topics, being produced in their films. This is even evident in African nations. I used to go on YouTube and watch low end budgeted films from African countries, and they were regarded as “lone wolf” films. But as the influence of the Western Media companies grew, through Cultural Imperialism, these producers and directors shifted to accommodate that model. More and more, the trends control what content is being consumed, from an entertainment stance, however, we see that more and more, users want name brands, over break out products. This is reflective in the market trends and all across social media.

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