Media & culture : global homogeneity & local identity / Rachel E. Khan, editor.

Includes bibliographical references.

Thanks to technological advancement in telecommunications-as predicted by Marshall McLuhan in the 1960s-the world has become a global village. A McDonald's Big Mac can be eaten anywhere from Beijing to Bangkok, Bruno Mars songs are played on the streets of Manila and Macau, Tommy Hilfiger is worn in Hong Kong and Hanoi even as we all witnessed the Hotel bombings in Jakarta on CNN. As we get to eat the same food, witness the same events on television, and learn about the latest Parisian fashion, we realize media now disseminates cultural trends. But does it just limit itself to merely disseminating information? Does it not threaten the existence of local cultures? This book explores media's role in promoting the local culture vis-a-vis the global media trend. Select papers from the recent international conference of the Asian Congress for Media and Communication examine the growing role of the mass media's sultural influence and how it can be either a hindrance or a help in promoting local cultures instead of serving as a tool for global homogenization. The articles in this book aim to reorient the study of media and culture toward new media literacies that take into account the effects of new technologies, the growth of social media, and the subtle Western hegemonic forces within the Asian context.