Understanding the Role of Global Media in Society: Theoretical Approaches

This essay discusses the role of global media in contemporary society in the particular context of hegemony and globalization. It explores the benefits offered by media to individuals and business enterprises, and how it is being used to influence the consenting behavior of individuals related to the civil sphere.

Running head: GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
Which would you say are the most useful theoretical approaches in understanding the role of
Global Media in society?
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
As opined by Flew (2018), the tool of media has emerged as one of the most
important ones within the framework of the contemporary world and the extensive popularity
which it has gained in the recent times can be linked to the technological developments that
the world has made in the recent times. Flew, Iosifidis and Steemers (2016) are of the
viewpoint that the tool of media offers a plethora of benefits to the individuals starting from
the cascading of important information to the people from the different parts to the world to
entertainment and others. In addition to these, the role of media in the cannon of the business
world can in no way be denied and is being extensively by the different business enterprises
for marketing as well as promotion of the products or services that they offer to the end users
or the customers (Dencik & Wilkin, 2015). The construct of globalization has contributed in a
substantial manner towards the emergence as well as the widespread use of the tool of media
for the above mentioned processes (Krätke, 2017). The theories of hegemony, globalization
and others and their extensive usage by the different business enterprises and also political
parties for the process of business operations have contributed significantly to make the tool
of media an indispensible one within the nation of Qatar. This essay will discuss the role of
global media in contemporary society in the particular context of hegemony and
globalization.
Lawrence and Almas (2018) are of the viewpoint that the construct of media can be
seen as a collective communication outlet which not only enables the individuals from
diverse countries to share data or information but at the same time receive information as
well. The construct of media or more precisely digital media is a nascent one and its
emergence can be traced back to the later part of the 20th century when the disruptive
technologies like internet and others were innovated (Flew, 2016). Knudsen and Stage (2014)
argue that the construct of media can be segregated into two broad categories, namely, digital
media and the traditional forms of media. In this regard, it needs to be said that the traditional

2GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
media tools refers to the newspapers, magazines and other similar ones which are manually
published and offer information to the individual regarding the important events that are
taking place all over the world. On the other hand, the digital media tools are the e-
newspapers, e-magazines, social networking websites and other similar ones which offer
news and other important information to the individuals on a proactive basis (Dwyer &
Lobato, 2016). As argued by Stevenson (2014), one of the most important trends which is
being seen within the framework of the contemporary society of Qatar is the fact that the
people are resorting to the use of digital media rather than the traditional media outlets. This
is perhaps one of the major reasons why the business of the different newspapers, magazines
and others had been adversely affected in the recent time (Athique, 2017). However, at the
same time it needs to be said that the impact which both of these outlets have made on the
contemporary society of Qatar can in no way be undermined and the result of this is the fact
that the different business enterprises are actively resorting to the use of these media outlets
for the purpose of promotion and marketing of the products or services offered by them
(Flew, Iosifidis & Steemers, 2016).
Curran et al. (2017) have stated that one of the most important factors which had
propelled the rise of the concept of global media and also its extensive usage by the different
individuals as well as business enterprises is the construct of globalization. Globalization can
be seen as the process through which the different business enterprises are being able to
conduct extensive international business operations and thereby enhance their global presence
(Mansouri, Johns & Marotta, 2017). This is important since it not offers the opportunity to
the different business enterprises to enhance their existing customer base and the other
prospects of their business but at the same time enables them to earn a higher amount of
profit as well. Campbell, Martin and Fabos (2018) are of the viewpoint that the emergence of
the construct of globalization can be traced back to the 19th century when in the wake of the

3GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
First Industrial Revolution the steamboats and telegraph were developed. More importantly,
the improvements in the communication and the transportation systems offered the right kind
of opportunities to the different business enterprises through the effective usage of which
they could expand their business (Cunningham, 2015). It is pertinent to note that this is one
of the major factors which propelled the growth of media in the past few decades and is often
considered to be one of the major reasons for its extensive usage.
According to Giroux (2016), the role of global media within the framework of the
contemporary society of world can best be understood through the use of the concept of
globalization and also the different purposes for which it is being used. Mansouri, Johns and
Marotta (2017) are of the viewpoint that the process of globalization had metamorphosed the
entire world into a global village wherein the business enterprises from diverse parts of the
world can conduct trade transactions irrespective of their nationality and other aspects. The
net result of this is the fact that the tool of media is being actively used by these business
enterprises for the marketing as well as promotion of the services or products offered by them
(Campbell, Martin & Fabos, 2018). For example, it is seen that the different business
enterprises are actively using the tool of media for digitally marketing and also promoting
their existing service or product line. In addition to this, tool of media is also being used by
different business enterprises for promoting the services or products that they would be
launching in the future times (Curran et al., 2017). This helps the organization to increase the
anticipation of the customers and thereby ensure the success of the service or product that
would be launched in the near future by them. In this regard, mention needs to be made of the
organization Nike which cascaded information to the customers regarding the Nike
Fuelbands over their website and when the product was actually the first stock got sold when
half an hour of its launch (Athique, 2017).

4GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
As opined by Flew (2018), the buying behavior of the customers had changed in a
substantial manner in the recent and the modern customers rather than focusing on the quality
of the products or services focus more on the brand or market image of the organization
which is offering the concerned product or service. The net result of this is the fact that the
modern customers only opt for the products or services offered by an organization which
boasts of a positive brand image. More importantly, it is seen that the contemporary
organizations in order to enhance the brand image and also to maintain a positive actively
take the help of the tool of global media (Stevenson, 2014). According to Lawrence and
Almas (2018), there are various gratification factors which propel the contemporary business
enterprises to opt for the use of global media like its cost effectiveness, the opportunity to
reach out to a much larger customer base and others. Thus, it can be said that the concept of
globalization has influence the extensive usage of the construct of global media and also
changed its role within the sphere of contemporary society as well.
Knudsen and Stage (2014) stated that the Hegemony Theory of Gramsci is an
important theory which has drastically changed the role of global media within the
framework of contemporary society and also the manner in which it is being. Gramsci argued
that within the framework of any society there are two overlapping spheres, namely, the
political sphere and the civil or the societal sphere (Flew, Iosifidis & Steemers, 2016). He
made a distinction between these spheres on the basis of the fact that the political sphere
ruled by force over the other agents of the state whereas the civil sphere ruled through the use
of their consent (Dencik & Wilkin, 2015). It is precisely here that the role of global media
becomes since it is being used in the contemporary times to influence the behavior of the
individuals related to the civil sphere of the society. It is pertinent to note that it is the
individuals related to the civil sphere who through their consent help in the election or the
selection of representative members who in turn rule or government over them (Flew, 2016).

5GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
The net result of this is the fact that the tool of global media is being utilized by the different
political parties and also by the individual candidates for manipulating the behavior or the
consent of the individuals related to the civil sphere.
Flew, Iosifidis and Steemers (2016) have argued that the individuals related to the
civil sphere unlike the earlier times have become much more concerned regarding their rights
and as a result their expectations from the members of the political sphere has increased in a
substantial manner. More importantly, it is seen that the tool of global media is being used by
the different individuals and also political parties for the purpose of cascading information to
the individuals related to the civil sphere regarding the changes or the things that the common
people can expect once they come into power (Dwyer & Lobato, 2016). Furthermore, it is
seen that the tool of global media offers an opportunity to the individuals or the political
parties to find out the kind of facilities or rights to the common people through an analysis of
the ones offered by the political parties of the other nations of the world. In addition to this, it
is also seen that the tool of global media offers the opportunity to the individuals to
understand the kind of rights that are available to the people of other nations and thereby
demand similar kind of rights or benefits from the political parties of their own nation
(Curran et al., 2017). The net result of this is the fact that unlike the earlier times in which the
tool of media was used for just cascading information to the individuals regarding the
important events but it is even used for influencing the consenting behavior of the different
individuals related to the civil sphere as well. Thus, it can be said that the tool of global
media is no longer a mere need of the indispensible part of the state machineries because of
the benefits that it offers to the political parties as well as the business enterprises of the
contemporary times in nations like Qatar and others.
To conclude, the machinery of media has emerged as one of the most important ones
within the framework of the contemporary world and it is seen that they perform a plethora of

6GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
functions within the contemporary society. For example, on the one hand it is seen that the
tool of global media is being used by the different business enterprises for the marketing as
well as promotion of the products or services offered by them to the customers. On the other
hand, it is seen that the tool of media is being used by the different political parties as well as
individual candidates for the purpose of positively influencing the consent or the voting
behavior of the different individuals. In this regard, it needs to be said that the processes of
globalization and hegemony have contributed in a substantial manner towards this change in
the role of media within the spectrum of contemporary society. Thus, it can be said that the
contemporary media has emerged as an indispensible part of the contemporary world rather
than a mere necessity because of the benefits offered by them.

7GLOBAL MEDIA AND ITS ROLE
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