Among the three effects of globalization on culture, the growth of global “pop culture” tends to get the most attention, and to strike people on a visceral level. Many complain that this form of globalization is actually Americanization, because the United States is by far the biggest producer of popular culture goods. Pop culture is manifested around the world through movies, music, television shows, newspapers, satellite broadcasts, fast food and clothing, among other entertainment and consumer goods.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell observed that “images of America are so pervasive in this global village that it is almost as if instead of the world immigrating to America, America has emigrated to the world, allowing people to aspire to be Americans even in distant countries.” (Barthin, 1998)

For the United States, the entertainment industry is one of the most important spheres of economic activity. In fact, the U.S. entertainment industry generates more revenue from overseas sales than any other industry other than the commercial aerospace industry. Many would say that this new juggernaut of American industry has propelled the American pop culture around the world at a frenetic pace.

American television shows, much like movies, are broadcasted throughout the world. Popular shows, such as “One Tree Hill,” “The O.C.,” and “Gossip Girl” are TV shows about American individuals that tend to deal with “typically” American subjects, such as prom, cotillion, American high school life, etc. As a result, teenagers from around the world become aware of these rituals and might even begin to integrate certain “typically American customs” into their lives. Furthermore, such popular shows as the aforementioned “Gossip Girl” or the extremely popular “Sex and the City” aggressively promote music, brands, restaurants and bars, resulting in worldwide imitation.

The New York Times writes (Ruth La Ferla, July 8, 2008: Forget Gossip, Girl: the Buzz is About the Clothes),

“Since its debut last fall, ‘Gossip Girl’ has always been more than a television series about its overt subject, the social machinations of Manhattan private-school students. It has also presented a cavalcade of fashion, its primary viewership of teenagers and young women tuning in not only for the plots, but also to render judgment on the clothes. The extravagant wardrobes of the stars — a clash of piped blazers, tiny kilts, dueling plaids and festoons of jewelry — have inspired countless posts on fan Web sites, and magazine features about the female leads.”

“Now the show’s sense of style is having a broader impact, in the retail marketplace. Merchants, designers and trend consultants say that ‘Gossip Girl,’ which is in summer reruns on the CW network before returning Sept. 1, just in time for back-to-school shopping, is one of the biggest influences on how young women spend.”

Viewed from the perspective of other countries, the dominance of the United States film industry in Europe has been a rapidly and recently growing concern. In 1987, U.S. films already held an imposing 56 percent of the European film market. Less than a decade later, that share had risen to over 90 percent. By 2009 though, US films had just 67.1 percent market share (http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/European-market-12-percent-increase-2009)

American movies and television shows, which are commonly referred to in trade parlance as audio-visual services, are therefore an important commodity among U.S. exports. As is often the case with exports and imports, exporting nations rarely acknowledge problems when one of their industries is able to capture a large or steadily increasing share of export revenues.

However, when any sector of a nation’s industry is threatened by foreign imports, voluminous concerns are raised.

This is perhaps doubly the case with regard to inherently cultural products. Not only do foreign nations worry about their own domestic entertainment industries from an economic standpoint, but they also worry about the effects on their culture. For many citizens of other countries, American films and televisions shows are not just another commodity. 

Canada’s former Prime Minister Kim Campbell noted that

For Americans, cultural industries are industries like any others. For Canadians, cultural industries are industries that, aside from their economic impact, create products that are fundamental to the survival of Canada as a society. The globalization of the world economy and communications has been a vehicle for the Americanization of the globe. For Canada and other countries, globalization has been a phenomenon within which their distinct, non-American cultures must struggle to survive.

The Spread of American Popular Culture

Globalization enables foreign companies to distribute American cultural products, including music and books. The spread of American restaurant chains and consumer products worldwide is accompanied by the spread of American popular culture. In recent years, American movies, music, and TV shows have consistently gained more and more audiences worldwide.

The products of popular musicians are also likely to be distributed by non-U.S. companies such as Japan’s Sony, Germany’s Bertelsmann AG, France’s Vivendi, or the United Kingdom’s EMI Group. Similarly, American authors are increasingly published by foreign media conglomerates, such as Bertelsmann, which owns Random House and Ballantine, or Australia’s News Corporation, which owns HarperCollins Publishing and the Hearst Book Group.

It is interesting to note that foreign media groups contribute to the spread of American popular culture as well. Foreign corporations earn profits by selling U.S. products, and U.S. products become more accessible worldwide.

Canada is one of the best examples of a country where U.S. cultural products dominate despite the Canadian government’s efforts to preserve local culture. Canadian films account for just 2.1 percent of Canadian film ticket sales, and the vast majority of the remaining 98 percent are American. Moreover, three quarters of the television watched, four out of five magazines sold on newsstands, and 70 percent of the content on radio, are of foreign origin. The vast majority of foreign products in all of these categories are American.

In most other countries, however, American cultural products are not as widespread as they are in Canada, and they face more domestic competition. In most cases, two general trends can be observed. First, many American cultural products tend to be popular with people of very different societies. Second, despite the popularity of American cultural products, other countries still produce a substantial number of films, music, books, and TV shows.

Television

Another area in which American cultural products are influential is television shows. CNN exemplifies the global news network. After starting as a cable news network for U.S. viewers only, CNN now reaches over 200 million households in over 212 countries and territories. However, television remains a more local cultural form than movies, music, or publications. For example, in 1998, no U.S. TV series broke into Europe’s top 10.

However, there was a time when television had a significant impact on Eastern European politics. Television series such as “Dallas” and “Dynasty” were viewed by individuals living behind the Iron Curtain and offered an unrealistic, but appealing alternative to the communist lifestyle. The hyper-consumerism and extreme wealth portrayed on these shows stood in stark contrast to the poorer, more constrained lifestyle in the East.

Pop Culture Values

Almost by definition, pop culture has attained an immense global following precisely because it is popular. For many citizens of other countries though, the near take-over of their own cultural industries, especially for younger audiences, is of great concern.

As sociologist Peter Berger points out, pop culture:

carries a significant freight of beliefs and values. Take the case of rock music. It’s attraction is not just due to a particular preference for loud, rhythmic sound and dangerously athletic dancing. Rock music also symbolizes a whole cluster of cultural values—concerning self-expression, spontaneity, released sexuality, and perhaps most importantly, defiance of the alleged stodginess of tradition.

Learn More

Click here for information on celebrity activism.

Click here for information on the globalization of luxury goods.

Click here for information on the globalization of beauty.

Click here for information on fashion and globalization.

* Picture source: www.picapp.com

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