Has Global Media Changed Our Identity

Has Global media changed our
Identity: A critical study
1
2
I. Certificate
3
II. Declaration
4
III. Acknowledgement
5
IV. Abstract
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction 7-20
2. Review of Literature 21-37
3. Hypothesis &Objectives 38
4. Research Design and Methodology 39-41
5. Rationale & Limitations 42-43
6. Results & Data Analysis 44-52
7. Conclusion 53-54
8. Bibliography 55-56
9. Appendix 57
10.Annexure –I (Questionnaire for Respondents) 58-60
11. Annexure-II (List of Participants) 61-62
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project report “Has Global media
changed our Identity: A critical study” has been completed
by Bhanu Joshi under my supervision.
The declaration made by the student is true to the best of
my knowledge.
Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal

Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism
Delhi College of Arts & Commerce
4
University of Delhi
New Delhi
DECLARATION
The dissertation, “Has Global Media changed our Identity: A
critical study” has been carried out completely by me under
the guidance of Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal, Assistant
Professor, Department of Journalism, Delhi College of Arts &
Commerce (University of Delhi).
I further declare that the work included in the paper is
original and has not been submitted in part or full to any
other university/institute for degree/diploma.
Bhanu Joshi
B.A. (Honours) Journalism, III YEAR
Roll No. 502
Department of Journalism, University of Delhi
5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I extend my sincere gratitude to my research mentor,

Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal, for her guidance,
creative and critical comments and generous supervision
at each and every stage of this piece of research
work.
I am indebted to Prof. K.M. Srivastava, Professor IIMC

for allowing me access to the IIMC library and his
other valuable inputs.
I would also like to thank my parents who extended

their valuable support during the completion of this
research work.
Bhanu Joshi
B.A. (Honours) Journalism, III YEAR
Roll No. 502
Department of Journalism, University of Delhi
6
ABSTRACT
Media plays different roles in different cultures. It has

been widely recognised as a tool that has helped development
and has also lead to the growth and maturing of societies.
However this seems to be changing in the age of global
media.
With a globalization, identities are being seen alienated,

sometimes stereotyped and a peculiar “rush” is being
observed amongst the societies towards standardization.
This research study correlates the advent of global media

and its influences on concepts of identity, lifestyle and
consumption patterns of college going students in University
of Delhi.
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INTRODUCTION
Globalisation has integrated the world into one. A global

community is being created whose backbone is multinational
organisations, international institutions and a global
society. It is said that media reflects the society we live
in and today we see a global media that has seeped into
every part of our lives and is dominant in creating
perspectives, views and generating ideas. The developing
world is seeing an expansion in its constituency and this
expansion has occurred affiliated with the development of a
complex global society and international flow of media and
cultural products. Some researchers examine these changes
from the framework of cultural imperialism (Schiller, 1991)
where media products are distinctly dominated by a few
multinational corporations from Western industrialized
countries. Other scholars have emphasized the role of
audiences in processing, and interpreting these media
messages (Berger & Huntington, 2002). Regardless of their
positions, researchers have called for a closer examination
of the accounts of audience experiences with global media.
A clear and distinctive example of global media experienced

by audiences in a local context is India. When India changed
its policy and opened its doors to international free market
forces and its airwaves to global media, it set in motion
enormous changes that affected the lives of all its
citizens. The changing media atmosphere prodded a change in
Doordarshan, the state owned broadcasting network.
Doordarshan, in Sanskrit, means distant vision. Describing a
8
changed Doordarshan in a recent article the writer said
‘today commercial interests dominate Doordarshan’s policies
and action.’ The mantra now is – entertain, entertain,

entertain.”
The Industrial Revolution shifted economic and social

change, making the world available to all who wanted to
experience it. Efficiency and innovation led society into a
new world, a world that needed to stay connected. Mass Media
by definition is designed to distribute media to as many
people as possible. In essence, Mass Media keeps the world
connected. Understanding the process of how Mass Media
works, primarily in regards to it relationship with society,
one will see the grandeur of the spectacle that is Mass
Media. Some say that we are controlled in every aspect by
what we see, and what we buy. Money, consumerism, radio,
television, printed media, and fame have constructed the
“American Dream”, the spectacle. Thinking for ourselves is
now aided and even guided by our high speed internet
connection and the ten o’clock news. These sources also,
conveniently enough, sell products that help attain the
“American Dream”. Through careful analysis of the current
state of Mass Media and the effects it has on society it is
my contention that the Industrial Revolution has created a
new, pre-packaged and ultimately non-satisfying self image
that is exaggerated by today’s Mass Media and the spectacle
it creates.
1. Origin and rise of Global Media
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Prior to the Industrial Revolution, needs were based on
survival. People made, farmed, and bought only what they
needed to provide for their families. Occupations existed to
provide unique services and you were known for your job. For
instance in Europe if you were a blacksmith, your last name
reflected your occupation and everywhere you went people

knew you as the town blacksmith. News travelled from town to
town via travellers or traders and was inconsistent and
outdated at best. With the advent of the Industrial
Revolution machines made businesses more efficient, money
became more readily available and people began to
communicate across vast distances with new forms of media,
primarily the printing press. However with the increased
production, people were no longer needed for the occupations
they once served. Town blacksmiths were replaced with
machines which could turn out multiple times more products
at higher qualities (Norman and Bodley, 2007). Profits were
soaring and individuality was transforming into a collective
unit serving to better society (McLuhan M, 1999). People
began to assemble the parts that would serve to build modern
society, and in doing so they were overcome with the
sentiment that they were no longer important. A new
sentiment emerged, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation
and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Henry
David Thoreau. Thoreau perhaps encapsulates the entire
problem with modern society in that one sentence.
Society needed news. People wanted to be informed how the

world was advancing and the beginning forms of print
journalism exploited this hunger for information.
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The newspaper of 1897 was the sole purveyor of news until
the advent of newsreels in the 1910s (Hearst was a pioneer)
and radio in the 1920s. Its comics, fiction, and features
made it the home-entertainment centre. Ample advertisements
made it the shopping bazaar and wish book, too, both of
which explain why so many homes consumed more than one daily
each day. The competition for readers in New York was
intensified, writes Campbell, by the decline of the
previously dominant newspapers—Pulitzer's World, Charles A.

Dana's New York Sun, James Gordon Bennett Juniors New York
Herald, and Whitelaw Reid's New York Tribune. Even so,
Pulitzer sensed enough of the crisis to order his business
manager to recruit a spy within Hearst's Journal to find the
source of the paper's ideas and identify what dissatisfied
talent might be willing to leave Hearst and join him.
(Shafer, Jack The Great Press War of 1897, Slate 2006)
After the Industrial Revolution was in full gear, mass

merchandising came into place and people soon discovered
there were many things available to them for buying. With
more things to spend money on people started situating
themselves into jobs that would provide more money, while
not necessarily providing personal satisfaction. More places
to spend money lead to more companies competing to win
money; less personal satisfaction lead people to try and
fill the void with material possessions. The competitions
between corporations lead to mass commercialism.
Commercialism then found its roots within media and the
proliferation of new products was sent to the masses. People
were reading about products that would make their lives
better, help them keep up with the Jones’s. “For consumers
as a whole, Boss sees a collective psychology prevailing.”
We ask, 'What are others doing, and what can I get for
myself?' Nobody wants to admit that there's anybody they're
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keeping up with, but we do collectively keep up with one
another." (Gardner, Marylin, A penny earned is a penny
spent, The Christian Science Monitor 2006). With all of
society consuming bigger and better products, innovation was
at a peak. Soon two new technologies came into the spotlight
that would forever change the way society gained information
from Mass Media, radio and television.
In 1859 Oliver Wendell Holmes described photography as the

most remarkable achievement of his time because it allowed
human beings to separate an experience or a texture or an
emotion or a likeness from a particular time and place — and
still remain real, visible, and permanent. He described it
as a "conquest over matter" and predicted it would alter the
physics of perception, changing forever the way people would
see and understand the world around them. Holmes precisely
observed that the emergence of this new technology marked
the beginning of a time when the "image would become more
important than the object itself and would in fact make the
object disposable." Contemporary advertising critic Stuart
Ewen describes the photographic process as "skinning" the
world of its visible images, then marketing those images
inexpensively to the public (Thoman, Elizabeth Rise of the
Image Culture).
Radio became a mainstream technology and transformed once

distant social activities into every household. Radio also
introduced new forms of marketing and more vibrant sources
for news and information. The spectacle was now starting to
take shape and people began to distract themselves from
reality every night through hypnosis of sorts from this
speaking box. The success of the radio fostered the birth of
television, which rapidly transformed the world. The masses
became enamoured with television and the stars it created.
TV shows become commonplace, and commercials become as
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important as the show content. Television starts shrinking
the world introducing celebrity fame and furthering the loss
of identity.
People became so interested in fame they began to wonder if

anyone would ever recognize them as an individual. This
furthered loss of individuality and started moulding society
to emulate importance modelling the lives of the people they
see on TV and read about in beauty and tabloid magazines.
Commercials interlaced with biased news networks sponsored
by media conglomerations started broadcasting stereotypical
personalities; the people society wanted to become (Thoman,
Elizabeth Rise of Image Culture). Furthermore television
moved from information based news shows to more
entertainment based productions.
The rise in these types of magazines has everything to do

with pent-up demand, said Robert Thompson, a professor of
pop culture and television at Syracuse University. Because
our society has no aristocracy, Americans have always been
obsessed with celebrity. In its earliest incarnation,
according to Thompson, celebrity worship translated into
bragging that George Washington slept here. “On a
fundamental level, it is appealing to something deep in the
American soul,” (Davies, 2005 Jennifer Gluttons for Gossip)
In fact, we currently have shows composed of nothing but

celebrity entertainment “news”. To reiterate “Entertainment
News”, people have become so hypnotized by television that
they can’t even distinguish the fact that the news they are
watching is for their entertainment not to inform them of
real problems they face. That same entertainment news is
filled with celebrities talking about face creams or diet
programs they themselves buy and or recommend. This
substance free programming leaves the viewer with a thirty
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minute show about nothing of any real consequence. Laced
within the thirty minutes are various commercials selling
products that more or less add no real value to anyone’s
life and are repeated ad nauseam. So in essence, our
mainstream television has now become a box broadcasting
nothing of any substance, selling valueless products and
indoctrinating our “individual” opinions. People start to
see beauty which is defined by these companies trying to
sell products that will make people beautiful. People start
to believe news that will affect how they vote and place
people into office to make news and control their lives.
People start to see these “beautiful” television and movie
stars and do everything in their power to bring any bit of
that fame into their own lives. “’There’s a real hunger for
this,’ said Steven Cohn, editor-in-chief of Media Industry
Newsletter, which tracks industry trends. ‘There’s not a
hunger for newsmagazines. There’s not a hunger for business
newsmagazines. But there is a hunger for celebrity
newsmagazines” (Davies, 2005 Jennifer Gluttons for Gossip).
The overwhelming tragedy of it all can be seen by what

society has become today, an entertainment consuming,
distracted, bland mixture of subtleties and indifference.
Individuals are few and far between as the masses consume
not just information, but free thinkers. People are so
desperate to be unique that they look to other people for
inspiration, the problem being that our media broadcasts and
highlights the same models of individuality to the masses
creating nothing more than a sea of clones constantly trying
to keep up and follow the newest trend. There are no changes
in the identity of an individual.
The loss of individuality is a terrifying proposition that

most men lead lives of quiet desperation fighting.
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2. Historical Context in the Indian Scenario
When India gained independence in 1947, the leaders of the

time committed the country to socialist principles, which
included a strong state (Adams 1990; Hasan1989), and
government-controlled, development-oriented mass media. When
the Government introduced television in 1959; the goal was
to educate the public. Social development was the norm until
corporate sponsored prime time serials introduced in 1984
created a gradual shift toward entertainment oriented
programming and advertising.
Compared with many other developing countries, the Indian

press has flourished since independence and exercises a
large degree of independence. British colonialism allowed
for the development of a tradition of freedom of the press,
and many of India's great English-language newspapers and
some of its Indian-language press were begun during the
nineteenth century. As India became independent, ownership
of India's leading English-language newspapers was
transferred from British to Indian business groups, and the
fact that most English-language newspapers have the backing
of large business houses has contributed to their
independence from the government. The press has experienced
impressive growth since independence. In 1950 there were 214
daily newspapers, with forty-four in English and the rest in
Indian languages. By 1990 the number of daily newspapers had
grown to 2,856, with 209 in English and 2,647 in indigenous
languages. The expansion of literacy and the spread of
consumerism during the 1980s fuelled the rapid growth of
news weeklies and other periodicals. By 1993 India had
35,595 newspapers--of which 3,805 were dailies--and other
periodicals. Although the majority of publications are in
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indigenous languages, the English-language press, which has
widespread appeal to the expanding middle class, has a wide
multicity circulation throughout India.
Although freedom of the press in India is the legal norm--it

is constitutionally guaranteed--the scope of this freedom
has often been contested by the government. Rigid press
censorship was imposed during the Emergency starting in 1975
but quickly retracted in 1977. The government has continued,
however, to exercise more indirect controls. Government
advertising accounts for as much as 50 percent of all
advertisements in Indian newspapers, providing a monetary
incentive to limit harsh criticism of the administration.
Until 1992, when government regulation of access to
newsprint was liberalized, controls on the distribution of
newsprint could also be used to reward favoured publications
and threaten those that fell into disfavour. In 1988, at a
time when the Indian press was publishing investigative
reports about corruption and abuse of power in government,
Parliament passed a tough defamation bill that mandated
prison sentences for offending journalists. Vociferous
protests from journalists and opposition party leaders
ultimately forced the government to withdraw the bill. Since
the late 1980s, the independence of India's press has been
bolstered by the liberalization of government economic
policy and the increase of private-sector advertising
provided by the growth of India's private sector and the
spread of consumerism.
Since the 1980s, India has experienced a rapid proliferation

of television broadcasting that has helped shape popular
culture and the course of politics. Although the first
television program was broadcast in 1959, the expansion of
television did not begin in earnest until the extremely
popular telecast of the Ninth Asian Games, which were held
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in New Delhi in 1982. Realizing the popular appeal and
consequent influence of television broadcasting, the
government undertook an expansion that by 1990 was planned
to provide television access to 90 percent of the
population. In 1993, about 169 million people were estimated
to have watched Indian television each week, and, by 1994,
it was reported that there were some 47 million households
with televisions. There also is a growing selection of
satellite transmission and cable services available
Television programming was initially kept tightly under the

control of the government, which embarked on a self-
conscious effort to construct and propagate a cultural idea
of the Indian nation. This goal is especially clear in the
broadcasts of such mega series as the Hindu epics Ramayana
and Mahabharata. In addition to the effort at nation-
building, the politicians of India's ruling party have not
hesitated to use television to build political support. In
fact, the political abuse of Indian television led to
demands to increase the autonomy of Doordarshan; these
demands ultimately resulted in support for the Prasar
Bharati Act.
The 1990s have brought a radical transformation of

television in India. Trans-national satellite broadcasting
made its debut in January 1991, when owners of satellite
dishes--initially mostly at major hotels--began receiving
Cable News Network (CNN) coverage of the Persian Gulf War.
Three months later, Star TV began broadcasting via
satellite. Its fare initially included serials such as "The
Bold and the Beautiful" and MTV programs. Satellite
broadcasting spread rapidly through India's cities as local
entrepreneurs erected dishes to receive signals and
transmitted them through local cable systems. After its
October 1992 launch, Zee TV offered stiff competition to
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Star TV. However, the future of Star TV was bolstered by
billionaire Rupert Murdock, who acquired the network for
US$525 million in July 1993. CNN International, part of the
Turner Broadcasting System, was slated to start broadcasting
entertainment programs, including top Hollywood films, in
1995.
Competition from the satellite stations brought radical

change to Doordarshan by cutting its audience and
threatening its advertising revenues at a time when the
government was pressuring it to pay for expenditures from
internal revenues. In response, Doordarshan decided in 1993
to start five new channels in addition to its original
National Channel. Programming was radically transformed and
controversial news shows, soap operas, and coverage of high-
fashion events proliferated. Of the new Doordarshan
channels, however, only the Metro Channel, which carries MTV
music videos and other popular shows, has survived in the
face of the new trend for talk programs that engage in a
potpourri of racy topics.
All channels beaming into India do so from outside the

country and are, therefore, beyond direct Indian government
control. Doordarshan and All India Radio continue to be
state owned and controlled institutions subject to
government censorship.
The transformation of the media environment has been viewed
in many ways. Some are delighted by the availability of a
wide range of programming. Others are quite concerned about
the social, cultural and political impact of televised
programming. For instance the 1994 report of the
parliamentary standing committee of human resource
development stated: “nothing in the recent past has had such
dramatic and deleterious impact on both our cultural
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traditions as the invasion of the Mass media, both
indigenous and foreign” (HRD, 1996).
3. Interplay between Global Media and Culture

During the 1990s, Indian media experienced its
efflorescence, when India joined the countries embracing
globalism. Indian media products increasingly began to be
seen as an instrument of Indian cultural/media imperialism
within South Asia, similarly to how American products were
perceived starting in the 1960s. This challenged the linear
West-centric perspective in this globalization age.
In the early 1990s, Indian television channels had their

highest audience ratings within the region and forced
foreign channels to adjust their programs so as to fit into
the Indian national and local culture (Sonwalkar, 2001). At
the same time, a UNESCO report shows that India has been one
of the lowest importers of international programming. In
1990 only 8 percent of the Indian television programs were
from foreign sources (UNESCO, 1994, cited by Sonwalkar,
2001). India’s import of foreign media has further dwindled
since 1992 due to the rapid development of domestic channels
and the growth of domestic production houses. The national
experience of India indicates a transition in the previously
unbalanced cultural flow: “Between 1975 and 1991, the flow
of cultural goods from the developed to the less developed
countries has gone down and the flow from (less developed
countries) to (developed countries) has increased”
(Ambirajan, 2000, p. 2146).
3.1 Technological Reasons

International communications systems redistributed among
regions and countries have been growing more and more
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complicated since the boom in information technology. The
earlier theory of “blanket effects” of western media
products is now being criticized for failing to account for
this much more complex cultural interaction. Due to the
effects of globalization, technology is being transferred at
a much faster rate from the West to the rest of the world;
and new knowledge, ideas and notions spread quickly. Yanal
(1999) argues that “thanks to the multi-pronged channels of
globalization, the gap between the haves and the have-nots
today has a fairer chance of being narrowed at a faster rate
than has been the case so far” (cited by Sonwalkar, 2001).
The one-sided, incomplete picture given by critical
theorists of the US and European media influences on the
Third World has ignored those cultural flows not originating
from the west.
3.2 Cultural Reasons

Indians prefer to be entertained in their mother tongues
(Malhotra, 2000, cited by Sonwalkar,), with Hindi being the
most widely spoken. This has forced the main foreign
satellite channels such as Star TV to adopt Hindi-language
programming. Patrick Cross, the managing director of the BBC
World Service, said that his corporation had plans to
introduce programs in Hindi (Sonwalkar, 2001). This is the
first time the BBC has shown interest in local language
broadcasting outside the UK, although England has had an
intimate and protracted relationship with the Indian
subcontinent.
Still, the foreign organizations who have made attempts to

reach Indian audiences through adopting Hindi in the
development of programs have so far failed to make a profit.
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For example, early entrant Star TV continues to lose heavily
on its Indian operations, even after it adjusted its
programming and shifted popular English language soaps like
Baywatch and The Bold to Star World to make way for Hindi
shows (Ninan, 1999, cited by Sonwalkar, 2001).
In the localized backdrop of India, the concept of

imperialism acquires new meanings. “…Within South Asia, the
notion of Western-based media imperialism is being replaced
by the Indian-based version. Within India, the pre-eminent
position hitherto enjoyed by Hindi in the national cultural
discourse until recently has given way to the suzerainty of
local languages” (Sonwalkar, 2001). In the case of India,
internationalization of media clearly does not tend to
undermine national culture. Reversely, the strong local and
regional media in India play a very important role in
protecting their national culture.
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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
1. Culture, Cultural Identity, and Communication
The word culture describes everything that makes a large

group of people unique. Members of a culture share similar
thoughts and experiences (Jandt, 2004). Collier and Thomas
define culture as “a historically transmitted system of
symbols and meanings, and norms” (Collier & Thomas, 1988).
Our culture teaches us rules or norms that tell us how to
behave inside our culture. One’s culture is a part of one’s
identity (Jandt, 2004,). We communicate our identity to
others and we learn who we are through communication.
Communication does not refer just to language; rather,
actions, rules, behavior, discrimination, and labels are all
communicative. Identity and communication are mutually
reinforcing).
Everyone has multiple identities that are created and

negotiated through communication. Identities emerge when
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messages are exchanged between individuals. Presenting one’s
identities is not a simple process. Identities are dynamic;
they are created by the self and at the same time by others
in relation to group membership (Martin & Nakayama, 1997)
To create a culture, a group must first define itself as a

group. This may be on the basis of nationality, ethnicity,
gender, profession, religion, organization, or others. Once
the group defines itself as a unit, then a cultural system
may develop. Cultural identity is the particular character
of the group communication system that emerges when people
claim group membership in a particular situation, event, or
communication context (Collier, 2003).
1.1 The Dynamics of Culture
Culture is a complex phenomenon. It includes the religious

practices of a region, the kinds of architectural
developments embraced by modern cities, recurring ethnic
practices, language loyalty, and other aspects of the milieu
of social practices that constitute culture.
Culture is a constantly changing phenomenon. Globalization

has not only affected world cultures but also the world
economic system with nation-states increasingly becoming
influenced by a capitalist world-economic system.
Globalization and cultural exchanges have resulted in
complex forms of cultural hybridity. While modernism has to
do with the belief in steady-states that are either in
equilibrium or near equilibrium, the postmodern world does
not address the nature of steady-state systems. It is
concerned with the dynamics of change and the nature of this
change is closer to the behavior of non-linear systems. It
is about change in a cultural flux.
23
The late Ilya Prigogine (1983) and colleagues addressed
these kinds of concerns in their work on “dissipative
structures.” They noted that from one perspective such
structures contained order and structure and from another
perspective they were unordered and in chaos. Their concern
was in how a steady-state or a system in equilibrium
dissipated and then reorganized itself into a new steady-
state. How does order emerge out of chaos? When the old
system began to break up, the process was irreversible. It
appeared as though there was no order when this dissipation
occurred. However, there was order in the flux of change and
it emerged as a new system in equilibrium. It can be argued
that postmodernism is the quest for a new order within a
state of dissipation. Postmodernists are trying to make
sense of the chaos. They are beginning to see the signs of
the new system and this is what they are writing about.
Because of the novelty of change, such systems are difficult
to express. This difficulty has been interpreted by some as
a kind of nihilism, but it is not. The sedimentation theory
of cultural space is presented within this context. It is a
theory of cultural change that is trying to find a new order
in the flux of cultural change
1.2 The Postmodern Approach to Culture
MIT researchers have examined how modern communication

systems function without central control and move
intelligence to the end user (e.g.). They studied these
networks in terms of their “viral architecture.” The term
“viral” was adapted from biology for use in marketing,
computer technology, and the social sciences. Just as a
virus in a biological environment can replicate and become
diffused within a system, it is argued that informational
24
objects and processes can also expand within communication
networks. Lippman and Pentland (2004) considered viral
communication to be a consequence of economic, social, and
technical forces within communication networks. Lippman and
his colleagues have noted that such systems create the
potential to embed communications into the sociology of
everyday life. They have discussed the fact that this
phenomenon has expanded greatly within modern society. They
have also argued that these new forms of connectivity
facilitate the formation of new social behaviors
They have similar views on cultural change under the rubric

of viral culture. In a postmodern society, the use of viral
communications has shifted. For example, the role of agency
has shifted from one of vertical control to the horizontal
transmission of information of the same generation. With the
advent of these new forms of computer-mediated technology,
they have also become producers of knowledge within the new
viral culture. In essence, societies bend technology to
their own uses. These new mediated networks are no longer
locally restricted and participate in various forms of
global communication. Most importantly, viral communication
is no longer associated with what people buy. It is what
people do. It has become the way in which people experience
life.
There is a new kind of social and cultural habits associated

with this new virtual culture. The forms of social and
cultural capital have changed. The authors have noticed that
capital takes time to accumulate and reproduce itself.
However, such is not the case with viral capital. Miller and
Bruenger (2005) have noted, “within viral networks viral
capital accumulates and reproduces very quickly”. It is an
infectious cultural process.
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2. Identity
2.1 Identity in the Age of Information
A quick glance at the criticisms and resistance challenging

cultural globalization indicates most of it is aimed to
challenge the virtue of globalization and its contradiction
with integrity of identities.
For example, Manuel Castells, the Spanish sociologist and

professor at the University of Berkeley, concludes that our
world and our lives are being shaped through two opposite
trends namely, globalization and integrity of identities.
The information revolution and reconstruction of capitalism
have established a new society that could be called the
“network society” (Castells, 2005). The most important
characteristic of this society is its prevalent culture
established by a diverse and comprehensive media system.
This novel society threatens traditional social institutions
and alters both culture and collective identity.
Simultaneously, it creates wealth and poverty and thus
introduces fresh threats and opportunities.
For Castells Identity is “the process of construction of

meaning on the basis of a cultural attribute, or a related
set of cultural attributes, that is given priority over
other sources of meaning”. For a given individual, or for a
collective actor, there may be a plurality of identities,
but these are a source of stress and contradiction in both
self-representation and social action. Lacking a concise and
accurate definition of identity in the age of information
and globalization, it is impossible to define the role of
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mass media as the most important contemporary instrument for
strengthening or weakening of the identity crisis.
In the definition of identity, two conflicting components

namely its old elements and historical roots along with the
elements of current events and future changes must be
considered. Thus, identity has two components of correlation
and individuality. A relevant example is the interaction of
an individual with his/her society (either the national
society or the international society). The individual
constantly receives input from the environment and at the
same time possesses his/her unique characteristics, which
differentiates his/her independence from social pluralism.
If the aforesaid definition of identity is accepted, then it
is evident that correlation and interaction causes
alterations in the individual as well as the surrounding
environment.
Cultural identity is not a mere collection of thoughts,

beliefs, traditions, languages and behaviors accumulated
through time. Rather it is a cultural selection on how to
respond to an outside stimulant in various time frames. As a
result, cultural identity is a work plan created by people
for their future activities based on past experiences.
Some sociologists believe “the combination of economic

participation and cultural identity is made possible not by
a choice between equality and difference, but by the desire
to construct or reconstruct a personal or collective
experience which combines both universes and a desire to be
a social actor”
27
The social manifestation of identity has always been
affected by power struggles and basically has three
contributing sources for its inception:
 Legitimizing Identity: introduced by the dominant
institutions of society to extend and rationalize their
domination over social actors. Legitimizing identities
generate civil societies and their institutions, which
reproduce rational power.
 Resistance Identity: produced by those actors who are
in a position/condition of being excluded by the logic
of domination. Identity for resistance leads to the
formation of communes or communities as a way of coping
with otherwise unbearable conditions of oppression.
 Project Identity: proactive movements which aim at
transforming society as a whole, rather than merely
establishing the conditions for their own survival in
opposition to the dominant actors. Feminism and
environmentalism fall under this category
During the era of modernization, planned identity stemmed

from the heart of civil society. However in network society,
the emergence of planned identity comes from the core of
resistive social groups.
Some scholars especially Castles argue that the crisis of

legitimacy has engulfed all institutions, since the
development of globalization has dried up the fountain of
legitimate identities. Institutions and organizations of
civil society established on the foundation of democratic
governments and the social contract between labor and
capital are becoming increasingly superficial and are unable
to address the living values of most people and have lost
contact with ordinary citizens. The deterioration of common
28
identity is synonymous with a decline of meaningful social
orders, which vividly depicts our status (Castells, 2005).
The social challenges pressing the patterns of dominance in

network society, usually manifests itself in the form of
establishing independent identities, which are alien with
the organizational principles of the network society. They
confront the ascendancy of technology, legitimacy of power
and the logic of the market economy with their traditions
and beliefs. One of the main distinctions of the social
movements and cultural upheavals surrounding the issue of
identity in the age of information (regardless of their
type, either religious fundamentalism, nationalism, ethnic
separatism) is that these identities do not stem from
institutions of civil society. They introduce an adversarial
social logic, completely distinct from the functioning
principles of the dominant social institutions.
In the age of information, the prevalent logic of global

networks is so powerful that the only way to defy their
authority and dominance is to rebel against the whole system
and depart from it by establishing another order with
distinctive values and beliefs (Castells, 2005).
Moreover, there is a diversity of opinions in relation to
the issue of identity and globalization. For example,
Giddens believes that it is erroneous to envision
globalization only on a large scale and solely for giant
systems. This process is not exclusively an external
phenomenon; rather it is also an internal matter and is
directly intertwined with individualistic aspects of our
livelihood including our individual identity. Therefore, it
has a great influence.
29
From this perspective, the globalization theory of Giddens
is similar to that of Robertson. Robertson defines
globalization as “a form of institutionalization of the two-
fold process involving the universalization of particularism
and the particularization of universalism” (Robertson, 1992,
cited Castells). In other words, globalization tends to
integrate and dominate on the one hand and particularize on
the other hand and the output of this particularization is
the development of localization. Thus, globalization is
inclined towards uniformity and integration and
simultaneously strengthens cultural uniqueness.
Therefore, the inception of uniformity and generalization

alongside the intensification of cultural distinctiveness
are concurrently evident, which has its own impact on the
formation of identities.
According to Robertson’s theory, globalization cannot be
interpreted as creation of a global culture, rather there is
an opportunity for various cultures to interact on a global
scale. The identity crisis is not a mere hypothetical and
scholastic concern. There is a strong apprehension in regard
to the conflict between global and local cultures and its
implications. The clash of local and global cultures is the
paradox of globalization on the international scene. In
fact, there is no independent global culture, more
accurately, certain aspects of national or regional culture
enters the arena and becomes universal.
Localization is the manifestation of an individual’s or a

group’s attempt to regain its identity. Thus, the most
comforting and suitable reaction is to search deep inside
the historical memory of a group or nation and try to regain
past glory and supremacy. These self-assuring memories are
intertwined with a specific place and time, which is the
30
core of localization in eastern societies. These societies
under the constant barrage of western cultures have no
choice but to return to their traditional cultures
(Mohammadi, 1992)
3. Globalization, the New Phenomenon
Globalization, which also has been called global

construction, global orientation and global expansion by
various schools of thought, is the latest phase process in
an old process rooted in the expansion of modern capitalism
and encompassing the political, economic and cultural realms
worldwide. Modern capitalism that first emerged in the
sixteenth century is a far more complex phenomenon embracing
a broader economic spectrum and a more detailed definition
than the concept of common market. Thus, some experts view
it as “contraction and condensation at the global scale
coupled with ever-increasing expansion of awareness”
Many have expressed different and even contradictory

definitions of globalization in their discussions over the
past few years. According to British sociologist Anthony
Giddens, some social sectors are utterly pessimistic about
globalization and reject it in its entirety. On the other
hand, there are those who perceive globalization as an
undeniable reality with profound and inevitable
consequences.
Yet there are others, who are generally referred to as

Global Expansionists. They view globalization as an
inescapable development developing ever-increasing momentum
due to the intensification of global interactions and the
waning importance of national boundaries. They believe that
national economies, cultures and policies will integrate
31
into a global network and that local and national authority
and hence dominance will diminish in favor of a homogenous
global economy and culture.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are opposing
arguments against the virtues of globalization. Giddens
refers to them as the pessimists, and they include a gamut
of those from the traditionalists to those challenging the
dominance of capitalism. They perceive globalization as
synonymous to westernization and Americanization. They even
include the environmentalists.
This school of thought argues that globalization will create

a world of winners and losers along with the global conquest
and economic domination of specific political groups,
especially in the wealthy nations like the U.S. These groups
are strong enough to resist any pressures to alter the new
world-order and could impose their desires and goals as
global agendas and work plans. The promoters of this school
of thought point out to the waning of national sovereignty
and local identity and the eventual prevalence of inequality
and injustice in the world.
Meanwhile, some dispute the idea of the “global village”
introduced by Marshall McLuhan and envision more of a
“global pillaging” for the underdeveloped countries.
There are other theoreticians who dispute this widely held

view. For example, Giddens challenges this prospect and
believes that the wealthy should not be blamed for all the
negative aspects of this phenomenon, which actually is to
some extent very similar to the westernization process.
However, globalization is becoming ever-increasingly
decentralized and thus it is not dominated by a certain
group of countries or multinational companies. Even the
western countries are being affected by this new trend.
32
There is increasing evidence of Inverted Colonialism.
Inverted Colonialism could be defined as the impact of non-
western countries on the development of western culture and
economy (Giddens, 1999).
According to Giddens not only is globalization a novel

experience, it is a revolutionary phenomenon. In addition to
its economic consequences, its political, technological and
cultural impact cannot be underestimated. More than
anything, globalization is influenced by the advancement of
communication systems.
In the middle of these two extreme positions, there is a

third opinion, which is called “transformationalism.” This
perspective gives limited importance to globalization and
emphasizes the significance of national and local
institutions (retrieved from the International Media
Dialogue). This third view does not condemn the whole of
globalization and praises its positive aspects. These
scholars note that although globalization imposes a great
deal of pressure on local economies and cultures, it is
possible to transform this threat into an opportunity,
thereby resisting being conquered by it.
Based on this viewpoint, the leaders of the world would

support the notion of democratization of global
institutions; and nations could play a decisive role in the
policy-making process under the framework of the new world
order and solidify their territorial rights and legitimacy.
The acceptance of this notion is reflected in the response
of former French Premier Leonel Jospin on the issue of
France’s national identity in the globalization process. He
said, “We will do our best to make globalization an internal
and endemic process in compliance and harmony with our way
33
of life.” He argued that “The course this globalization
process takes will depend on the action we take in relation
to it, because although globalization is a fact, it is not
an end in itself. We must bring it under control if we are
to enjoy its benefits and prevent its negative aspects” It
can thus be concluded that the present range of opinions on
globalization, differs from the definition of capital
expansion of the 16th century. In this sense it is a new
concept based on the ever-increasing time-space compression
and the enhancement of public knowledge and awareness due to
the profound alteration in communication systems and its
immense impact on economic, political and cultural trends.
It can be stated fairly that “Globalization is a complex

phenomenon, marked by two opposing forces. On the one hand,
it is characterized by massive economic expansion and
technological innovation. On the other hand, there is
increased inequality, cultural and social tumult, and
individual alienation”.
4. Media and Identity Challenges of Globalization
The assessment of mass media and its role in the age of

information on the issue of identity and cultural crisis in
the network society, which itself is the inevitable by-
product of globalization, has become vitally important. The
subject of globalization and the function of mass media are
so intertwined that it is impossible to imagine
globalization without the presence of media.
Some scholars go even further in emphasizing the

significance of media and consider the mass media as the
main player in the globalization process. They regard the
media not just as a mere instrument, rather as an identity
34
in its own right, which could compete with national
governments in respect to its power and influence to alter
the nature and essence of human societies.
The information and communication revolution and the

emergence of new technologies have redefined the meaning and
realm of politics and power structure within societies.
Thus, power is entrusted to those who produce, control and
disseminate information more effectively. Many theoreticians
hold that power magnates and moguls prepare the news,
information, science and political decisions at the national
and international levels and then inject them to the
societies through the media. Therefore, mass media is an
instrument in the hand of the ruling class that not only
justifies its authority it gains the support of its
audiences.
On the other hand, it is impossible to ignore the great

transformation and evolution taking place in international
telecommunication during the era of globalization including
centralization and integration of mass media and the advent
of giant media tycoons. This new ownership of mass media has
greatly influenced the content and dissemination of news as
well as the commercial nature of cultural products.
Although, some scholars promoting globalization praise the
positive impact of mass media, there are many experts who
criticize the negative role of media in weakening the
identity of various societies.
The followers of the Frankfurt School like Aderno and his

colleagues argue that the media has deprived humanity from
its intellectual capacities and flexibility and has reduced
mankind to a single dimensioned and isolated entity.
Meanwhile, Markuze explains this subject as the creation of
35
one-dimensional man. Men and women involved in this powerful
media network, contribute to a society in which its members
do not have strong links with each other and do not play a
part in the stability of the social order in any meaningful
form. Moreover, many other scholars argue that one of the
prominent tasks of the media in the globalization process
has been its pursuit in developing a single cultural world.
The culture sponsored by the western media is a culture,
which dictates to the society what to eat, what to wear, how
to live, what to think and what to know. This enormous chain
of global communication institutions and its allies in the
camp of capitalism have transformed the majority of ordinary
people into obedient consumers, without identity or ability
to command their destiny.
Thus, it is possible to divide the mass media in the

globalization process into two categories, namely the
aggressive media and the resistive media. The aggressive
media are the colossal information institutions with
countless audiences. Although they provide a diverse range
of news and information, they pursue a limited set of
objectives. These objectives include entertainment for
leisure and pleasure as well as education for greater
uniformity and harmony of audiences.
These institutions tend to remove spatial and temporal

boundaries in order to eliminate identity barriers. The
successful implementation of this task would pave the way
for the strategic goal of the capitalist tycoons and giant
industrialists to conquer the world market through
exploitation of minds, the draining of brains in the
developing countries and injecting a superficial sense of
happiness and satisfaction.
36
On the other hand, the resistive media tends to utilize the
open atmosphere in the global information system in order to
disseminate its own culture and ideology. However, these
information institutions generally do not comprehend the
depth and dimensions of the prevailing tragedy and insist on
promoting their local and national aspirations instead of
finding a broader message for the vast global audiences.
Thus, they always fail to compete with the aggressive media
in absorbing potential audiences. It is important to point
out that technical and practical methods used in presenting
the contending culture, is its Achilles heel, not the
culture itself.
Globalization of Culture and Identity in the Information Era
On the subject of globalization, the most controversial

debate is raised on the issue of cultural globalization and
its main topic, the “identity crisis” and the role of mass
media as a facilitating tool for its expansion or
limitation. The notion of cultural globalization has
prompted various reactions, reflecting contradictory
implications. Some perceive this phenomenon as an instrument
for establishment of universal unity and democracy based on
a global culture signified as the “global village.”
According to the principles of McLuhan, this is due to the
expansion of new communication systems. However, others
disagree and contend that globalization has not resulted in
a unified political and economic identity (Rajaei, 2001). In
contrast, cultural globalization has destroyed national
identities.
Fukuyama challenges the idea of cultural globalization. He

argues that despite external economic pressures, societies
tend to preserve their individual identities and cultural
37
values eventually determine the economic direction of the
countries. This doesn’t mean that societies will not be
impacted by the globalization trend. However, there are more
profound elements in national cultures, which resist the
uniformity derived from economic and political ideologies.
Critics argue that cultural globalization will result in

cultural dominance and supremacy. The deterioration of
endemic cultures will be replaced with a universal culture
promoting excessive consumption and dominance of the
economic and information technology powers of the world.
These scholars believe that the western world is unfit to
provide a suitable response to cultural globalization. This
is because it is being challenged by numerous social and
cultural predicaments, itself.
Tomlinson says: “The cultural globalization that we are

witnessing today is not the net result of human endeavors
and experiences and even it has not equitably benefited from
cultural diversities. Rather it is the manifestation of
dominance of a certain overpowering culture”.
These researchers emphasize that the efforts made to conform
to the aggressive culture or interpret western culture in
various parts of the world have had disastrous results and
have revealed insurmountable cultural gaps. Thus, it is
impossible to create a global culture with this procedure,
and it only widens the existing gap between cultures.
Doubtless, globalization has affected certain values rooted

in major religions and cultures of the world. Concepts of
good and evil, right and wrong, individualism and pluralism,
individual interaction with the society and the very meaning
of life are all warped and corrupted by global capitalism,
international markets, mass media and the promotion of
38
excessive consumption. Even some local languages and
valuable traditions are on the verge of disappearance as the
result of globalization. Global consumerism is now forming a
homogeneous global culture where indigenous cultures of the
South are being replaced by Western cultures.
Others like the philosopher like Coleman James express their

dissatisfaction with the globalization. He notes the
alienation of societies with their history and their
fascination with foreign values. These new values and
beliefs have no root or connection to their national
identity. Therefore, globalization weakens the traditions
and values of local cultures for the sake of universal
uniformity and dominance of a commanding culture through the
formidable power of international media.
HYPOTHESIS
The following research question was hypothesized after
reviewing the literature on culture, identity and global
media. :
It was hypothesized that global media contribute to a great
extent in establishing the cultural identity cultural
identity, lifestyle and consumption patterns of respondents.
OBJECTIVES
Specific objectives of the study:
 To study the demographic profile of college students
who use global media.
 To study the extent of use of global media of
respondents.
39
 To analyse the understanding of the concept ‘cultural
identity’ from the respondents point of view.
 To examine the effects of global media on the
respondents in terms of changing:
1. Identity
2. Lifestyle
3. Consumption pattern
 To study whether the respondents maintained the status
quo of their cultural identity with respect to time.
 To analyse if there is gap between their cultural
identity and that of their parents/grandparents.
RESEARCH METHODOLGY
The present study was designed to examine new media issues,

cultural value identity, and their correlations among
college students in Delhi. To control other possible
influencing factors, all of the participants are
undergraduate students from University of Delhi. All of the
participants were randomly chosen from 5 Colleges in the
city. From these 5 colleges 10 students each were
interviewed. Access to internet, socio economic conditions,
and interface with different components of global media were
kept in before handing over the questionnaire.
To guarantee good quality, I was on site for their

reference. This sample seems representative of the young
college students in Delhi.
The problem can be attributed to ‘I’. The environment in

which ‘I’ stays can be called ‘N’.
40
Two Outcomes are possible:
1. O1: The identities have influenced under global

influence.
2. O2: The identities have not changed and remain intact.
The survey was conducted with an interview schedule tool

adopted and a questionnaire was designed with both open-
ended and close ended questions. The respondents had to
answer without any initiation or help.
Method of Study
1. POPULATION
For this study the students of the University of Delhi

formed the population. Students in the age group between the
17- 25 years were purposefully selected, since the said
group has been exposed to global media and are
quintessential of the modern Indian identity. Five colleges
under the University of Delhi were chosen for conducting the
survey. This sample was exhaustive since it covers most of
Delhi.
2. SAMPLING
Non probability sampling technique was adopted and 5

colleges were purposefully selected and fifty students were
selected randomly from these colleges where questionnaire
was distributed and asked to submit. To select the colleges
an equal emphasis was given to 5 areas of Delhi. Quota
sampling, technique was then adopted in which the population
was first segmented into mutually exclusive sub-groups, just
as in stratified sampling. Then judgment is used to select
the subjects or units from each segment based on a specified
41
proportion. In this study 50 students between the ages 17-25
were selected out of random sample space.
3. Limitations of the sampling method:
In quota sampling, the selection of the sample is non-random

unlike random sampling and can often be found unreliable.
For example interviewers might be tempted to interview those
people in the street who look most helpful, or may choose to
use accidental sampling to question those which are closest
to them, for time-keeping sake. The problem is that these
samples may be biased because not everyone gets a chance of
selection. This non-random element is its greatest weakness
and quota versus probability has been a matter of
controversy for many years.
4. Sample Size
Ten students from five colleges were chosen for the

interview. The total sample size came out to be fifty. All
these students were studying in various colleges of
University of Delhi and were residing in Delhi NCR.
5. Study Design/Research Design

A survey was conducted with an interview schedule tool
adopted and a questionnaire was designed with both open
ended and close ended questions keeping the following
dimensions in mind.
1- Access to internet
2- Socio Economic Conditions
3- Amount of exposure to internet & other inter face
The method of data collection was through paper

questionnaire. The questionnaire included items regarding
the importance of Internet, the time online, access to
English websites, the specific online activities frequency,
42
relation with any TV show etc. In doing this, I hope to
explore the correlations between global media items and
identity, further understanding the transforming process of
identities in the global media world India.
The questionnaire consists of two parts. The first part is a
self-made assessment of global media questionnaire. In this
study, the Internet, as a well-accepted global media form,
was chosen to be measured. The questions cover almost all
kinds of online activities and main cultural influences,
like movies and cultural texts.
The second part concerns cultural value identity. This part
probed in to questions of identity and how do youngsters
interplay with their identity.
RATIONALE & LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1. Rationale
The focus of this study is on college students who are
enrolled in the various colleges where I will conduct the
survey. This group was chosen because of their previous
exposure to Global Media. College students are tech savvy
and hence questions on their identity and relation between
media were asked.
Global media has wide reach but has limited audiences

because of technical, low user awareness, etc among other
limitations.
43
The study is intended to find out the status of cultural
identity of college students in relation with the rise of
global media. Previous studies have articulated that
identity can either be defined in one’s own
constituency/frame or can be the defined by a third
party/foreign body. Accordingly it has been seen that global
media is increasingly being seen as setting their agenda and
distorting the cultural identities in developing countries.
This study is an effort to probe this view and find out
whether new media is actually influencing the identities of
an individual or is it being subsided by strong cultural
influences.
The study places a premium to understand the underlying

views of Individuality, Consumerism, Globalisation, and
Identity amongst others as seen by college students aged
between 17-25 years. The study probes into their attitudes,
views and perspectives on various tenets of the Indian
cultural identity (taking the Shivdesani study into view,
2007).
The research study hence provides a unique opportunity to

research and study the role of global media in the making of
cultural identity. In addition, it provides an opportunity
to consider the extent to which global media can inculcate
multicultural values in young people. However, as is shown,
the idea of ‘cultural identity’ itself is contested and
problematic. The notion that ‘identity’ is a singular set of
ideas and practices or the idea that the making of cultural
identity is a simple process akin to changing one’s clothes
is fraught with difficulties.
These are things I knew intuitively before this study. I

knew them as a college student who negotiates his identity
44
through new cultural worlds. But as a researcher I try to
bring a logical angle t the study.
2. Limitations
This study is restricted to the students studying in
University of Delhi and cannot be generalized to the entire
population. Since the respondents belong to the urban city
where levels of education and awareness on issues like
identity, individuality and global media are quite high,
hence expecting honest/unbiased views seems doubtful.
Similarly the sample space of the population does not
reflect the views/notions of the young population of the
country.
RESULTS & DATA ANALYSIS

On the basis of the hypothesis a research survey was carried
out and the results were then collated and final analysis
was done. The ground research work took a span of seven days
after which the results were compiled and evaluated.
Following are the results and the analysis:
Question: Which of the following in your opinion, best
define “Identity”:
Response Frequency Percentage %
Avowal Identity 39 78
Ascribed Identity 11 24
Total 50 100 %
Analysis:
45
78% of the studied sample agreed with statement 2 and 24%
agreed with statement 1.The two definition are viewed on the
concept of ‘avowal’(you describe yourself) and
‘ascribed’(third part defined identity) notion of identity.
It was seen that majority of the college students believe
that there identity is described best by themselves. But
they do mention in most of the studies that the notion of
identity for them is best described by the societal and
family members/organisations.
Question: Do you identify yourself with any of the
characters from TV shows.
FRIENDS 21 42
South Park 6 12
MTV Roadies 5 10
Others 18 36
Total 50 100
Analysis:
An amazing 42% of the total respondents pointed towards
FRIENDS being one show with which they relate the most.
Others came second under which most pointed towards shows
like ‘Hip Hip Hurray’, ‘Gossip Girl’,’ Heroes’ etc. This
result can be attributed towards the inundation of the
American popular culture in the Indian society. FRIENDS is a
sitcom involving five friends staying in a suburban NY area
and grappling with the nuances of the American life. Many
concepts which were alien to the majority Indian society
like ‘young kids moving away from parents house’,
‘discussion on matters concerning sexual orientation or sex’
were quiet openly displayed and were amongst important
contents of the programme. A stark 42% relation with the
programming points towards an audience that accepts the
above debates more openly and can identify with the show
that in a way defines globalisation and American popular
culture.
46
Question 3: Which seminal text have you read / you find is
most relevant for our times
Response Frequency Percentage
%
The Mahabharata 18 33
The Clash of Civilizations 14 28
My Experiments with Truth 3 10
Others 15 29
Total 50 100
Analysis:
The majority of the respondents showed an inclination
towards the historic text ‘Mahabharata’ (33%). This can be
attributed to the Social inequity theory as projected by
Fukuyama according to which ‘historical text distraught with
crime and deceit are increasingly recognised by the
knowledge society. it is this mix of philosophy and pain
that attracts an evolving society”. A lot also point towards
others where George Orwell’s writing like “Animal Farm” and
“1984” which are left leaning writings talking about
oppression of state and the aftermath. A good 28% also talk
about “The Clash of Civilisations” as a text that they hold
important for the present times.
Question: How will you define your Identity.
Indian 17 34
Caste/Regional Identity 8 14
Global Citizen 22 44
Others 3 6
Total 50 100
Analysis:
This is perhaps one of the most important results of the
survey which points towards changing identity of the college
student. A whopping 44% of the respondents say that they
have a global identity as compared to 34% who subscribe to
the Indian identity. The increasingly growing trend of
47
describing yourself as a global citizen can be seen in the
survey where college students ascribe them as global
stakeholders in not only there countries but the worlds
progress. Second is the Indian identity but what is also
important is that not many like to describe their
state/caste as an identity for themselves (only a meager
14%).
Question: What in your opinion is most important in shaping
one’s identity:
%
Education 15 30
Family 15 30
Money/Social Status 10 20
Others 10 20
Total 50 100
Analysis:
This result seems to balance on every proportion with no
clear result. Majority of the respondents believe that an
equal (30%) education and family are most important sources
which shape identity. This only reinforces the Indian
concept of family and bonding that is important in the
development of one’s character. Another good 20% talk about
the importance of money and friends in shaping ones
identity. This 20% seem to be representative of the emerging
middle class that sees money and social status as important
symbols of identity and identity formation.
Question 6: Do you think you possess a unique identity:
%
Yes 42 87
No 5 10
To a great extent 2 2
Can’t Say/Others 1 1
Total 50 100
Analysis
48
An overwhelming and clear 87% say that they do possess a
unique identity. The open ended question that followed was
answered in different perspectives while the view since
he/she is an entity and hence holds a unique identity. This
also points at the larger question of how identities are
framed.
The discussion points at that in most cases the identity
becomes synonymous to individuality, where the possibility
of misunderstanding the concept as a whole and mixture of
distraught identities can be contested. This is what reveals
of the analysis of this data that reflects the identity.
Question: Which of the following, in your opinion does an

‘Indian Identity’ best/most symbolise :

%
Debates & Discussions 9 18
Non Violence/Resilience 11 22
Hard Working 10 20
Culturally Diverse 20 40
Total 50 100
Analysis:
Most of the respondents find that Indian identity most
embodies diversity which nowhere else is to be found. This
also points towards a greater sense of understanding of the
Indian identity which is reflective of their informed
opinion on issues of nationalism and other aspects. Another
aspect highlighted in the survey is the thinking that
Indians are non violent or resilient in nature. This is also
echoed in the contemporary debates against terrorism where
Indians resilient nature has been highlighted.
Question: In your opinion is your generation more clear
about their identity then the previous generation:
49
%
Yes 14 28
No 35 69
Total 50 100
Analysis:
The questioned was aimed at finding the levels of generation
gap and whether there is an understanding that the levels of
identity was more clear to the parents/grandparents was more
clear to the parents than them. The results show that 69%
said that they believe the previous generation was clearer
about such issues than the present generation. In addition
it was seen that this result is in continuation to the above
results where the respondents have embraced global citizens
which in essence means blurring the content and generation.
Question: Statement 1: ‘Globalization is large scale and
solely meant for giant systems.’
Statement 2: ‘Globalization is an internal matter and is
directly intertwined with individualistic aspects of our
livelihood including our individual identity.’
Result:

%
Option 1 22 44
Option 2 14 28
Total 50 100
Analysis:
This part was specifically aimed at inquiring the
respondent’s level of inquiry into global institutions and
globalisation. The respondents were expected to answer
questions related to effects of globalisation on individuals
versus global organisations. Most of the respondents favour
50
globalisation only for big institutions and systems. They
don’t believe that this may be a cause of any effect to them
as an individual or as a society, or as a nation as a whole.
Question: Do you regard Internet as the most important media
in your life:

%
Yes 29 58
No 11 22
Total 50 100
Analysis:
Around 60% of the respondents said that internet was the
most important media in their life. They said that they
would confirm to various sources on the internet for their
news input amongst which international news organisations
and others rank higher. This point towards the fact that a
large majority of the respondent’s work and use the internet
as a major source of their daily news dose.
Question: Which of the following in your opinion is the most
credible news provider:
%
BBC 19 38
CNN 4 9
Doordarshan (DD NEWS) 9 18
NDTV 13 25
Zee News 5 10
Others 50 100
Analysis:
The majority of the population holds BBC in high regards as
far as news dissemination is concerned. NDTV and Doordarshan
News follow a close second and third. This result shows that
students are highly motivated towards reading unbiased and
51
other information which according to the sample survey
points towards international organisations taking a lead and
also finalising the information provided by them in full
data. This result can also be interpreted as students
consuming more of global media and hence treating them as
the most credible news provider.
Question: What do you read the most in News:
%
Culture & History 31 62
Celebrity 5 10
Editorials 13 26
Total 50 100
Analysis:
The results point towards a clear favourite of the young
population. 60% of the respondents have pointed towards
culture and history as their first choice which they read in
the news, which is closely followed by editorials in the
newspaper (26%). This clearly is a distinction to other
results which show a certain kind of inclination towards
other media. This can also be correlated to other question
on Indian identity where a majority of the respondents
answered culturally diverse as their preferred choice. Thus
conclusion can be drawn that cultural diversity is a subject
that students manifest in a lot many ways.
Question: Do you feel rise in consumerism is a direct result
of global media:
%
Yes 42 88
No 6 18
Maybe/Others 2 4
Total 50 100
Analysis:
52
A clear majority of the respondents feel that the global
media has made them consumers and hence has resulted in
increased consumerism. But strikingly the data is also
points towards another 16% talking about consumerism being
an inherent virtue that can’t be affected by any external
factor. But the major population seems to disagree with this
view and believes rising consumerism is a direct output of
global media exposures.
CONCLUSION
The following conclusions were derived on the basis of the
research survey:
53
1- The study shows that respondents between the ages 19-22
have maximum exposure to global media. The average time
spent consuming such media ranges from six to eight
hours per day. Another result borne out of the survey
was that consumption pattern soared between age 17-22
and then drastically lowered after 22.
2- The study shows that average consumption of global

media varies with different age group. It was concluded
that age groups 17-21 spent more time consuming the
media compared to users between age groups 22-25. The
second derivation is that respondents are being exposed
to different tools of global media at their personal
level.
3- The study shows that avowal identity is the ‘preferred’

identity of the respondents (78%). Thus, it can be
concluded that the respondents consider their self as
their identity which they derive from family (32%),
education (32%), friends (28%) and social status/money
(8%). It can also be concluded that the respondents are
confused about their identity because 78% of the
respondents feel that their idea about their identity
is not clear from that of their parents/grandparents.
4- The respondents accept that there has been a change in

their consumption patterns after being exposed to the
global media. 92% of the respondents feel social
networking sites, blogs, international news channels
have encouraged them to move towards a ‘standardized
identity’ reflective of the American popular culture.
44% of the respondents identify themselves with shows
like FRIENDS, South Park and find BBC to be the most
credible news disseminator.
54
5- It was concluded that the respondents did not maintain
their identity with time. It was noticed that views on
identity changed between the age groups 17- 21 and 21-
25. This can be attributed to the change of space
(college/school to office/workplace) and general trend
of maturity that is seen amongst students.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books Consulted:
55
1. Castells, M. (1997). The power of identity, the
information age: Economy, society and culture, Vol. II.
Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
2. Castells, M. (2005). The network society: A cross-

cultural perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.
3. Collier, M. J., & Thomas, M. (1988). Cultural Identity:

An Interpretive Perspective.
4. Geertz, C. (2000) Available Light: Anthropological

Re.ections on Philosophical Topics.
5. Giddens, A. (1999a). Globalization: An irresistible

force. Daily Yumiuri.
6. Giddens, A. (1999b). Runaway world: How globalization

is reshaping our lives. London: Profile.
7. Howes, D. (ed.) (1996) Cross-Cultural

Consumption: Global Markets, Local Realities. London:
Routledge.
8. Jandt, F. E. (2004). An Introduction to Intercultural

Communication, 4th edition. Thousand.
9. Kaldor, M. (1999) New and Old Wars. Cambridge: Polity

Press.
10. Lippman & Pentland, (2003).Identity and Intergroup

Communication.
11. Lull, J. (2000) Media, Communication, Culture: A

Global Approach. Cambridge: Polity.
12. Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (1997).

Intercultural Communication in Context.
13. McLuhan, M., & Fiore, Q. (1968). War and peace in

the global village. New York: Bantam.M
14. McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions

of man. New York: McGraw Hill.
15. Morley, D. (2000) Home Territories: Media,

Mobility and Identity. London: Routledge.
16. Touraine, A. (2003). Equality and/or difference:

Real problems, false dilemmas.
56
17. Yakima,Y. & Gudykunst, W. B. (Eds.), Theories in
Intercultural Communication.
57
APPENDIX
ANNEXURE –I
Questionnaire for the study
1. Name:
2. Age:
3. College & Course:
58
4. Instructions:
a) There are two parts to the questionnaire, please do not leave any part unfilled.
b) If you are filling the form online/in the form of a soft copy then please bold your answers,
otherwise just mark the options.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Part 1: Cultural Identity
1. Which of the following in your opinion, best define “Identity”:
“the process of construction of meaning on the basis of a cultural attribute, or a related set of
cultural attributes, that is given priority over other sources of meaning”
“the process where your character is borne out of one’s social, economic and political
surroundings”
2. Do you identify yourself with any of the characters from the following shows:
FRIENDS
South Park
MTV Roadies
Others _______________
3. Which seminal text have you read / you find is most relevant for our times:
The Mahabharata (Rishi Ved Vyas)
The Clash of Civilizations (Samuel P. Huntington)
My Experiments with Truth (M.K. Gandhi)
Others _______________
4. How will you define your Identity :
As an Indian
As a state/caste identity i.e. (Himachali/Punjabi/Bihari/Brahmin/Dalit etc.)
Global citizen
Others _______________
5. What in your opinion is most important in shaping one’s identity :
59
Education
Family
Money/Social status
Friends
Others _________________
6. Do you think you possess an unique identity:
Yes
No
To a great extent
Can’t Say/Others ____________________
If the answer to the previous Question is Yes/No, then please elaborate on WHY you think so.
Answer: “
.
”End
7. Which of the following, in your opinion does an ‘Indian Identity’ best/most symbolise:
Debates and Discussions
Non Violence/Resilience
Hard working
Culturally diverse
Others _______________
60
8. In your opinion is your generation more clear about their identity then the previous generation:
Yes
No
Can’t say/Other: _______________
9. Statement 1: ‘Globalization is large scale and solely meant for giant systems.’
Statement 2: ‘Globalization is an internal matter and is directly intertwined with individualistic

aspects of our livelihood including our individual identity.’
You agree with:
Statement 1
Statement 2
Both
Can’t say/None/Others _______________
10. Statement 1: ‘Sacrificing individual identity for common good is justified.’
Statement 2: ‘Individual good means common good, so upholding individual identity reinforces
common good.”
You agree with:
Statement 1
Statement 2
Both
Can’t Say/None/Others _______________
Part 2: Global Media:

1 .Do you regard Internet as the most important media in your life:
Yes
No
61
To a great extent
Others _______________
2. Which of the following in your opinion is the most credible news provider:
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Columbia News Network (CNN)
Doordarshan News (DD News)
New Delhi Television (NDTV)
Zee News
Others _______________
3. What do you read the most in News:
News about Culture and history
Celebrity News
Editorials
Others _______________
4. Do you feel rise in consumerism is a direct result of global media:
Yes
No
Maybe/Others _______________
5. Are your parents on your Facebook/ Orkut friend list:
Yes
No
6. Are you aware of large conglomerates that own media like Time Warner, Rupert Murdoch:
Yes
No
62
Can’t say/Others: _______________
ANNEXURE - II
List of Participants of the Survey
No Name College Age Email Id
.
1. Cheishtha Kochar Sri Venkateshwara 20 kocharcheistha@gmail.com
2. Harsimar Khorana Sri Venkateshwara 21 simar@hotmail.com

3. Atirek Dhir Sri venkateshwara 20 daredevil.dhir@gmail.com
4. Ranjit Arora Sri Venkateshwara 21 arora.ranj@gmail.com

5. Saumya Chaterjee Sri Venkateshwara 20 saumya_sweet@yahoo.co.in
6. Gagandeep Singh Sri Venkateshwara 20 sekhonsinghg@gmail.com
Sekhon
7. Shravan Gupta Sri Venkateshwara 21 gupta.shravan@gmail.com
8. Ishita Singh Sri Venkateshwara 20 ishita.sg@gmail.com
9. Saransh Ahmed Sri venkateshwara 19 saransh@rediffmail.com
10. Divya Setya Sri Venkateshwara 21 divya.setya@gmail.com
11. Ishita Bahadur D.C.A.C. 20 ishita1701@gmail.com
63
12 Sumegha Gulati D.C.A.C. 20 sumegha.aqua@gmail.com
13. Nabeel D.C.A.C. 20 nabeel.korn@gmail.com
14. Udayan Biswas D.C.A.C. 20 mail2udie@gmail.com
15. Aneena Aggarwal D.C.A.C. 21 aneena@gmail.com
16. Sandeep Kathuria D.C.A.C. 19 sandeepkathuria@rediffma
il.com
17. Karan Oberoi D.C.A.C. 20 karan.oberoi@gmail.com
18. Paras Chander D.C.A.C. 21 paras@rediffmail.com
Mohan
19. Himantika Verma D.C.A.C. 19 hemantikaverma@hotmail.c
om
20. Pranav Sukhija D.C.A.C. 21 pranavsukhija@ahoo.co.in
21. Udit Rastogi Hansraj College 20 udrastogi@gmail.com
22. Shashank Shekhar Hansraj College 21 ssr1989@gmail.com
Rai
23 Srishti Gupta Hansraj College 19 srishti.gupta@gmail.com
24. Sumati Arora Hansraj College 21 sumati_arora@hotmail.com
25. Mugdha Jain Hansraj College 20 muggi@gmail.com
26. Ishita Aggarwal Hansraj College 20 ish.aggarwal@gmail.com
27. Dikshant bagh Hansraj College 20 dixie@gmail.com
28. Archit Ashwani Hansraj College 20 archit.striker@gmail.com
29. Sarthak Kwatra Hansraj College 19 sarthak@hotmail.com
30. Neha Kamra Hansraj College 21 neha.nefertiti@gmail.com
31 Garima Rana SSC of Bus. 20 garima.v.rana@gmail.com
Studies
32. Abhishek Asthana SSC of Bus. 19 asthana.abhishek@gmail.c
Studies om
33. Phalguni Aneja SSC of Bus. 21 aneja_p@yahoo.com
Studies
34. Kartikeya Batra SSC of Bus. 21 kartikeya.cbs@gmail.com
Studies
35. Sidhi Isherwalia SSC of Bus. 20 sidhi.angeldivine@gmail.
Studies com
36. Hamid Mailk SSC of Bus. 19 hamid_guru@ahoo.co.in
Studies
37. Sawan Goyal SSC of Bus. 20 sawan.Goyal2011@gmail.co
Studies m
38. Abha Parekh SSC of Bus. 20 abha.lse@gmail.com
Studies
39. Aditi Gupta SSC of Bus. 21 aditi.namesake@gmail.com
Studies
64
40. Ankit Chambiyal SSC of Bus. 19 ankit_cham@yahoo.com
Studies
41. Sonali Vij Kamla Nehru 21 sonalivij18@gmail.com
College
42. Parul Kaul Kamla Nehru 19 parulkaul@gmail.com
College
43. Anchal Dhupar Kamla Nehru 20 anchal.252@gmail.com
College
44. Molly Gambhir Kamla Nehru 21 molly.gambhir@gmail.com
College
45. Pratiksha Khanduri Kamla Nehru 19 prateeksha@hotmail.com
College
46. Simi Natho Kamla Nehru 20 simi.journo@gmail.com
College
47. Harshita Guha Kamla Nehru 19 harshita@hotmail.com
College
48. Mimansa SenGupta Kamla Nehru 19 mimansa@yahoo.com
College
49. Priyanka Bhardwaj Kamla Nehru 19 priya.bj@hotmail.com
College
50. Ananya Pandit Kamla Nehru 20 luvu_annie@hotmail.com
65

Has Global Media Changed Our Identity

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Has Global media changed our

Identity: A critical study

This is to certify that the project report “Has Global media

changed our Identity: A critical study” has been completed

by Bhanu Joshi under my supervision.

The declaration made by the student is true to the best of

Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal

The dissertation, “Has Global Media changed our Identity: A

critical study” has been carried out completely by me under

the guidance of Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal, Assistant

Professor, Department of Journalism, Delhi College of Arts &

Commerce (University of Delhi).

I further declare that the work included in the paper is

original and has not been submitted in part or full to any

other university/institute for degree/diploma.

I extend my sincere gratitude to my research mentor,

I am indebted to Prof. K.M. Srivastava, Professor IIMC

I would also like to thank my parents who extended

Media plays different roles in different cultures. It has

With a globalization, identities are being seen alienated,

This research study correlates the advent of global media

Globalisation has integrated the world into one. A global

A clear and distinctive example of global media experienced

and action.’ The mantra now is – entertain, entertain,

The Industrial Revolution shifted economic and social

1. Origin and rise of Global Media

reflected your occupation and everywhere you went people

Society needed news. People wanted to be informed how the

previously dominant newspapers—Pulitzer's World, Charles A.

After the Industrial Revolution was in full gear, mass

In 1859 Oliver Wendell Holmes described photography as the

Radio became a mainstream technology and transformed once

People became so interested in fame they began to wonder if

The rise in these types of magazines has everything to do

In fact, we currently have shows composed of nothing but

The overwhelming tragedy of it all can be seen by what

The loss of individuality is a terrifying proposition that

When India gained independence in 1947, the leaders of the

Compared with many other developing countries, the Indian

Although freedom of the press in India is the legal norm--it

Since the 1980s, India has experienced a rapid proliferation

Television programming was initially kept tightly under the

The 1990s have brought a radical transformation of

Competition from the satellite stations brought radical

All channels beaming into India do so from outside the

3. Interplay between Global Media and Culture

In the early 1990s, Indian television channels had their

3.1 Technological Reasons

3.2 Cultural Reasons

Still, the foreign organizations who have made attempts to

In the localized backdrop of India, the concept of

1. Culture, Cultural Identity, and Communication

The word culture describes everything that makes a large

Everyone has multiple identities that are created and

To create a culture, a group must first define itself as a

1.1 The Dynamics of Culture

Culture is a complex phenomenon. It includes the religious

Culture is a constantly changing phenomenon. Globalization

1.2 The Postmodern Approach to Culture

MIT researchers have examined how modern communication

They have similar views on cultural change under the rubric

There is a new kind of social and cultural habits associated

2.1 Identity in the Age of Information