Going Global: The Impact of Satellite Television
on News and Society
"Consider man, the prosthetic god. Not being able to run
very fast or for very long, he has grafted onto himself additional
feet, until he can travel farther and faster than any other animal,
and not only on land but also on and under water and in the air.
He can reinforce his eyes with glasses, telescopes, and microscopes.
Thanks to orbiting satellites, he can, without displacing himself,
count wildebeest in the African veldt, or missile silos outside
Novosibirsk. Lacking the dolphins ability to communicate great
distances, he amplifies his voice with the aid of radio waves...[H]e
has acquired a perpetually growing communal memory in the shape
of the written word, the photograph, and the recording. Everything
we know now, we know forever."
W. Rybczynski (1983) from Taming the Tiger: The Struggle
to Control Technology
Introduction
Satellites have changed the way news is distributed and received
around the world. Privatization of news media has allowed global
news networks, namely CNN and the BBC, to break up longstanding
government monopolies. Continuous news has found a global audience,
both for convenience and the most updated story details. Breaking
news relies on up to the minute updates, and every second counts
in the competitive global news arena. CNN dominates the global
airways, but critics maintain that this product is merely a cultural
export from the United States. Effects of global news include
a surge in the local news market and an overall increase in news
appetite. The intrusion of global television news into traditionally
oral cultures threatens the individual's sense of cultural identity.
Marshall McLuhan's vision of a global village, however, is becoming
increasingly possible as reception costs fall and more media hungry
individuals than ever are able to access satellite broadcasts.
Access to satellites and the expanding Internet has the potential
to create a shared consciousness around the world through global
news and cultural interaction.
Satellite Technology
History
Developments in satellite technology during the past three decades
have impacted the ways in which news is spread and how this information
affects the global society. In 1945, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author
of 2001: A Space Odyssey, devised the possibility of geosynchronous
satellites. It wasn't until long after the war that NASA realized
Clarke's vision in 1965 (Worringham 1990). At first, satellite
technology was too expensive for the masses, and it was only employed
by government officials and elite members of industrialized nations.
Technological improvements since then have allowed for a decrease
in satellite size and cost, and an increase in production and
distribution of television programing which can be broadcast to
every inhabited continent on the planet. The direct broadcast
satellite dish, what Richard Parker calls "the symbolic cornerstone
of the internationalized, yet individualized, TV future,"
is now smaller and less expensive than ever before (1994, 40).
Digital compression allows more channels to occupy the same bandwidth
necessary for the transmission of one analog channel. This increased
capacity to transmit information, along with reduction in the
overall costs of distribution, is moving the world one step closer
to a global communication culture.
Extent of Satellite Communication
According to Salah Guemriche, "today every household in the
world is within reach of a satellite...a means of monitoring ideas
that come from elsewhere" (1997, 23). While this appears
to be true, not all the inhabitants of the world are wealthy enough
even now to pay for the technology required to tune in to the
world. In India, for instance, where satellite dishes are too
expensive for many poorer individuals, cable is used to connect
several neighborhood households to one home with a satellite dish
for little or no fee (Quinn 1996).
Global, not Universal Audience
CNN International, which was launched in 1985, is now available
to more than 102 million households in more than 210 countries
(Culf 1996). Stevenson warns that for today's mass communication
audience, "global does not yet mean universal" (1997,
44). The technology is available for the global distribution
of information, but there are only a few distributors originating
the messages. Hamid Mowlana argues that "while we are verging
on global reception, we are still not anywhere near the ideal
of global communication" (1995, 43). Richard Worringham agrees
that "it would be wrong to assume that all nations benefit
from these television relays, or that the flow of information
and entertainment is reciprocal"(1990, 195). He goes on
to say that there are technological and political limitations
to the ultimate goal of truly global two-way communication.
Knowledge Gaps
Jim Willis discusses two distinct knowledge gaps which are emerging
as technology advances throughout the world at widely differing
paces. He also notes the large amounts of information available
to those living in industrialized nations, such as the United
States and Great Britain. He states, "We could become a
much more learned and informed society if we took advantage of
all this information...the gap between the knowledge available
and the knowledge assimilated might actually increase instead
of decrease" as the flood of information grows larger (Willis
1995, 19). Another widening knowledge gap that Willis examines
is the gap "between the haves and the have-nots...the result
of the rising cost of accessing information" (1995, 19).
According to Richard Parker, "in many countries serviced
by CNNI...apart from a virtual handful of elite households and
government offices, luxury hotels catering to Western business
travelers and tourists are the core of local audiences" (1994,
43). This trend, however, is reversing as prices for satellite
technology decline.
Global News
Media privatization and Competition
There is a major change occurring in the global news arena. "An
activity that was once mainly state-owned and monopolistic is
becoming privatised and competitive" (Economist 1997, 71).
These changes are linked to the developments in satellite technology
and the recent reduction of transmission costs. According to Foote,
global news networks broadcasted over satellite television are
able to offer different points of view than the often singular
government channel available in many countries. He states, "for
millions of viewers in developing countries, a single, government
channel may be the only option for news; other points of view
are simply not available. The Cable News Network (CNN) and BBC
World Service Television have now penetrated many of those national
monopolies" (Foote 1995, 127).
Government Control of Information
Governments throughout the world have long sought to control their
people by controlling the modes of communication within their
borders. In a speech in London in September 1993, Rupert Murdoch,
media mogul in charge of the BBC's international news service,
BBC World, said "satellite broadcasting makes it possible
for information hungry residents of many closed societies to bypass
state-controlled TV channels" (Auletta 1998, 267). Stevenson
states that alternative points of view transmitted by global news
media allow individuals to separate themselves from their governments'
"official state-driven viewpoints" (1997, 46).
Through direct satellite broadcasts, CNN and the BBC are able
to transmit news around government gatekeepers, directly into
the living rooms of the world's inhabitants. Satellite signals
are harder to scramble than traditional radio transmissions, so
governments have difficulty policing illegal reception via small
satellites (Worringham 1990). Leo Bogart agrees that satellite
broadcasting technology, in addition to the ever expanding Internet,
has a "global reach that is difficult or impossible for repressive
governments to control" (1995, 1).
Guemriche states that direct satellite transmission erases national
borders, and television as a means of spreading information could
"spell danger to any established order" (1997, 22).
A communications professor at the University of New Hampshire
argues that government control of national identity goes beyond
physical borders and suppression. He states that "national
sovereignty isn't based only on power and barbed wire; it is based
also on information control. Nations are losing control over informational
borders because of CNN" (Henry 1992, 24).
Global Competitors
CNN International
The Cable News Network (CNN) started as a domestic news channel
in the U.S. in 1980. Its owner, Ted Turner, decided in the mid-1980s
to go global, and he developed another network which he called
CNN International (CNNI). Today this continuous, global news
network is the leader in worldwide communications, and is available
to hundreds of millions of viewers in more than 200 countries
(Culf 1996). Despite its seemingly universal audience, Parker
accuses CNN's reach of being "substantially broader than
it is deep" (1994, 43). CNNI does, in fact, broadcast to
nearly every country in the world, but its audience is still dominated
by the wealthy minority of the population.
Although its programming is produced outside of the U.S., many
critics still view CNNI as an American product with a biased view
of the rest of the world. On the other hand, one program broadcast
on the network, CNN World Report, is seen as "the first truly
global newscast" (Wilkinson and Dickey 1990, 51). This program
consists of three minute pieces sent to CNNI by more than 90 participating
local networks throughout the world. CNNI airs each contribution
unedited, complete with broken English or translated voiceovers.
Teleplomacy'
"[Ted Turner] believes the emergence of global, instantaneous
news was one of the straws that broke the camels back' "
to bring about the end of the Cold War (DeMoraes 1998, B1). When
CNN was first broadcast, interest in this innovation of global
news was so widespread in diplomatic circles that it became a
"new channel for diplomatic communication" (Foote 1995,
129). Tony Verna coined the term teleplomacy' to describe
this impact of satellite television news media, especially CNN,
on the behavior of key players in international affairs (1993).
World leaders are increasingly turning to CNN for information
whenever a crisis breaks out. They are sure that CNN will be
on the front lines with cameras rolling. Thanks to the widespread
availability of CNN in government offices, according to Tom Rosenstiel,
"diplomacy now involves leaders communicating to the entire
diplomatic communityif not the publicsimultaneously"
(1994, 27). The messages broadcast on CNN are not always positive,
and unpopular nations and their practices are placed in the open
to be judged by the collective global conscience. According to
William Henry, "CNN has also become a kind of global spotlight,
forcing despotic governments to do their bloody deeds, if they
dare, before a watching world" (1992, 24).
Total Access Granted
Many times CNN is granted exclusive access to world changing events.
For instance, during the Gulf War, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
allowed only CNN to have its own phone line (Wilson Quarterly
1994). CNN's gripping coverage from Baghdad in 1990 from this
lone link to the outside world was enough to put its ratings "twenty
times above normal...eleven and a half million homes" in
the U.S. alone (Rosenstiel 1994, 27).
BBC World
In the last decade, CNN has dominated the global news market.
Ted Turner's only rival has been Rupert Murdoch and his answer
to CNN, BBC World. After debating whether to match the service
provided by the BBC shortwave radio international services, Murdoch
launched BBC World satellite news in the late 1980s (Fisher 1998).
Because of the widespread reach of BBC radio, BBC World has more
local bureaus in foreign countries than CNN (Fisher 1998). For
most countries (outside the U.S.), the BBC is the people's most
complete source of uncensored news available about their own country.
BBC and China
In 1989, the global media spotlight turned to China's political
unrest. At first, both CNN and the BBC were in Beijing, along
with countless print journalists, to cover a student protest.
When riots broke out in Tiananmen Square and an estimated thousand
or more students were massacred by Chinese soldiers, the Chinese
government ordered all western media to cease coverage. They
were successful in "persuading the Rupert Murdoch controlled
Star television corporation to abandon the practice of transmitting
BBC News" into the region (Stevenson 1997, 47). The BBC
World News signal was halted at the borders of China, Taiwan and
Hong Kong, "apparently in response to Chinese government
sensitivities about television news from the west delivered by
satellite" (Snoddy 1994, 1). This lapse in transmission lasted
for more than two years, and had a negative impact on the BBC's
later rivalry with CNNI.
CNN vs. BBC
"While Murdoch wants to dominate the world, Turner says he
aims to unite it" (Carter 1997, 2). The differences between
the two competing networks goes deeper than this distinction though.
According to Henry, BBC officials claim that they offer "more
analysis, more authoritative opinion and a broader world view"
than CNN. To counter this, CNN officials argue that although
they also have a global outlook, "world audiences are keenly
interested in the U.S., in every aspect from politics to popular
culture" (Henry 1992, 24). Fisher ranks the BBC's credibility
over CNN's because the BBC has a history of being "less respectful
of those in power than its American competitor, which is often
willing to give a dictator air time in return for visas and privileged
access" (Fisher 1998, 15).
The Future of Global News
Who's responsible for producing world news? CNN International
and BBC World stand out as the only major competitors in the global
news business. EuroNews, a network subsidized by the French government
and the European Union, was an attempt to break into the market,
as an alternative to English-language global news services (Foley
1997). Language barriers between the countries in Europe make
locally produced news difficult to export even to neighboring
countries.
Chris Cramer, head of CNN International, says "the way ahead
for services such as CNN is regionalisation. CNN has launched
regional channels for Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (Foley
1997, 20). Joe Foote predicts that CNN and the BBC could surpass
their domestic revenues in the international market, just as the
entertainment industry has done. He offers suggestions for their
continued success: offer more non-English programing, expand newsgathering
into the most remote countries, and establish partnerships with
local newsmakers both print and broadcast (1995).
Effects on Local Programing
While some critics are concerned about negative global media effects
on local cultures, perhaps the biggest effect of global satellite
technology can be seen in the local broadcasting market. The increase
in overall news appetite and decrease in transmission costs have
both given a boost to local news markets. According to Joe Foote,
"the most tangible by-product of global news networks thus
far has been an increase in the appetite for news, especially
indigenously produced programming" (1995, 130). Richard
Parker predicts "unprecedented growth in local broadcasting"
as a result of the success of global television (1994, 46). Borrowing
the term glocalize' from the international world of business,
Armand Mattelart describes the need in the mass communication
market for a news network to be both international and local at
the same time (1995).
Effects on Journalism
Continuous News
Around the same time that global news emerged as a viable concept,
so did continuous news (Foote 1995). Twenty-four hours of news,
around the clock, with updates every half hour, and breaking news
as it is happening. This changes many traditional journalistic
practices. News is virtually broadcast the moment it is recorded,
and as Jim Willis notes, "accuracy and speed mix about as
well as oil with water" (1995, 18). There is also an increased
capacity for news. While this extra air time can be used for
analysis and in-depth coverage of bigger issues, often it is filled
with entertainment, sports, and sensational news.
In a discussion concerning the vast amounts of news available
today, Neil Postman distinguishes between information, knowledge
and wisdom. Knowledge is organized information that helps receivers
decide how information is relevant, and wisdom is knowing what
knowledge is relevant to solving problems (Walker 1998). Postman
warns that there is an excess of information and an absence of
any knowledge in today's "information environment."
He argues that today's news broadcasters are in the information
business, offering no context for knowledge. "We live now
in a world of too much information--confusing, specialized knowledge--and
too little wisdom" (Walker 1998, 1).
Less Newsgatherers Worldwide
Despite the upsurge in demand for news programming, there are
fewer people actually gathering the news. This trend of diminishing
points of view, as Foote indicates, "runs the obvious risk
of distorting events and providing a less diverse view of the
world" (1995, 129).
Breaking News and Sensationalism
Tom Rosenstiel blames CNN and its breaking news coverage for the
loss of control that other news organizations have over the content
they include in their broadcasts. The other networks are constantly
playing catch-up' and resort to interpretation of CNN's
chosen stories. Often sensationalism is used by these journalists
to give them an edge over the competition. "[CNN] has bred
a rush to sensationalism and an emphasis on punditry and interpretation
at the expense of old-fashion reporting" (Rosenstiel 1994,
27).
Turbonews'
Willis coined the term turbonews' to describe what he calls
"the vast masses of news and information that can now reach
us at the speed of light" (1995, 18). He argues that communication
satellites will have an even greater impact on journalism than
television did (Willis 1995). Turbonews' also indicates
the speed at which journalists at the end of the 20th century
must gather, analyze, package, report, and update news. Added
to the practice of continuous news, turbonews' is part of
the endless and competitive journalistic cycle.
Live Broadcasts
Another aspect of the global news market dominated by CNN is the
live broadcast. As CNN's live coverage of the Gulf war showed,
there is a huge market for real-time reporting of major events.
Richard Parker argues that the presence of live camera crews
at world happenings, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the
student protests in Tiananmen Square, and more recently the Crisis
in Kosovo, has the potential to change the ultimate course of
events. The world is watching' phenomenon affects all facets
of global news: the news producers, its television audience and
the live participants. Parker states, "We as an audience
were in some sense changed, tooaware (as were the event's
participants) that what we saw was being seen simultaneously in
more than a hundred countries around the world" (Parker 1994,
39).
Criticisms of Global News
Cultural Exportation
William Henry states that the majority of criticism of global
news is rooted in the rest of the world's "general resentment
of U.S. power and influence" (1992, 24). Distribution of
world news, especially by CNN, according to Henry, is often labeled
as "U.S. imperialism" (1992, 24). Ted Turner, the often
outspoken owner of CNN, refutes claims that his network is exporting
American culture and values, noting that 90% of the programming
aired on CNN International is made just for the world news arena,
and not for domestic CNN (Ong 1998). Turner adds, "The dilemma
for us is that a lot of people fondly remember the CNN of the
1980s when it was Headline News, being exported internationally.
We have changed." (Ong 1998, 18).
Western Bias
Joe Foote states that there is widespread concern that world news
networks originating in the western hemisphere may overwhelm local
cultures of developing countries and present news which is biased
toward western culture (1995). Christine Ockrent, a senior correspondent
for a French worldwide network, accuses CNN of being a U.S. channel
operating in the global market. According to Ockrent, "[CNN]
sees the world through an American prism" (Parker 1994, 45).
Fisher criticizes both CNN International and BBC World for covering
stories concerning their own leaders and countries too often.
"In doing so, CNN often makes it look as if only the opinion
of the United States matters. And the BBC often makes it look
as if Britain is far more influential than it really is"
(Fisher 1998, 15).
Does Globalization Equal Americanization?
Daniel Bougnoux questions the effects of American influence on
world media: "How can we be sure that globalization, or the
global village' of which we have heard so much, will not
amount to Americanization?" (1995, 10). Karl Quinn argues
that the two words are interchangeable. "It is hard to refute
the convention that the visual media of the English-speaking world
are heavily influenced, if not exactly overrun, by American interests,
techniques and values" (Quinn 1996, 14). Conversely, it
is argued that although globalization and Americanization were
once synonymous, "the media business, and especially television,
are becoming increasingly multinational" (Economist 1997,
71).
Transmission of Valuesespecially democracy
Some say that western nations inherently transmit, along with
news and entertainment programing, their cultural and societal
values. Stevenson argues that satellite television assumes that
humans have the right to information availability. "The
restriction of global flows of information is widely perceived
as a violation of cultural citizenship and human rights"
(Stevenson 1997, 47).
Specifically, values of democracy are said to be promoted through
mass media communication as a necessary partner for the free transmission
of information and ideas.
What is carried by the airwaves, of course, are the values of
the society that produces them. Democracy is one of those values.
The noble paradox inherent in transnational flows that are hegemonistic
by nature is that they subliminally transmit, albeit through an
ideological filter, the message of freedom and human rights. (Guemriche
1997, 25)
Bogart sees democracy and the free flow of information as a critical,
reciprocal process. "The worldwide diffusion of ideals would
seem to be a necessary byproduct of mass communications...Representative
democracy is inconceivable without forms of mass communication"
(Bogart 1995, 1).
Homogeneity of Culture
There is a danger that worldwide transmission of ideas, and the
shared experiences gained by viewing the same events simultaneously
threatens the distinctions of national cultures throughout the
world. Nick Stevenson states that information flowing from CNN
and the BBC global news networks is a positive attempt to "link
the world through a seemingly homogenous cultural space"
(1997, 42). Some fear that this "homogenisation of distinctive
national and regional taste" could destroy the defining features
of a nation's cultural identity (Economist 1997, 76).
EnglishThe Global Language?
English is widely spoken in international business and scientific
fields, but should it be assumed as the global language for news
media? Problems arise with the slow translation process and the
availability of multi-lingual journalists. The widespread acceptance
of English as the "global tongue" is attributed by some
to the "combination of British colonialisation and American
commercialisation" (Economist 1997, 74). Others cite the
contributions of worldwide radio services, such as the BBC and
Voice of America, for establishing English as the lingua
franca' for global television news (Foote 1995, 127). Tom Moore
notes the incongruity of the slow translation process and the
fast pace of news in the satellite era (Moore 1994). If too much
time is taken to translate carefully, the news will be history
before it is even aired. Rushing the translation process adds
to the probability of errors and the spread of misinformation.
Threats to Local Cultures
Joe Foote identifies the potential for "cultural invasion"
in global broadcasting (1995, 129). Do Bushmen in the Kalahari
really need to know who shot J.R.? How are the accusations of
an American president's infidelity accepted in Middle Eastern
countries? International ABC News president Norm Leaper notes
that many nations are thrust "in a single generationfrom
pre-industrial societies to 20th century nations, with radio and
now satellite-delivered television becoming more common than paved
roads" (Moore 1994, 9). This abrupt change in technology
can have adverse effects on a local community.
Neil Postman addresses the effects of electronically distributed
information on oral cultures in his article, "The Information
Environment." He states, "when a medium of communication
has the power to disembody words, to split them away from their
original source, the psychological and social effects of language
are forever changed" (1979, 234). Salah Guemriche argues
that members of traditionally oral cultures perceive television
differently than those in industrialized societies. "The
basic effect of television is to trivialize...viewers who are
heirs to an oral tradition will be unsatisfied rather than fascinated
by the TV image...the televised image dispossesses the spoken
word of its descriptive powers" (Guemriche 1997, 24).
Others take a more positive view of the so-called "cultural invasion" and the cosmic technological changes taking place. In fact, they argue that the same technology that beams American programing around the globe will "help to reinforce local culture," by allowing minor programming from the farthest reaches of the world to be broadcast to the same global audience (Economist 1997, 73).
Cultural Identity and the Search for Community
Cultural Identity
Just as the physical environment determines what the source of
food and exertions of labor shall be, the information environment
gives specific direction to the kinds of ideas, social attitudes,
definitions of knowledge, and intellectual capacities that will
emerge (Postman 1979, 234).
News media not only provide information and create common experiences
for mass audiences, they also give populations a sense of contact
with their leaders and offer a "constant reminder of national
identity" (Bogart 1995, 6). Stevenson suggests that in today's
global society, it would be overly nostalgic to discuss cultural
identity in the "placeless culture" of the electronic
age (1997, 41). Is there a base culture to which all humans belong?
Parker argues that the whole idea of global news "implies
the foundations of a common universal culture" shared by
all the Earth's inhabitants (1994, 39).
Hamid Mowlana sees globalization from a different angle. Not
only does satellite television reduce isolation of many developing
nations, it also helps to "increase the cultural awareness
of minorities by allowing them to see the distinctions between
themselves and other groups" (Mowlana 1995, 44). In this
way, satellite television could strengthen an individual's cultural
identity.
Search for Community
The more we connect, the more we seek to control the connection.
The more we detach from our immediate surroundings, the more we
rely on surveillance of that environment. The more communication
choices offered, the less we trust the information we receive.
The more information and data available, the more we need. The
more individuality we achieve, the more communities we seek (Gumpert
and Drucker 1998, 425).
As societies become more technologically advanced, and communication
takes place primarily through electronic channels, individuals
may find themselves seeking out a sense of community. With the
availability of direct satellite communication, and access to
the Internet, communities of similar individuals can be formed,
unrestricted by geographic distances or borders.
McLuhan's Global Village
McLuhan's Vision
In the 1960s, Marshall McLuhan predicted that as television and
satellite communication became more prevalent, the inhabitants
of the world would be connected in a new way. He called this
concept the "global village." Early communication consisted
only of the spoken word in a local village community setting.
McLuhan theorized that as satellite television expanded and encircled
the globe, and other electronic media extend into the furthest
reaches of the world, communication could return to the village
level. Raymond Gozzi notes the oxymoronic quality of McLuhan's
"global village" metaphor. He states, "Global'
implies a planet-wide network, encompassing thousands of miles
and billions of people. Village' implies small, face-to-face
communities" (Gozzi 1996, 66).
Shared Consciousness
According to Raymond Gozzi, "the metaphor of a global village
speaks to the deep need in alienated industrial-urban societies.
It addresses a longing for connectedness and community"
(1996, 65). Modern societies could be linked electronically, enabling
communities that are on opposite sides of the globe to interact
as if they were geographically closer. A shared consciousness
could develop in such a universal mass society.
Barriers to Overcome
Richard Worringham argues that although the technology is becoming
available for such a connectedness to occur, there are still obstacles
to overcome. He concludes:
Since the seventies, the telecommunications industries have taken
advantage of the development of satellite communication, providing
the potential for world community...Since that time, economical,
technological and informational gaps' between developed
and developing countries, have been growing at an alarming rate,
creating the potential for world anomy...Mc Luhan's notion of
the global village is yet but a vision (1990, 194).
The Future of Global Communication
Alternatives to Satellites
There are several alternatives to satellite television emerging
in the global news arena. One such product that has yet to gain
popularity is the NewsCatcher.' This pyramid-shaped receiver
hooks into a personal computer and relays news headlines, sports
scores and entertainment reports from news wires and online sources
anytime. The unit receives information via radio transmissions
and does not require a modem (Croal 1996).
Another alternative to satellite television news is the increasingly
available Internet. This news medium is interactive and personalized.
The points of view available, while not always trustworthy, are
virtually unlimited. More and more news networks are chiming
in to the global voice of the World Wide Web with 24 hour news
sites. MSNBC (www.msnbc.com),
ABC (www.abcnews.com), CNBC
(www.cnbc.com), CNN Interactive
(www.cnn.com), and BBC News
Online (news.bbc.co.uk) are
a few of the names in the emerging news-on-demand market (Foley
1997).
As Internet access continues to connect the world, these western-based
networks will have to begin catering to the expanding audiences
in developing countries. Alvin Toffler, futurist and author of
The Third Wave, believes the future of news broadcasting, what
he calls individeo,' belongs in this "high-tech world
of interactivity...a world where the individual viewer would be
the producer" (Parker 1994, 43).
Arthur's C. Clarke's Peacesats'
In his recent book, How the World was One: Beyond the Global Village
(1992), Arthur C. Clarke proposes an international use of satellite
technology that would have a greater impact on the world than
global television news. He calls these satellites Peacesats.'
Clarke claims that total surveillance of border, intra-national
activity, and verification of arms agreements through satellite
imagery could result in world peace. By allowing everyone to view
the satellite output, wars and disagreements based on false assumptions
could be avoided. "Most forms of military secrecy could
be scrutinized by the whole world. And although there would be
many clandestine activities that the Peacesat could not detect,
its psychological impact would be enormous" (Clarke 1992,
256).
Conclusions
Improvements in satellite technology continue in leaps and bounds. Costs for basic reception are falling and more nations than ever before have access to satellite television. As the audience grows, so does its insatiable appetite for news. Success of networks in the global news market, such as CNNI and BBC World, are causing growth and competition in local broadcasting as well. At the moment there is still too much news programing rooted in western culture, and not enough production from developing nations. In order for news to become truly global, producers of the news will have to come from places other than the U.S. and Britain. Until this occurs, global news producers need to take responsibility for their broadcasts, acknowledge the multi-cultural make-up of the world audience, and adjust their agendas accordingly. News-on-demand services via the Internet appear to be the next explosion waiting to dominate the global electronic culture.
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Rebecca L. Ash
JRL 304
4/26/99