Shantel Lawrence
In a paper written by Norman Girvan, he states ‘Globalization’ in its ideological usage is the label employed for the post-Cold War, US-led project of the 1990s to organize the world according to the principles of neo-liberal economies. It connotes an allegedly irreversible process towards the formation of a single world economy, society and culture driven by technology and by the transnationalization of investment and of money capital.
In the last few decades, the world has witnessed a technological revolution that has produced computers, the internet, mobile phones, and multitude of other new technologies that have propelled us into what is being called the “information Age.” Many people have predicted that these modern information and communication technologies could bring the citizens of the world together, make governments more accountable, improve education levels, help business and commerce, and spread democracy and prosperity around the world. However, this new era of ‘information age’ although beneficial to the developed countries has made the existing gap between developed and third world countries worse.
Technology, it was believed, would not only amplify material progress, it would also confer upon it a sense of direction and significance. This has proven not to be the case for third world countries as they are faced with challenges when technology is used. These challenges includes the price of internet access, the shortage of telephone lines and wired access, a lack of electricity in rural areas, the required expertise and training required, and the media and flow of information.
The media and flow of information between the developed and third world countries is controlled by transnational corporations. Money provides the muscle power for the transnational corporations. Technology is the nervous system. Information in the sense of the flow of news through the press and the electronic media is the persuader. More than 85 percent of the international news flow almost exclusively in a north to south direction. Very little of the total news traffic moves from south to south or from south to north.
The main agencies responsible for the flow of news to the Third World are transnational enterprises with headquarters in a developed industrial country. Third World news media get little space for participation in the international information system. At the same time, the transnational news agencies provide coverage that is linked in the main to the interest of the modern news market. As a consequence, the realities of Third World countries are often misreported or distorted.
A good example of this is Jamaica and when they became a major target between 1975 and 1980, there was a clear bias of the flow of information by the media. These news agencies, the journalists who work for them, and the newspapers which depend on them for the interpretation of the news succeeded in under-mining the credibility of the country’s leadership. The flow of propaganda created a fear among the leaders of the local commercial enterprises and helped to ensure that foreign entrepreneurs came to regard Jamaica as a place to avoid at all costs. This false information spread by the media affected Jamaica’s economy negatively. Many times people tend to believe those who hold power while ignoring the truth and facts. Third World countries should be allowed to have an even playing field when receiving and disseminating media with developed counties in order for growth and development to take place.
References
• Escobar, Arturo. (1995). Encountering Development: the Making and Unmaking of The Third World: Princeton University Press Publishers
• Girvan, Norman. (1999).The Globalization and Counter-Globalization: The Caribbean in the Context of the South
• Manley, Michael. ( 1987).Up the Down Escalator: Development and the International Economy: Andre Deutsch Publishers
• Miller, Debra A. (2007).Developing Nations: Christine Nasso Publisher
It is true that technology bridges the digital divide and gives a different experience for certain countries and yet again we see how powerful dominant countries hold the patent for technology and controls their own interest. It definitely has not increased prosperity for the global south. There is no sharing of the Tricks of the Trade. Through social media we connect with the rest of the world which is great and the entire world is at our fingertips but there is a downside to that in that the same technology can be used as weapons of war. There is cyber warfare and hacking. Traditional institutions are broken down especially the family as people skills are lost. Almost everyone have smart phones and conversations are carried on via skype, facebook and text messages. We are totally absorbed though and there is no turning back. The flow of information through the media is controlled by dominant groups with their own agendas and 'truth' is questionable.
ReplyDeleteJuliet Portillo
According to Richard Bernal 'new technologies have reduced transaction time, eliminated geography and distance, thereby creating an environment of 24-hour trading. In this environment the 'mindset' must be speed'.
ReplyDeleteC. Samuel