Globalisation and Mass Media

Hey! This is gonna be the last entry of my COM101 Blog.

Today I'm going to be discussing about something that is more familiar to everyone of us. YAHOO!, this website is almost known to all of us. however every time we go to the website, do we know that the users in Singapore are automatically directed to the Singapore yahoo web page?



As we all know, yahoo is famous for its interactive website. it could easily challenge Facebook or Friendster with the amount of applications they have on the front page. Yahoo News is one of the more famed application of yahoo.inc, and in the singapore website, the yahoo homepage pretty much displays local news. and this is similar to the UK YAHOO site and the USA yahoo site. not only that, we can see how the sidebar on the left of the screen varies from country to country.


UK Yahoo!


USA Yahoo!

AS you can see, the media caters to every country. of course there are many other examples that can be found for yahoo like Australia and China. But the important point is that yahoo marketing strategy is excellent because it makes any user around the world feel at home.

This is also the same with Google. although Google is known for its simple designs on its web page, it also allow search to view pages only from a particular country. It is pretty evident today that the media was grown drastically and has learn to cope with the Asian population. Hollywood movies are make a BIG BANG in the Asian market. however it is sad that the Asian films are far behind and have yet reached the western crowd. Many would have attributed this to the difference in culture. however we readily accept Americanization or westernization. It is a sad truth that the local cinemas are flood with blockbusters from all around the whole except ASIA!

Why is it that the American/European media has so much influence in ASIA and not the other way round?

Biennale Singapore 2008

Since it's opening in 11 September 2008, the Biennale(Bi-annual)Singapore 2008 exhibition has been a big success. Opening daily from 11am to 8pm, it is known to the largest and most provocative visual arts display by artists all around the world. This years theme of wonder invites all its viewers into a world that is thought invoking and one that is unfamiliar and pleasantly surprising. Apart from the 3 museum (Singapore Flyer, South Beach Development and City Hall) that one would have to pay for entry, most of its artworks are displayed around the central business districts in Singapore. As for the other venues such as Raffles City Shopping center and Suntec city shopping center, these places offer passers by free admission to the individual art pieces on display.



The display at raffles city for instance is as big as a billboard. Not only does it attract the attention of the people walking by, it is also a Big ADVERTISEMENT for the event itself. Unlike the more common television and internet advertising used by millions of companies around the world, the Biennale Singapore has found a more creative and effective way to not only publicize for this event but also leave people wondering (as part of their theme) Other art pieces around town like under the esplanade bridge and Suntec city shopping center will definitely catch the attention of Singaporeans passing by. More important, The organizers have taken into account of the target audience. More stereotypical Singaporean would go and take a look at the "free" exhibit. this is kind of media is one that is non exclusionary as anyone walking pass the exhibit will inevitably see it. However consumers have also a certain amount of control in this situation as. They can choose to stop and appreciate the artwork or just walk away.



In a world like today, the media plays an important role but it almost does not have as much control over its viewers as it had in the past because humans are learning that they have a choice. In today's world, the control of power between the media and humans are constantly changing with every advertisement. How have you lost your freedom of choice to the media today?

YOUtube AND MEdia

I recently caught this advertisement on the television and thought it was quite cool. its pretty amazing how nokia's advertising department came up with the concept of the world being supported by human beings. there is no denying that with people, the mass media is nothing and without the mass media, people today are nothing.

This brings me to the point
ARE WE TOO RELIANT ON THE MASS MEDIA TODAY?

Personally i feel that the media has become a part of the human race today. And we cannot deny that without tv, internet, print media. the world will be revert back to the dark days where we just mind our own business. Honestly i cannot imagine how the world was back then when the internet was not yet invented. today it is almost impossible to find anything that is not related to the mass media. Our culture, the way we think, the way we dress, even how we move has been affect by the media. From stereotypes to fashion shows. The world we live in has been placed in the palm of the media today.

It is almost hard to find something that is not related to the media.
can u think of anything that is not related to the media today?

This is one clear entertainment for all you MAMBO FANS