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?
5 comments:
I guess that is because the Westerners are the ones who started it all and thus they are the superpowers in the field of media. People in power tend to work towards maintaining power and so it is even more difficult for Asians to rise in the field. Moreover, Western countries have lower percentage of poverty. There are probably more reasons to it but these are some of those which i can think of.
Yes. The Westerners originally advanced quicker than the Asians did, giving them an advantage right from the very start.
However, Asian films are now being more widely regarded as equal to their Western counterparts, although different in style of course and to a limited extent. This can be seen in various film festivals where ASian fimmakers have become regular fixtures (Eric Khoo, Naomi Kawase, Zhang Yimou, etc) and have even won awards for their films.
It is predicted that as China grows and becomes the most powerful economy in the world in the next 20 years, the film industry will start catering to the Chinese masses. Who knows - maybe one day Hollywood will be the one making films in Chinese.
i think not only china but also india. bollywood movies are breaking out of india slowly but surely. in a matter of years they may be the new holly wood...
I guess Westerners do have the advantage right from the very start, adding to the fact that the perception of the Asian people from the Westerners' point of view is not favourable to us in influencing them instead.
Look at Western movies, the Chinese are always portrayed with slity eyes and having a small built etc. I guess this perception has contributed to that Asians are of a 'lower class' when compared to the Westerners. And hence, Westerners will then not be influenced as easily as we are not of the same status or power.
Moreover, although Jackie Chan can be said to be a BIG hit in hollywood, but he is always featured in some action-packed movies. So in actual fact, the Asian influence is only that limited to the Westerners.
Furthermore, China and India's economy may be growing but in terms of power of infuencing the masses, I would feel that it could take a very long time before it can try to surpass the Westerners. Look at how China's reputation has been damaged by the tainted milk news? It was such a waste after a successful hosting of the olympics event. And for India, the economy is said to be growing but then if you observe closely enough the rural parts are still very under-developed and poor. Only the city area are actually developed.
All in all, I guess everyone has to change its perception of Asians before Asia can have a chance at influencing the Westerners instead.
Feel free to comment on my blog too! ths! =)
SIGH. I noticed a slight sad tone in your conclusion.
As we all know, America can be crowned as the the most widely known country- in terms of size, and it's power in the economy just to start with. With that, English naturally became the International language that everyone uses to communicate most fundamentally.
That said, I feel that it is no surprise how in the area of media, America did not fail to conquer the world as well. Because of such power the Americans behold, people would desire to imitate them. Thus, we see ourselves conforming to the western culture unknowingly.
Honestly, I see myself so comfortable with the western culture being in control, I don't exactly know how things can change to be something else.
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