Global Flows and Scapes

In this century, media has a major influence on society as most people that were born into my generation have grown up adapting to new technologies surrounded by the influence of the media itself.  However, this isn’t the case for all generations. According to Giddens (1990), Globalisation is defined as “the intensification of world-wide social relations, which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa” (1990: 64) And with this, it is evident that the global flows of globalisation all rely on each other as they circulate around our society as a whole. Media is what is mainly known to keep our world connected, as media itself has a massive influence on society as a entirety.

I had interviewed a family member of mine, my aunt, Anka, and she was willing to share with me how media flows have affected her life. 

Anka was born in Yugoslavia, as she wasn't born in Australia, travelling to a new country also makes the physical global flow was also a massive impact on her life. But according to Anka, with the guidance of media, she learned how easy it was to stay connected with family members back home in Yugoslavia. Anka moved from Yugoslavia to Australia when she was 19 years old, with this she had to adapt to a completely new way of living. She states, “I think media is a part of everyday life no matter where you’re from, we’re constantly informed and influenced by the information in various forms each and every day, all over the world, whether that’s through social networking, newspapers, TV, radio and print."

She made it clear that we are constantly exposed to a wide variety of information no matter where you are, so we can form our own opinions about what is going on in the world around us. Each country is developing everyday with the guidance of media itself. Media is a constant reminder that in modern times, the world is constantly and continuously changing. So with this, it is evident that, 'There is practically no globalization without media and communication, as many of the definitions of globalization at least indirectly acknowledge' (Rantanen, 2005, p4).

Media flows have been by far something that has affected my aunt, and many other of my family members’ lives so dramatically as it is something that is so easily accessible. Media is reachable in our homes, workplaces and on our portable devices; we’re never restricted by location. We’re completely open to whatever sort of media we need and it is what makes our society so adaptable to everyday changes and new information worldwide. 

References:

Rantanen, T 2005, ‘Theorizing media and globalization’, Media and globalization 2005, Sage Publications, London, pp. 1-18

Deakin University. 2013. W2 Global Flows and Scapes, ALC215 2013. [podcast] 22nd July. Available at: https://d2l.deakin.edu.au/d2l/le/content/143750/viewContent/1943560/View [Accessed: 23rd July].