The way America is a dominant force Essay Example for Free

The way America is a dominant force Essay In terms of national identity, identify and analyse some of the roles television plays in the processes of globalization and identity formation. Discuss with reference to at least two British TV programs. In this essay I will be looking at the way television has an impact on the way has an affect on the way globalization, culture and identity is formed. To look at this I will be looking at the way America is a dominant force when it comes to marketing there shows to other countries and the way British shows have difficulty being accepted and also how British shows manage to create an identity through they way they act. American sitcoms have been a constant success in this country with such successful imports such as Friends, Seinfeld and Frasier, but what is the reason for there success in this country, looking at globalization, culture and politics I hope to discover why this is. First I will be looking at what globalization is and how this affects the way different programs from around the world are received, I will look at the differences in culture between not just the UK and America but various other countries that there shows are exported to. What is globalization in television? Since the 1980s there has been a steady rise in the transnational television in terms of that more than ever people own television sets and the fact that new technology has such as satellite and cable has allowed access to a completely new market. This has then lead to questions being raised about culture and cultural identities due to the fact that programs are now being beamed from all around the world. To understand how global television works you must first understand society since global television has an impact on society because when shows are being shown to different societies that there is always a different reaction to them. According to Kellner (1990) there is in excess of 750 million television sets being used in over 160 countries that are being viewed by over 2. 5 billion people a day. No doubt these figures have reached even a higher number today due to the fact there is now digital television and cable. The main fact with television that it is always changing, and what is yesterday is not what it is today, and what it is today is not what it will be tomorrow. However with television continuing this change, and as it continues its global expansion that there has been an uneven shift towards the west and in particular the USA. With the television originally being developed in the west and especially in America this has caused a shift in Americas favor so therefore they have been able to dictate what is shown not only in there country but by exporting there products to the rest of the world. However even though this is the main trend at the moment of America one way influence over the rest of the world this is not what globalization is about, globalization is more about a multi-directional and a multi-dimensional set of processes. Global television although it has allowed the development of new technologies with the influx ok Sky television and cable, has also been met with skepticism due to the fact that some countries prefer that the majority of there programs are created from there own country however with the dominance of America in the television market and there technology especially with Sky TV, this has been hard to regulate. Most countries have described these as threats because they believe that within the economics of television, the regulation of television and the identities, especially national identities, which are deemed to be in part the product of national television services. In other word what they are saying is that the majority of shows on there national television should be produced from there own country, and not to be overawed by Americas dominance and say no to all there imports. However this is a hard thing to do, due to the fact of Americas power and there development of new technology that has helped bring forward the Television, so with countries accepting this new technology there are therefore also accepting the influx of America shows. Although there is a reluctance to accept these shows, Im not talking about a reluctance to accept one or two shows. Im talking about accepting a lot of shows that outnumber countries own creations., however when the shows are shown and they become a success the channels controllers decide then to import more and more shows therefore they will start to outnumber there own shows. But if they are so against then importation of these shows why do they import so many, its because they are a success and they attract viewers, this will now lead on to why are these shows successful in our country. In Britain the dominant television company was the BBC this had dominated the television scene since it was created in the 1920s, until 1954 when the television act brought commercial television into the frame. The first such television station set up was Independent Television (ITV). The 1954 act had obliged that the ITV adopt norms of quality and balance, which were in essence the same of the public service developed by the BBC. In the 1980s another channel was set this was, Channel 4, unlike both the BBC and ITV channel 4 was not a maker of programs but a publisher, programs that were watched on channel either came from a mixture of ITV companies, imports or independent producers, this allowed the channel to show a different variety of programs that would not follow the same pattern as a BBC show, another purpose with channel 4 is to experiment with shows to bring in something that is not the same trend and to play with form and content. With the introduction of BskyB and cable, there was a limited impact at first, however over the years the performance picked up due to the fact there were more people getting Sky and Cable, and also there was an even more diversity of shows coming from the USA. This was shown according to the magazine Screen Digest, that in 1994 there was a market penetration of 12. 4 per cent rising to 14. 8 percent and in 1992 the BskyB audience share 4. 8 per cent (the Guardian august 1992) but this had risen to 8. 5 per cent (screen digest 1995) this was showing that even though it was a slow and steady process but cable and sky where both starting to become dominant forces in the television markets. Comparing how we run and regulate our television companies to America is a good way of seeing how the different cultures accept the way there television Is run, already I have looked at the way the British television system is run, now I will look at the way the American television system is run. The way the American television is organized is very complex, there are many players as they call them, these are the television stations, the networks and the productions companies, at the moment there are over 700 television companies, these stations serve the area that they are in geographically by purchasing and transmitting programs. There are not many television stations that produce there own programs apart from the news, so the majority of programs come from either the networks such as FOX and HBO or from production companies. In America a majority of television is also filled with advertising, these adverts are a massive source of income for the networks, especially when there are huge events going on for example the superbowl, as this is one of the biggest sporting attractions in America and millions of people will watch it therefore there has always been a bidding war to get there adverts shown at this time. That is one major difference compared to the way television is run in Britain, the American television network is dominated by adverts where as we have channels such as the BBC channels that do not rely on adverts. Compared to British television stations, American networks are by law not allowed to produce any primetime material, therefore this stations rely a lot on production companies to make there shows, this is the complete opposite to the BBC, who will produce there own shows. But even though our stations produce our own shows, and American networks rely on outside productions companies, why is it that there shows are more successful in our country than our shows are in America? Is it to do with culture, already have I explained the difference in the way that the American and British television systems are different, but why is it that we easily accept these shows on to our channels. One reason I believe that these shows are shown over here and why there is so many is that fact that the majority of the American shows are shown on channel four, channel four being the channel that is most like a American network as it relies on independent productions and therefore will export shows that are successful in other countries. Looking at American shows compared to British shows, British shows tend to be more about there won culture and how Britain is, although there is a tendency to see that Americans are very patriotic, I believe that this is not represented in there shows compared to British shows.

The American Dream in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men :: Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

The American Dream in Of Mice and Men The American dream ideally constitutes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as stated by America's forefathers in the Declaration of Independence. This vision has been extremely warped in the 20th century to fit the new breed of Americans, which are greedy and self-centered. The main characters opinions in the novel Of Mice and Men of The American Dream substantially differs from each other, and from today's society. Of Mice and Men takes place in the 1930's of America during the Great Depression. The American dream was no more, and the land of opportunity had become the land of misfortune. It was during this time that many farmers best hope for a new life lied in California. In come the two main characters of Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie, two migrant workers on the run and looking for a job. George is a "small and quick," man, who may sometimes seem like he dislikes Lennie's company, but in actually is very devoted to him (pg. 2). Lennie is "a huge man," who is somewhat mentally retarded, and a reveres George's every word (pg. 2). The two are best friends, and how ever different they may seem both share a common goal. Their main ambition is to "get the jack together," purchase a few acres of land they can call their own, "an' live off the fatta the lan'" (pg. 14). To own a humble home, where they can work for themselves and be free of the persecution and scrutiny of society. A kind of sanctuary from the flings and arrows of the outside world, where it seems Lennie was not meant to live in. Unlike Lennie, all Curly's wife longs for is to experience the world for herself. She is virtually a prisoner in her own home, devoid of the power to change her fate. When she was young, she dreamt of becoming a famous actress in a "show," but when she married Curly, her entire life changed for the worse. After her marriage, the shattered remains of her dreams and a husband who did not love her was all she had left.

Boston Red Sox

Omar Perez BOSTON RED SOX INTRODUCTION Boston Red Sox is a professional baseball team of United States Major League based in Boston, Massachusets. It belongs to the East American Division League. The New York Yankees are their traditional rivals. 1. – TEAM HISTORY The Boston Red Sox were created in 1893 as a minor league franchise in the city of Toledo, Ohio in the Western League. Then moved to Boston when that league became the American League in 1900. The name of Red Sox was chosen by owner John I.Taylor after the 1907 season and is based on an obsolete form of socks. The former team of the Boston National League (Braves) had received as name, originally, because they used Red Stockings and Red Sox before leaving the practice temporarily in 1907, which inspired the owner of the American League team to use this nickname. Before 1908, the team used the American League average dark blue and had no official nickname. It was simply called the Boston or the Baseball Club of Boston . * The Curse of The BambinoThe Curse of the Bambino was a superstition cited as a reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 until 2004. While some fans took the curse seriously, most used the expression in a tongue-in-cheek manner. The curse was said to have begun after the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919-1920. The Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series in 1903 and amassing five World Series titles prior to selling Ruth.After the sale, the once-lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports. Talk of the curse as an ongoing phenomenon ended in 2004, when the Red Sox came back from a 0-3 best-of-seven deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series and then went on to sweep the St. Louis Car dinals to win the 2004 World Series. The curse had been such a part of Boston culture that when a road sign on the city's much-used Storrow Drive was andalized from â€Å"Reverse Curve† to â€Å"Reverse The Curse†, officials left it in place until after the Red Sox won the Series in a 4-0 sweep. 2. -LEGENDS Denton True â€Å"Cy† Young. More commonly known as â€Å"Cy,† the big right hander spent nearly 20 years in the big leagues and set the pitching standard for all of baseball to follow. He was the only pitcher in baseball's first 100 years to win 500 games, including three no-hit shutouts and a perfect game on May 5, 1904. George Herman â€Å"Babe† Ruth. You'll rarely find a name in baseball recognized by so many people.From his portly physique to his legendary swing, to his affection for fans, George Herman â€Å"Babe† Ruth has often been called the best baseball player of all time. Ted Williams. Considered by many to be the greatest hit ter to ever play the game of baseball, Ted Williams is a true personification of the Red Sox mystique. He amassed 521 home runs, including a dramatic farewell homer on his last at bat in 1960. â€Å"Teddy Ballgame† Goes . 406. In just his third year, at only 23 years of age, Ted Williams went into the last day of the 1941 season hitting . 996, an average that officially rounds up to . 400. He is the only player in baseball history to hit . 400 in a season. * A â€Å"Parting Shot† — Never has an athlete finished in such style. In his last at bat of a Hall of Fame career, Ted Williams sent 10,454 fans into a frenzy when he launched a 1-1 pitch from Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Jack Fisher high into the damp gray sky and into the Red Sox bullpen for a home run. Roger Clemens. The Rocket mows down 20. Red Sox manager John McNamara said it was the most awesome display of pitching he had ever seen.On a Tuesday night in April of 1986, Red Sox right-hander Roger Clemens s hot down a record number of Seattle Mariners to break the Major League record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Roger Clemens won his third and final Cy Young in 1991 in a Red Sox uniform by going 18-10 with a 2. 62 ERA. He also registered 241 strikeouts that season. 3. – CHAMPIONSHIPS The Baseball Club has won 7 Worl Series Championships, some of them are: a) The 1915 World Series was marked by the strong hitting performances of the legendary Sox outfield of Duffy Lewis, Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper.After dropping Game 1, the Sox won the next four to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies for the championship. b) Babe Ruth was the season and World Series hero, with a 23-12 regular season record and a 1. 75 ERA. In Game 2 of the Series, Ruth pitched a 14-inning, complete game 2-1 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers, while the Sox went on to take the Series four games to one for the second straight year. The Sox played their World Series games in 1915 and 1916 in the new and large r capacity National League Braves Field on Commonwealth Avenue, which held 40,000 fans. ) In 2004, the Red Sox went into the postseason as the American League Wild Card entry. They swept the Angels in the Division Series. The Sox were nearly swept out of the American League Championship Series, trailing the Yankees, 3-0,   in the best-of-seven series. But that was when they officially became historymakers, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball history to recover from a 3-0 deficit. After thumping the Yankees in seven games, the Sox swept the Cardinals for their first World Series championship in 86 years. Ramirez was named MVP of the Series. ) 2007, this year's wire-to-wire performance by the Red Sox was one of the most impressive in team history. Manager Terry Francona's team took over first place in the American League East on April 18 and never let it go. It was Boston's first division title since 1995. The fun did not stop after the 96-66 regular season. The Red Sox swept the Angels in the Division Series, came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Indians in a seven-game American League Championship Series and then broke out the brooms again in a World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies.It was the second World Series championship for the Red Sox in four years, this after not winning one for 86 years. There were several individual standouts, from the Rookie of the Year performance of second baseman Dustin Pedroia to a 20-win season by Josh Beckett to more heroics from star run producer David Ortiz. Third baseman Mike Lowell, the MVP of the World Series, also had a big year, hitting . 324 with 21 homers and 120 RBIs. After much fanfare, Daisuke Matsuzaka came over

Essay on A Closer Look at the Vietnam War - 1774 Words

The Vietnam War The Vietnam war was a very hard and emotional time for many people. From the vietnamese to the u.s., the vietnam war was a tradgedy. People said that the vietnam war had been the longest lasting battle that took place in the cold war. The whole thing started because the vietnamese wasnted to have their independence. They no longer wanted to be under the control of france. France did not want to give up the land that they had ruled for years. France was getting supplies and goods from vietnam so they didnt want to give it up so they fought for it. Ho Chi Minh was vietnams president as you can say he was in control of north vietnam. He wanted vietnam to be a communist country much like the soviet union. After†¦show more content†¦Countries such as the soviet union , the U.S. , China , Vietnam and the French all met in Geneva to negotiate. They wanted a peace agreement which later turned into dividing up vietnam into two regions that would split the north and so uth between a boundary called the DMZ line. Then at that time the north and south was divided between the line. The line was called the Demilitarized Zone where the vietnamese were given total control of all territory of the north and everything to the south was controlled by the country of vietnam and france. (Don Lawson the united stantes in the vietnam., p. 16) . When the DMZ line went in full , the north vietnamese went through the south , which created a food shortage throughout south vietnam. The U.S. supported them and gave them aid for food. Ho Chi Minh and Diem agreement came to a reunification election that would basically depend on vietnam being a communist country or not. In the mean time, the U.S. wanted Diem to take the land that the wealthy land owners had and give it to the peasants for farm land so he had their full support. Gary B. Nash said Diem didnt want anything that would weaken the ruling class (Nash, p. 770). Eisenhower knew that if the elections went on , Ho Chi Minh would win and vietnam would become a communist country. He convinced Diem to cancel the reunification election. with the U.S. support , He cancelled the elections which led toShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"Facing It† by the American black poet Yusef Komunyakaa of Shreveport is written with the use of600 Words   |  3 PagesVietnams Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. This Memorial is a long polished slab of black reflectant granite with the names of all the US soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam. Yusef says â€Å"my black face fades, hiding inside the black granite†. Here Yusef uses his reflection in the wall to bring the reader back to the war and how he feels standing at the wall now. 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