Cultural Imperialism Theory

This theory was first proposed by Herb Schiller in 1973. Schiller first paper that formed the basis for the emergence of this theory is the Communication and Cultural Domination.

Cultural imperialism theory states that Western countries dominated the media throughout the world. It means also, the mass media also dominate the Western countries in the third world mass media. The reason, the Western media have a powerful effect to influence third world media. Western media is very impressive for the media in the third world. So they want to imitate the culture that emerged through the media. In the perspective of this theory, when the process of imitation media of developing countries from developed countries, when that happens the destruction of native cultures in third countries.

Western culture produces nearly all of the majority of the mass media in the world, such as movies, news, comics, photos and others. Why they can dominate like that? First, they have the money. With the money they would be able to do anything to produce a wide range of offerings required the mass media. Even the Western media has been developed capitalist. In other words, the Western media has developed into an industry that is also concerned with profit.

Secondly, they have the technology. With the modern technology that they have allowed the mass media presentation produced better, convincing and "as real". If you've seen the movie Titanic Titanic impression is really there, but it's all there. Even when the vessel is finally struck an iceberg and sank, as the passenger ship was like swimming in the open sea, but all of it superficial. All can be done with computer technology as a real event. All that can be realized because the West has modern technology.

Third World countries are interested in buying Western products such. Therefore, buying a product that is much cheaper when compared to making his own. How many Indonesian mass media that daily access of Western mass media or if the news from Western news agencies. Every day the newspapers in Indonesia as competing to display the text of a foreign news agency. In fact, photographs demonstration in Jakarta which should be photographed by reporters Indonesia itself actually comes from AFP (France). Something that is difficult to accept, but the real case.

The next impact, people in third world countries who see the mass media in the country will enjoy a dish-dish that comes from the lifestyle, beliefs and thoughts. If we watch the movie Independence Day when we were learning about the United Nations in the face of the enemy or the struggle of the American people in achieving independence. Various lifestyle community, belief and thought Americans were in the movie. Why is the third nation in the world wants to implement democracy gives freedom of opinion? All were influenced by the Western mass media presentation that went into the third world.

Furthermore, third world countries unwittingly imitating what is presented mass media that has been filled by the Western culture. That's when the destruction of the country's indigenous culture and then replace and adapted to Western culture. This event can be said to the Western cultural imperialism. Imperialism was carried out by the Western mass media that had dominated the third world mass media.

One that underlies the emergence of this theory is that basically people do not have the freedom to determine how they think, what is perceived and how they live. Generally, they tend to react to what he saw from the television. As a result, these individuals prefer to imitate what is presented television. Why? Because television presents a new and different things with which they usually do.

This theory also explains that there is one truth which he believed. Throughout the third world countries continuously broadcast or filling mass media comes from Western countries, people will always believe the world when what they should be doing, thinking and feeling. This behavior is exactly the same as that carried out by people who came from Western culture.

Imperislisme theory of culture is also not free from criticism. This theory is too underestimated the power of the audience in receiving exposure to the mass media and interpret its message. This means that, this theory assumes that different cultures (which of course is more advanced) will always bring the influence of imitation on people of different cultures. Tetepi clear, continuous exposure to a different culture will take effect change, albeit slightly.