Globalization

     Globalization can be quickly and simply defined as growth to a global or worldwide scale. In involves the deep connections formed between nations, cultures, and people across the globe. Globalization increases world communication through various means that allow people who have perhaps never met or nations that are miles apart  to interact in an easy and timely way. Commercialization, digitalization and overall growth in all markets are just few ways that globalization occurs. Media plays a big role within this globalization as media content and technology is able to be shared and as people of the world can easily consume this media.
     Cultural imperialism involves an imbalance of global power in terms of direction and volume, meaning certain nations, cultures or people have more power within global realms than others. For example, a limited number of media conglomerates are the dominating forces within global media flow, and most of them originate in the United States. This creates an imbalance of power with the US much more heavily represented in the global market. US culture pervades other cultures and American media is more frequently shared and consumed. In this way, a non-American teen might be just as familiar with Friends or The Office as the average American. American TV shows, music and movies are easily accessible across the globe, diminishing the need and desire for large non-Western media sources by global citizens.