1. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Electronic Diffusion of Popular Culture
Diffusion of TV: Mid-Twentieth Century
TV technology originated simultaneously in multiple hearths in the early twentieth century— e.g., UK, France, Germany, Japan, Soviet Union, and the United States.
Over the course of the twentieth century, the United States went from dominating the world share of TVs to being nearly equal in rates of ownership with most developing countries.
Through the second half of the 20th century, television diffusive from the United States to Europe and other developed countries and then to developing countries.

2. TV and the Internet—instruments of pop culture
TV—most popular from of entertainment and diffuses pop culture
Developed in UK, US, Japan and USSR
After WWII, tv sets increased dramatically in US 10, , 1 mil-1949, 10mil-1951, 50 mil-1959
In 1954, the US had 86% of the world’s 37 mil. TVs. 200 per 1,000 compared to 2 per 1,000
Ownership climbed between in LDCs. China went from 1 to 1,000 to 304 to 1000 and in Indonesia 1 to 1,000 and 154 to 1,000

4. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Electronic Diffusion of Popular Culture
Principal obstacle to accessing popular culture is lack of access to electronic media.
Most important electronic media format to popular culture is TV for two reasons.
Watching TV is most popular leisure activity in the world.
TV is most important mechanism for rapidly diffusing popular culture around the world.

5. FIGURE 4-31

6. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Electronic Diffusion of Popular Culture
Diffusion of the Internet: Late Twentieth Century
Diffusion follows pattern established by TV but at a more rapid rate.
In 1995, Internet users in the United States accounted for more than half of the global users.
By 2011, 77 percent of the U.S. population accessed the Internet.
Accounted for 10 percent of the global users.
Global share decreased by roughly 40 percent in less than 10 years.

7. FIGURE 4-32 DIFFUSION OF THE INTERNET Internet users per 1,000 inhabitants in (top) 1995, (middle) 2000, and (bottom) Compare to the diffusion of TV ( Figure
4-28 ). Internet service is following a pattern in the twenty-first century similar to the pattern of diffusion of television in the twentieth century. The United States started out with a much higher rate of usage than elsewhere, until other countries caught up. The difference is that the diffusion of television took a half-century and the diffusion of the Internet only a decade.

8. Internet diffusion—FAST
40 million users in 95—25 in the US, and had not yet reached most countries
Between 95 & 2000 increased from 9% to 44% of US population—in the rest of the world increased from 40 mil to 400 mil
Went from 400 mil in 2000 to 880 mil in 2004

12. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Electronic Diffusion of Popular Culture
Diffusion of Social Media: Twenty-First Century
Same diffusion pattern as TV and Internet
Facebook
In 2008, Facebook users in United States consisted of 1/3 of all global users.
By 2011, global share decreased to 1/5.
Twitter
United States was source of 1/3 of all tweets in 2010.
Second leader of tweets is India.
Same pattern holds true for YouTUBE.

13. FIGURE 4-35 DISTRIBUTION OF TWITTER USERS More than one-third of the world’s Twitter users were in the United States in 2011.

14. Government Control
Most TV stations are owned by private corporations that receive licenses in the US
US pattern is found in other Western countries but is unusual in the rest of the world
CBC operates with government grants the BBC and Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) funded through license fees paid by tv owners
Independence from government is guaranteed in these countries

15. On the contrary….
In LDCs direct management of the TV is conducted through a government agency
Governments want to control stations to minimize the likelihood that programs against their policies are aired—censorship.
Once seen as unifying
And then the satellite.
Banned in China, Singapore and Saudi Arabia
Back to the communist collapse.
Other weapons on government control: fax machines, portable video recorders, and cell phones

16. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Challenges in Accessing Electronic Media
External Threat: Developed Countries Control the Media
TV industry dominated by Japan, UK, and United States.
Leaders of developing countries could view dominance as impressing American values upon viewers.
Upward social mobility
Freedom for women
Glorification of youth
Stylized violence

17. Foreign Media Imperialism
US, UK and Japan dominate TV
Japan—South and East Asia--equipment
UK—Africa—broadcasting
US—Latin America
And programs, US import 2/3 of European programming

18. Western Control of News Media
Because news gathering and reporting is so expensive, the world’s largest new organizations AP and Reuters supply the world with news video and photographs.
In LDCs, news programs are controlled by the government.
American “freedom of the press” is criticized in many countries who say it focuses on “sensational stories”
In many parts of the world, the only unbiased and accurate news available is BBC news on a shortwave radio.

19. Why Is Access to Folk and Popular Culture Unequal?
Challenges in Accessing Electronic Media
External Threat: Developed Countries Control the Media
News
News media in developing countries dominated by the government, whereas media in the United States is largely private commercial stations.
Many African and Asian government officials criticize freedom of the press in the United States.
Allegedly media do not convey an accurate view of other countries.

20. Where Are Folk and Popular Leisure Activities Distributed?
Challenges in Accessing Electronic Media
Internal Threat: Social Media
Limiting Access to TV
Satellite dishes enable people to access information that would otherwise be censored by their governments.
Some governments attempt to limit Internet content including:
Political Content
Opposition to local government
Social Content
Socially sensitive material, such as gambling or sex
Conflict and Security
Armed conflict, border disputes, or militant groups
Internet Tools
, Internet hosting, and Internet searches

21. FIGURE 4-37 LIMITING FREEDOM ON THE INTERNET Countries limit access to four types of Internet content: (top) political content, (second) social content, (third) security content, (bottom) Internet tools.