Anthropological Study of the Media

Living in today’s contemporary technological world we find ourselves engulfed within the phenomenon of the modern day mass media. People living in various parts of the world, in different cultural contexts have culturally distinctive patterns in their interpretation of media and communicative behavior. As the “anthropological study of media has emerged, along with a general reconceptualization of anthropology addressing our changing relationship with informants as cultural worlds grow even closer” (Ginsburg.F, , pg.17 ). This is clearly seen in the study of two vastly different cultural societies, America and China. America is a federal constitutional republic, thus allowing for free press, private media ownership and commercial entities. China a socialist state under a communist rule, with heavily enforced government regulated media policies. China is a nation which has recently been plagued and glorified with extensive ideological shifts, revolutionary endeavor and economic and social experiment. “The crisis has also been emblematic of the media industries as they shift into new financial and policy structures and engage with international partners and trading alliances, but also as they continue to work as fundamental props for government policy and state ideology” (Donald.S and Keane.M, 2002, pg 4 and 5). The political as well as the economical and social practices of these two vastly different cultures has a large impact on their peoples interpretation and usage of the media; in particular television and film.

Television is one of the most powerful and prominent mediums, having a significant influence over ones everyday life. Television has become a common communications receiver in homes, businesses and institutions, particularly as a source of entertainment and news. Television attracts it’s viewers through its many aesthetic qualities, making television a highly entertaining and appealing medium. Television is one of the most popular mediums in the United States, with ninety-nine percent of American household owing at least one television. It is estimated that the television set is on in the typical American household for more than seven hours per day. (Berger. A, 1988, pg 127). People in the worlds less materially-developed countries are like wise infatuated with television. In China, television is regarded a s a personal status symbol for families, facilitating conversation and togetherness, as the family gathers around the television after a long day at work.

Both American and Chinese cultures highly regard television, with television used to serve a number of needs, in particular the desire for entertainment and amusement. The two cultures use television to serve such needs, with the medium broadcasting a wide variety of popular art forms of genres; game shows, soap operas, situation comedies, dramas and cartoons. In Chinese culture, television is used as a primary form of entertainment