An investigation into the popularity of American action movies shown in informal video houses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Authors: Assefa, Emrakeb
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Motion pictures -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Ethiopia , Popular culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media and youth -- Ethiopia , Mass media and culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Sociological aspects , Ethiopia -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3418 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002871 , Motion pictures -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Ethiopia , Popular culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media and youth -- Ethiopia , Mass media and culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Sociological aspects , Ethiopia -- History
- Description: The early 1990s saw a major change in the Ethiopian history in so far as Ethiopian media consumption practices was concerned. With the change of government in 1991, the ‘Iron Curtail’ prohibiting the dissemination of Western symbolic products within the country was lifted which in turn led to a surge in demand for Western predominantly American media texts. In order to supply this new demand, informal video houses showing primarily American action movies were opened in Addis Ababa. There was a significant shift in Ethiopians’ films consumption practices which were previously limited to watching films produced by socialist countries mainly the former Soviet Union. This study set out to probe reasons for the attraction of American action movies shown in video-viewing houses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia amongst the urban unemployed male youth. Particularly, it examines how the meanings produced by and embedded in the cultural industries of the West are appropriated in the day-to-day lives of the youth. The importance of video houses as a shared male cultural space for Ethiopian unemployed youth and the watching of American action movies in this space are the main entry and focus of this study. Using qualitative methods such as observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study explores what happens in this cultural space and how one makes sense of the impact of American media on local audiences. The findings of the study point to the embeddedness of viewing practice in everyday life and the importance of local contexts in understanding text-reader interaction. This is shown by the male youth’s tendency to use media messages as a mode of escape and a symbolic distancing from their lived impoverished reality. The study also seeks to highlight that the video houses as cultural space have contributed to the creation of marginal male youth identities in the Ethiopian patriarchal society. As such, these and other findings, the study argues, highlight the deficiencies of the media imperialism thesis with its definitive claims for cultural homogenisation as effect of globalisation of media. As such, this study should be read as emphasising the capability of local audience groups in Third World country like Ethiopia to construct their own meanings and thus their own local cultures and identities, even in the face of their virtually complete dependence on the image flows distributed by the transnational culture industries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Assefa, Emrakeb
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Motion pictures -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Ethiopia , Popular culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media and youth -- Ethiopia , Mass media and culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Sociological aspects , Ethiopia -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3418 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002871 , Motion pictures -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Ethiopia , Popular culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media and youth -- Ethiopia , Mass media and culture -- Ethiopia , Mass media -- Sociological aspects , Ethiopia -- History
- Description: The early 1990s saw a major change in the Ethiopian history in so far as Ethiopian media consumption practices was concerned. With the change of government in 1991, the ‘Iron Curtail’ prohibiting the dissemination of Western symbolic products within the country was lifted which in turn led to a surge in demand for Western predominantly American media texts. In order to supply this new demand, informal video houses showing primarily American action movies were opened in Addis Ababa. There was a significant shift in Ethiopians’ films consumption practices which were previously limited to watching films produced by socialist countries mainly the former Soviet Union. This study set out to probe reasons for the attraction of American action movies shown in video-viewing houses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia amongst the urban unemployed male youth. Particularly, it examines how the meanings produced by and embedded in the cultural industries of the West are appropriated in the day-to-day lives of the youth. The importance of video houses as a shared male cultural space for Ethiopian unemployed youth and the watching of American action movies in this space are the main entry and focus of this study. Using qualitative methods such as observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study explores what happens in this cultural space and how one makes sense of the impact of American media on local audiences. The findings of the study point to the embeddedness of viewing practice in everyday life and the importance of local contexts in understanding text-reader interaction. This is shown by the male youth’s tendency to use media messages as a mode of escape and a symbolic distancing from their lived impoverished reality. The study also seeks to highlight that the video houses as cultural space have contributed to the creation of marginal male youth identities in the Ethiopian patriarchal society. As such, these and other findings, the study argues, highlight the deficiencies of the media imperialism thesis with its definitive claims for cultural homogenisation as effect of globalisation of media. As such, this study should be read as emphasising the capability of local audience groups in Third World country like Ethiopia to construct their own meanings and thus their own local cultures and identities, even in the face of their virtually complete dependence on the image flows distributed by the transnational culture industries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Diasporic consciousness and Bollywood : South African Indian youth and the meanings they make of Indian film
- Authors: Boshoff, Priscilla A
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Motion pictures -- India , Youth -- South Africa -- Attitudes , East Indians -- South Africa -- Attitudes , Motion picture industry -- India -- Mumbai
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3503 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006249 , Motion pictures -- India , Youth -- South Africa -- Attitudes , East Indians -- South Africa -- Attitudes , Motion picture industry -- India -- Mumbai
- Description: A particular youth identity in the South African Indian diaspora is being forged in a nexus o flocal and global forces . The globalisation of Bollywood and its popularity as a global media and the international commodification of the Indian exotic have occurred at the same time as the valorisation of 'difference' in the local political landscape. Indian youth, as young members of the South African Indian diaspora, are inheritors both of a conservative - yet adaptable - home culture and the marginalised identities of apartheid. However, the tensions between their desire to be recognised as both 'modern' South Africans and as ' traditional ' Indians create a space in which they are able to (re)create for themselves an identity that can encompass both their home cultures and the desires of a Westernised modernity through the tropes of Bollywood. Bollywood speaks to its diasporic audiences through representations of an idealised 'traditional yet modern' India. Although India is not a place of return for this young generation, Bollywood representations of successful diasporic Indian culture and participation in the globalised Bollywood industry through concerts and international award ceremonies has provided an opportunity for young Indians in South Africa to re-examine their local Indian identities and feel invited to re-identify with the global diasporas of India.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Boshoff, Priscilla A
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Motion pictures -- India , Youth -- South Africa -- Attitudes , East Indians -- South Africa -- Attitudes , Motion picture industry -- India -- Mumbai
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3503 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006249 , Motion pictures -- India , Youth -- South Africa -- Attitudes , East Indians -- South Africa -- Attitudes , Motion picture industry -- India -- Mumbai
- Description: A particular youth identity in the South African Indian diaspora is being forged in a nexus o flocal and global forces . The globalisation of Bollywood and its popularity as a global media and the international commodification of the Indian exotic have occurred at the same time as the valorisation of 'difference' in the local political landscape. Indian youth, as young members of the South African Indian diaspora, are inheritors both of a conservative - yet adaptable - home culture and the marginalised identities of apartheid. However, the tensions between their desire to be recognised as both 'modern' South Africans and as ' traditional ' Indians create a space in which they are able to (re)create for themselves an identity that can encompass both their home cultures and the desires of a Westernised modernity through the tropes of Bollywood. Bollywood speaks to its diasporic audiences through representations of an idealised 'traditional yet modern' India. Although India is not a place of return for this young generation, Bollywood representations of successful diasporic Indian culture and participation in the globalised Bollywood industry through concerts and international award ceremonies has provided an opportunity for young Indians in South Africa to re-examine their local Indian identities and feel invited to re-identify with the global diasporas of India.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Investigating the effects of the proliferation of commercial broadcasting on public service broadcasting: the case of Rivers State of Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation
- Authors: Da-Wariboko, Biobele
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation , Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Mass media -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio in community development , Radio stations -- Nigeria , Radio broadcasting -- Rivers State (Nigeria) -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3423 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002876 , Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation , Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Mass media -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio in community development , Radio stations -- Nigeria , Radio broadcasting -- Rivers State (Nigeria) -- History
- Description: 1992 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s broadcasting history as the country formally deregulated her broadcast space. However, it was not until March 2002 that the first commercial radio station was established in Rivers State, a broadcast environment hitherto monopolised by Radio Rivers. The coming of the first independent radio station in Rivers State in March 2002 was followed by the establishment of two other stations in October 2003 and November 2003 respectively. As important as these events in broadcasting in Rivers State are, however, media scholars have argued that in most societies where such change has taken place, public service broadcasters have tampered with their values of being an open space where individuals and groups can come together to be educated, informed, and entertained. This study investigates the extent to which the proliferation of commercial broadcasting outlets has affected Radio Rivers’ public service programming and scheduling. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, through in-depth interviews and analysis of the mandate and programme schedules, the study established that while Radio Rivers still maintains some public service values, its current programming policy is driven by the need to compete with the commercial broadcasters. This is evidenced in the decrease in the programme space allocated to current affairs and educational programmes on the schedule, (the genre of public service broadcasting), and the increase in attention to advertisements and entertainment programmes, (the genre of commercial broadcasting). The study also confirms the adverse effects of dwindling financial resources as forcing public service radios to compromise on their public service values, as majority of programmes on Radio Rivers current programme schedules are now geared towards attracting advertisers rather than serving the public good and interests. However, the study proved that it is not in all cases that the entry of commercial broadcasters into Rivers State broadcast space has undermined Radio Rivers public service values. Indeed, in leading to the expansion of interactive, news, and the diversification of entertainment programmes spaces on Radio Rivers’ programming schedules, the proliferation of commercial broadcasters has yielded some positive effects on Radio Rivers public service values and contribution to the public sphere. The study further highlights the need for some policy reforms at Radio Rivers, such as the introduction of licence fees, increased government funding and loosening government’s current control over the station. In addition, there is the need for the edict establishing the station to be amended to reflect the current trends in broadcasting in Rivers State, and above all to reposition Radio Rivers to sustain public good and public interests in its programming.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Da-Wariboko, Biobele
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation , Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Mass media -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio in community development , Radio stations -- Nigeria , Radio broadcasting -- Rivers State (Nigeria) -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3423 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002876 , Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation , Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Mass media -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio Broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Nigeria , Radio in community development , Radio stations -- Nigeria , Radio broadcasting -- Rivers State (Nigeria) -- History
- Description: 1992 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s broadcasting history as the country formally deregulated her broadcast space. However, it was not until March 2002 that the first commercial radio station was established in Rivers State, a broadcast environment hitherto monopolised by Radio Rivers. The coming of the first independent radio station in Rivers State in March 2002 was followed by the establishment of two other stations in October 2003 and November 2003 respectively. As important as these events in broadcasting in Rivers State are, however, media scholars have argued that in most societies where such change has taken place, public service broadcasters have tampered with their values of being an open space where individuals and groups can come together to be educated, informed, and entertained. This study investigates the extent to which the proliferation of commercial broadcasting outlets has affected Radio Rivers’ public service programming and scheduling. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, through in-depth interviews and analysis of the mandate and programme schedules, the study established that while Radio Rivers still maintains some public service values, its current programming policy is driven by the need to compete with the commercial broadcasters. This is evidenced in the decrease in the programme space allocated to current affairs and educational programmes on the schedule, (the genre of public service broadcasting), and the increase in attention to advertisements and entertainment programmes, (the genre of commercial broadcasting). The study also confirms the adverse effects of dwindling financial resources as forcing public service radios to compromise on their public service values, as majority of programmes on Radio Rivers current programme schedules are now geared towards attracting advertisers rather than serving the public good and interests. However, the study proved that it is not in all cases that the entry of commercial broadcasters into Rivers State broadcast space has undermined Radio Rivers public service values. Indeed, in leading to the expansion of interactive, news, and the diversification of entertainment programmes spaces on Radio Rivers’ programming schedules, the proliferation of commercial broadcasters has yielded some positive effects on Radio Rivers public service values and contribution to the public sphere. The study further highlights the need for some policy reforms at Radio Rivers, such as the introduction of licence fees, increased government funding and loosening government’s current control over the station. In addition, there is the need for the edict establishing the station to be amended to reflect the current trends in broadcasting in Rivers State, and above all to reposition Radio Rivers to sustain public good and public interests in its programming.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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