Influence of Television on Contemporary Chinese Culture

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Introduction

Technological improvement has brought different methods of information dispensing in the world. One of the most notable information dispensers is television sets. With the increase in media freedom, the media has brought a number of issues which have impacted on the life of people. China is the second world largest economy with an increasing technology development.

It produces and sells a number of electronics including phones and television sets. The country has a young population which spends a number of its time on television set watching different channels. Chinese has a culture which is shared in a certain geographical location. The culture is upheld by the people of the area and it is transmitted to new entrants into the society.

The culture covers in areas of language used by the people, the way they do things, religion that they practice, structure, identity, norms, belief and values they hold. Art, music and songs also form another form of culture that the people hold. The people, are spending more time with television sets than they are spending with other people because of their busy schedule.

How someone behaves is influenced by the exposure that he has. TV is offering an exposure that is changing Chinese culture. The focus is taking is to have an international culture.

The views portrayed, the programs and the opinions given by different media personalities affect the culture of the people (Denis-Fred, 2003). This paper will discuss the influence of television, as the most popular medium in today’s China, on contemporary Chinese culture.

China overview

China is a Middle East country that has undergone a rapid economic growth rate in the recent past. The economic growth is a major determinant in making decision on whether to make an investment in the country. China has highly modern developed infrastructures; this are both of transport and those of communication.

The systems are advanced so well that access to the country from any corner of the world is highly enhanced, the airports, the sea port, and internal transport are well managed and accessible. The communication network within and without is of high-tech. This is an asset to the business since it reduces the cost of doing business, on the other hand the international market is enhanced at all lengths.

The sectors have seen the private and public participation, this boosts the efficiency of the systems and thus one can trade with approximate assumptions. The growth rate of the economy of China has always for the last three decades remained on a positive note. There have even been some rates recorded as high as 12%. This is an element to show the strength of the economy as well as it gives us the hope of continuity in the market.

This growth has enabled China to be seen as the emerging world economy. The rate of growth is another indicator of a stable political environment that encourages local and international investors to invest. China is the world’s most populated country. It has 20% of the world’s population.

According to census conducted in 2008, the population stands at 1,330,044,605, the country’s facility rate stands at 1.7%. Of these population 80% have access to television set. They depend on them to get international and national news (Hutton, 2009).

Values beliefs and morals

One of the major breakthrough that globalization has brought is enhancing movement of people from one region to another. Technology in China and other world nations have made transmission of culture through the media. Persons of different cultures interact; over the TVs they interact when a culture or a way of life of a different country is portrayed over them.

It is appreciated that human beings develop a certain mode of behavior from factors arising from socialization right from childhood to adulthood. Our values, beliefs, and morals are largely influenced by the society we live (in cultural and hereditary factors). Societies have different mechanisms that are geared to re-enforcing certain behavior deemed acceptable.

However, as human beings interact with each other change their lifestyle, or are compelled to change their mode of belief whether consciously or not, a behavior modification, which in most cases conflicts with previously instilled values, occurs. Globalization has enabled people to interact with each other. They have different culture and the emergence of a global culture is starting to be experienced. Such leads to acquisition of new ways of doing things and cultural exchanges.

Of the greatest, it influence the information and technology’s role in enhancing cultural effects. The consolidation of the media such as the television, the internet, radio, magazines and newspapers from one country find their way to another because of the opened interaction between nations, consequently influencing people’s way of life.

As Chinese interact with other countries, they change their kind of lifestyle. Since late 17^th century, the culture of Chinese can be defined as unique and a tradition. However, with globalization this culture has been eroded and only thin streams of it exist. Today there is a move to the American culture and British culture (Fan and Chan-kang, 2005).

TVs program Consequentialism

The consequences that airing a certain program in the station is the point of concern, the end result of the programs are likely to change the perception and the belief that the people have. If they advocate for a behavior that is centrally to the belief of Chinese culture then they are likely to influence and change the culture of their viewers.

The same happens with print media, what they print should be in line with the accepted behavior of the society for example; The way that it advocates for the occurrence of crime may be in a direct way or indirect way affect the behavior of the recipients. It opens a child to the outside environment through the programs.

The children are the most affected by what the media says, since their mind is fresh and they may lack the needed guidelines from the parents especially in this era that all the parents are working. They tend to believe the information that is given by the media as the gospel truth.

In the streets you will find the children playing in a wrestling ways. They even call themselves names of wrestling personalities as they play. They tend to do what they were watching and may hurt themselves. If this is not rectified, chances that they will become violent people in future are high.

Chinese are generally people who love peace and keep it as a culture that one should respect each other, however if they see violent act happening over the television, they are likely to be persuaded that this is the way to solve disputes. This changes their preserved culture of dialoging in case there is a problem.

A media house is more likely to air a program that fits the greatest number in the population; in a case where the greatest number that are following the channel are not Chinese, or even if the origin country of the station is not Chinese, then the programs are likely to advocate for cultures and lifestyle that are not Chinese. These include in the way the people dress, the language they use among others.

The programs should be made for the benefit and acceptance of the greatest portion of the people. The programs and the stories aired should be them that can be appreciated by all the people in the society. On the other hand the timing of the program is of importance. There is the time for family shows, there are those programs that are more made for the youth, children, and the adults.

The programs that the media airs are the most important as far as this is concerned. They should be those that are in line with the general believes of the people. As much as some of the cultures cannot be kept further due to the change in the society the media should not be seen as if to criticize it but should be an element of changing the people’s perception in a way that will be acceptable (Greenhalgh and Asrhed, 2005)

Television Sets and Racism

Different people hold different stereotypes among others and are likely to discriminate them based on these stereotypes. The media more so TVs have programs that portray certain programs about a certain country or ethnic group. They may look into some stereotypes held and assist the people change their perception. An example of this is news about Africa.

Africans have for long been seen as if they are behind in technology and development; they have been portrayed as inferior when compared with the white people. A reflection of different issues and topic about Africa will change such a perception.

The Americans have been seen as a threat to the Chinese as they are trade competitors there is tension created by Chinese culture that does not fully appreciate the Americans , however TVs have some varying programs’ based in America which can change the perception. The Chinese will change their way of thinking after watching such programs (Gsene, 2002).

Television and Heroism

Chinese believe in working hand for one to be successful in life; the culture of the people recognize hard work as the basis of becoming a true hero; however the perception is being shaped differently by media. When an international or local television station brings a certain movie, that has a hero at the end of the day, it will influence the belief of the person watching it.

The way it is portrayed will make the person attribute success to some attributes from the movie, this may be different from what culture demands. Movies are made in such a way they have a message they are delivering home. Some movies are meant to portray how portraying certain super national heroic aspects will be of benefit. There is the character that one admires at one point.

Some of them are made to impress but alongside they develop a certain perception that glorify heroism. The perfectionist will make little effort to success. Action movies are in most cases developed in a way that the “master” or the “ninja” will outdo the local authorities like the police and can thus go ahead and commit a crime and move unhurt.

There is other that the hero intelligence and wisdom are portrayed when he can forecast the future with a good level of precision. What the movie leaves in the mind of the viewers is that one can easily succeed in life by following unlawful means. The fact that the hero always is successful is planting a seed of deviant behavior in the population.

A latest series called prison break was portraying an impression that running away from the prison was an easy task and all that was required is an organization among the intimates. Such a movie is in away encouraging crime since the criminal think that even after he has been convicted of a crime, he is smarter than the police and can always run away from the prison. This movie advocates for crime.

Another movie that has a negative influence is “The predictor” by Arnold swarznegger in these movies the hero does not respect the authority but decides to go ahead and look for a predator. The failure of the police was brought out from the start. In this movie, one can always doubt the capability of the police force. When the hero in the movie looks for a plan B, (according to the movie) he is successful in the mission.

The Above movie portrays that the police, who are entitled to protect the society, are not able to fulfill their mandate. They are seen not to be able to perform their noble duties. The ease that the hero settled the case proved a lot of deficit on the police. An individual watching the movies will doubt how far the police can go to protect the society.

It is advocating that the person can look for solutions in his problems without involving the state. The same personality who acted the movie vied for a senator’s position in California; he was successful by the first trial. The success can be interpolated that the people believed he can perform magic of success the same way he had done it over the movies. This was not true and he is no different from the other senates.

A movie Casted by Brooke Shields, Dylan Walsh, named “The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery (1999)” is another movie that can be seen to advocate for bank robbery. This movie portrays some real weak points about the system that one can use and be successful in life (Hutrerd, 2004).

The Local and International News

In case of an incidence of crime that was successful in the country, the media brings this news and portrays it as a success story. This creates an impression that this is another way of getting rich. When the media was reporting news on Somalia pirates negotiations that they were making with the government, they created an impression that the pirates were not criminals but this was a legitimate deal that the government had ignored.

An example of a report by New York times on January 18, 2010 in the article named Enriched by Record Ransom, Somali Pirates Free Tanker, wrote “The owners, Maran Tankers Management, said in a statement quoted by The Associated Press that they were “delighted” that the ship had been released, but declined to provide any details about the negotiations that led to the ship and crew’s release.”

By the above statement one can easily think that the business that the pirates were doing was a legitimate and that is why the company opted for dialogue (of which the writer implies that there were some money that exchanged hands). The focus on the media especially in African news and the stereotype that the media has continuously enforced is more likely to encourage racism. The continent is called the Dark Continent.

By the name alone, there is a perception that has been created in the minds of the people. They may think that the country has people who are backward in the level of development. They focus on that area that is not present in the continent. The stories will be those of hunger, corruption, drought and backwardness as far as the development of the people is concerned. By giving this picture the media is reinforcing racism.

Some of the media stations have aired Vietnam movies. In the movies the American personality or the state in general is portrayed attacking the Vietnams. This may be a reflection of how the war was at the time, but it has been exaggerated to fit the current population. In the movies, the Vietnams are short and killed like animals. The hero of the movies after going back home is embraced and crowned for victory.

What the movie leaves in the mind of the viewer is that life is not precious and it is thus okay to kill without any consideration. The individual especially a child is more likely to become violent and hold no respect to life of others. In the same movies, the death of an Americans is mourned with a lot of grief but the death of a Viet is celebrated. This spreads racism that the Viet are not important as the Americans (Hutrerd, 2004).

Music

Chinese have the music that they play. Some of this music have a certain meaning and have been played at different occasions by a certain age group. Music played over television set is likely to change the style of music that the Chinese are accustomed to and adopt the new system. The music that the media plays is another area that they advocate for crime to take places.

Some of the movies are shot in posh places that the musicians portray as their places of residence and business. Most of this places are rented and thus if the viewer interpolates the movies without the knowledge of this, he may go ahead to commit a crime to live the status that was portrayed in the music.

There are actually some stations that are all round music stations. You will hear the children trying to talk like the personalities in these music videos. Other than the crime part, there is immorality that some of the music may portray (Kilgrer, 2009).

The dancers are portrayed as having a good life despite the fact that they are dancing when almost naked. Their dancing mode is that they encourage immorality in the society. Immorality is the foundation of crime. Other music, especially those that are made in Jamaica (Reggae), advocate for the use of drugs. Some of them are for the opinion that taking bang is not a crime.

If someone, more so a child interpolates the message in the wrong way, he can easily get in the vice. Young innocent children after watching the movies have been seen to try smoking something.

The songs are also shot in a club setting and the most respected person is the one who can buy beers more to others; this enforces a bad behavior. In advertisements, the persons who are used in the adverts are the people that the society believes to be heroes, the media advertisements of things like beer uses these people (Peng and Guo, 2000).

Politics

Policies set in to facilitate globalization have an effect on Chinese politics; they have been portrayed through television sets. Both international and national politics are discussed over television which results in a change to the way people portray a certain issue. For example CNN involves its news with a number of international politics. It has some programs that are focused on African news, Europeans news, and American news.

There have been perceptions that the Chinese people had on some of these countries that have changed as a result of news on Televisions on these countries. For example, there have been a negative perception about Americans but coverage of these places has changed the perception.

This is because the country must comply with some set policies. Globalization has triumphed over the national boundaries such that any member nation of the international bodies can make demands to China, and China will be obliged to consent if the demands are of international interest.

Failure to adhere the leadership of these international bodies can deliberate on the right course of action to take against China or any other nation that fails to conform to the established international requirements. Globalization has led to establishment of international laws that every nation is expected to obey.

For example, the government of China was forced to pay for processing asylum seekers outside China under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) rules. Without employing her local legislations, the nation had to act within the set laws as a member of UNHCR.

Today, a criminal from a different country can be jailed in China if he/she contravenes the nation’s laws. Globalization has ensured that the political systems of different nationalities operate within the international laws (Randall, 2007).

There are international agreements that the country is a signatory and has continued to affect its political decisions. An example of such agreement is Kyoto protocol that was ratified in Japan, on 11 December 1997 and aimed to be fully implemented by 16 February 2005 as one of the measures.

It was developed by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ratified by 37 industrialized countries and European community. China was one of them. The protocol has affected the production methods that the country adopts since its ratification.

Acker (2007) observes that politics of policy making in China have immensely changed to accommodate the global demands. Most of the laws that are continuously on the change are trade laws to accommodate international investments. Some of the trade rules are in relation to free market, the amendment of the Industrial Relations Act, Workplace Relation Act, and later the Work Choice Act (Reuvid and Li, 2005).

Language

The largest number of Chinese speaks and understands Chinese as their language. With increase in technology, there are a number of international television stations which broadcast in different languages like English and French. This move has made the Chinese to learn other languages. This is also facilitated further by international trade which is conducted in other language other than Chinese (Mitlez, 2004)

Today in the world there has a large focus on trading with China. China is slowly portraying itself as the world economic driver; this means that each and every country, individuals and the companies are considering China as the trade partner, a thing that has a boost in the economy of the country. The fact that each country is willing to trade with it has set the country in the pace, now heading to be a political neutral country.

As nations get more confident in the country, the more they will be willing to trade with China and thus the market stands to gain. This stands to have a positive effect on the business since we will not be depending on local market alone but the entire world. China has come up as a bargaining market where traders interact as an open market.

As the world come to fetch for varieties, we will be one of those variety providers. An example is the African countries that have diverted their trading to China and killing the predominant markets of the west. This has been as a partnership kind of trading where you will find contractors in Africa from china.

The way the contracts are made is in such a way that there is a long relationship created. These relationships’ call for change in language and education systems, different languages are adopted to facilitate learning and understanding (Zheng, 2009).

Education

Televisions have enhanced sharing of information among countries. This has even been facilitated further by improved technology. Television sets are used to advertise various education systems in the world a move that have facilitated the Chinese to open their borders for more people to learn in the country and they have also moved to different countries for a different system.

With globalization, Chinese can study in others country and vice-versa. The Chinese education system has evolved of late to cater for increased foreign students. With prestigious universities offering international courses, Chinese attracts many students from the aforementioned countries who come with their social lifestyles and influence the local students to adopt their traits.

The media is another tool of education that has developed with globalization; it has led to better informed students and scholars. Traditional “chalk” education system has been replaced by computer-based education.

There is a great access to technology; teachers and students are increasingly using the internet and computers in their studies. This has been facilitated by globalization that has facilitated technological adoption (Martin, 2005).

Conclusion

The media has a very strong driving force to the perception and the attitude that the public is going to have. It has the potential of changing a culture adopted by a country. Chinese culture has been diluted and influenced to change to a global culture by programs and news that are portrayed in its national televisions and international televisions.

It has been influenced in language, perception towards racism, norms and values and the way they perceive issues. The influence can be negative or positive depending with the influence it creates. This is through the movies that they air as well as the news that they put a lot of weight to.

If the media portrays something as morally good, or gives the impression that by following a certain way one will be successful, then the public is more likely to believe this as the truth. The way that it advocates for the occurrence of crime may be in a direct way or indirect way.

It opens a child to the outside environment through the programs. In politics televisions air out policies set to facilitate globalization; this have an effect on Chinese politics. Both international and national politics are discussed over television which results in a change on the way people portray a certain issue.

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