IntroductionThrough the process of globalization, the political, economic, and sociocultural activities of one region of the world can have significant effects on people or communities in regions far away (Frith, 2003). Today's globalized world is characterized by extensive connectivity and global consciousness. The paper debates that media play an essential role in globalization and have both positive and negative influences on children and adolescents.The trend of globalization has led many news organizations to "go global." Global media are usually transnational organizations that generate messages or programs for dissemination to a large number of people around the world, which in t ...view middle of the document...
The global communication system helps young people reach out to the world and develop multiple understandings about things and issues. Many cultures are now visibly present in the everyday lives of children and adolescents through news channels, movies, comic books, television serials, and advertising. In earlier times, access to foreign media was the privilege of elites, but now most young people can easily gain such access. The lively exchange of cultural and social knowledge broadens young people's minds and enables them to understand more about the lifestyles, values, and behavioral norms of other countries. Moreover, the global information dissemination network encourages young people to take action from a distance, such as making donations to disaster victims in other countries, showing support for environmental protection, or joining global social movements.The Political DimensionThe media provide a sense of global bonding, turning people into "global villagers," or world citizens (Robertson, 2003). Young people can witness an event on television or on online news sites simultaneously at the same time as the rest of the world. They may directly develop views on world issues and reflect on their roles in the global political arena. Young people get together and form transnational communities through online resources such as chat rooms, message boards, and blogs. In the cyber world, many children and adolescents cultivate "cyber friendships" with their online game playmates or global ICQ friends. They can also express opinions on various issues. However, the Internet is also a breeding place of international cyber crime. Children and adolescents may be seduced to commit crime or become victims themselves. Moral education and "global ethics" have been proposed to address these dangers as well as to realize the potential of online relationships among young people educated to become intelligent and responsible global citizens. Global citizenship includes the features of equal rights, global obligations, global participation, and commitment to take active steps to defend the rights of others and promote the common good of the whole global community.The Economic DimensionThe media not only play an important part in the globalization of society; they are building their own global business empires. Powerful organizations such as Disney, the News Group, the Hollywood film companies, and international advertising agencies are themselves an expanding world, influencing the development of the overall economy. Multinational corporations and their advertising agencies treat the entire world as a homogeneous market. Children and adolescents are targeted as global consumers (Robertson, 2003). They are encouraged to consume foreign media products and goods promoted by international advertising. Previous stud...
