Globe: Cultural Programming, Global Gossip and Erosion on the Horizon...
We understand diaspora as multiple movements of global populations across the globe and through technologies and offerings such as cultural programming, a transatlantic connection, a sense of home via memory and transmission is thus established on behalf of many groups, to their liking and advantage often as well.
A program aired every Saturday morning on CityTV (a Canadian network renowned for multicultural programming and representations) entitled simply, Polish Studio, is indeed a diasporic operation, or what can be considered interdiasporic media. It functions
on such groups', in this case, the Canadian Polish populace, behalf, in neo-traditional ways where dispersed groups can and do maintain their own version of global culture. Therefore, such a cultural program establishes a degree of connection.
We are not dealing here with a Hollywood studio trying to commodify and alter representation of a culture, simply a news program being run for and by the Diaspora in order to reflect cultural concerns in Canada and those happening in the homeland too. Reflections. However, the news filters, producers, agenda setters and gate keepers, along with advertisers funding the network can be viewed as similar influencing factors as those behind Hollywood film. In a globalized world, there can still be emergence of a shared symbolic space, as Anderson writes, for a group of people. Even if that space is a state of mind, recollection and public spaces made available for the Polish community, even in front of the television, one may feel connected to the homeland via what is shown, memory is evoked and meanings through landscapes and streets reflected overseas resurface.
http://www.polcu.ca/Polish%20Studio/psindex.html
Founded it 1988, the net work claims it has potential viewers of over 300,000 in Canada and also many in the Rochester, Buffalo and Detroit regions.
It broadcasts information on:
Current events in Poland
*
Sports updates
*
Local stories on Toronto, Ontario & Canada
*
Documentaries
*
Interviews
*
Cultural events
*
Music and videos
*
Specialized features on health, finances, astronomy, gardening, etc...
*
Birthday & anniversary announcements
*
Community events and advertising
Essentially, it reaches out to the Polish community and maintains a connection to the homeland, a window and gaze.
As Silverstone claims, “We are what we remember” (123), our identity as both individuals
and a nation and memory is central to our experience and identity. This global transmission through networks and technology, this shrinking of space can be further elaborated upon and made evident in something which is called global gossip.
This for example,
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dls5JTD-uG0&feature=related
...can precisely be labelled so! The face is associated with pure evil (mainly for the impression which was drawn for the American people), embedded in the minds of millions in every nation across the world. The reason being? Countless news networks internationally have played a Bin Laden video message at least ONCE since the tragic event of September 11th.
Though the global presence and singularity of an event will not necessarily always obtain a uniform response, the topic however, may be global and become a resource for the expression of local and particular interests and identities. In this case, since America is supposedly "at war" and on the hunt for this man, he is the face of evil and a villain in their eyes. The U.S media and government slap this identity on him and it becomes an identity for a more local group. Another nation, oh, let's say Iceland for instance, can care less for Osama! though indeed they may be familiarized with the face via Global gossip. Video. Images. Chit chat. Small talk.
Sure, cultures are maintained for Diasporic groups through various programming but all is not well on the horizon. The erosion of borders, erasing of national currencies and unification can and will have disastrous implications. Loss of identity, loss of sovereignty, many nations have already started to feel the reprecussions of the EU. Bright promises for the short term, for the rich.
Every generation experiences some kind of crisis in their lifetime. I will go insofar as to put globalization on the same scale as fascism of communism for that matter. Different names and masks for such movements, but frighteningly similar objectives!
A major concern that will certainly unravel and come to light is the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). In short, The North American Union. Again, prosperity promised, but for whom? Ho ho! good thinking Jack!
Without going into too much detail and negative implications, this is a pact between America, Canada and Mexico (a further extension of NAFTA one can say) and discussions have been held completely in private, behind closed doors for the past 6 years. Speculation is that the SPP will be implented by 2010, an international super highway will be built and a new currency will be introduced, the Amero.
For those who seek further information and interest, provided is a link to a website called Integrate This! started by Maude Barlow as resistance to the SPP in order to provide information regarding the SPP, that which they haven't been telling the public what is going on behind closed doors!
http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/backgrounders/guide/index.html
A program aired every Saturday morning on CityTV (a Canadian network renowned for multicultural programming and representations) entitled simply, Polish Studio, is indeed a diasporic operation, or what can be considered interdiasporic media. It functions
on such groups', in this case, the Canadian Polish populace, behalf, in neo-traditional ways where dispersed groups can and do maintain their own version of global culture. Therefore, such a cultural program establishes a degree of connection.
We are not dealing here with a Hollywood studio trying to commodify and alter representation of a culture, simply a news program being run for and by the Diaspora in order to reflect cultural concerns in Canada and those happening in the homeland too. Reflections. However, the news filters, producers, agenda setters and gate keepers, along with advertisers funding the network can be viewed as similar influencing factors as those behind Hollywood film. In a globalized world, there can still be emergence of a shared symbolic space, as Anderson writes, for a group of people. Even if that space is a state of mind, recollection and public spaces made available for the Polish community, even in front of the television, one may feel connected to the homeland via what is shown, memory is evoked and meanings through landscapes and streets reflected overseas resurface.
http://www.polcu.ca/Polish%20Studio/psindex.html
Founded it 1988, the net work claims it has potential viewers of over 300,000 in Canada and also many in the Rochester, Buffalo and Detroit regions.
It broadcasts information on:
Current events in Poland
*
Sports updates
*
Local stories on Toronto, Ontario & Canada
*
Documentaries
*
Interviews
*
Cultural events
*
Music and videos
*
Specialized features on health, finances, astronomy, gardening, etc...
*
Birthday & anniversary announcements
*
Community events and advertising
Essentially, it reaches out to the Polish community and maintains a connection to the homeland, a window and gaze.
As Silverstone claims, “We are what we remember” (123), our identity as both individuals
and a nation and memory is central to our experience and identity. This global transmission through networks and technology, this shrinking of space can be further elaborated upon and made evident in something which is called global gossip.
This for example,
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dls5JTD-uG0&feature=related
...can precisely be labelled so! The face is associated with pure evil (mainly for the impression which was drawn for the American people), embedded in the minds of millions in every nation across the world. The reason being? Countless news networks internationally have played a Bin Laden video message at least ONCE since the tragic event of September 11th.
Though the global presence and singularity of an event will not necessarily always obtain a uniform response, the topic however, may be global and become a resource for the expression of local and particular interests and identities. In this case, since America is supposedly "at war" and on the hunt for this man, he is the face of evil and a villain in their eyes. The U.S media and government slap this identity on him and it becomes an identity for a more local group. Another nation, oh, let's say Iceland for instance, can care less for Osama! though indeed they may be familiarized with the face via Global gossip. Video. Images. Chit chat. Small talk.
Sure, cultures are maintained for Diasporic groups through various programming but all is not well on the horizon. The erosion of borders, erasing of national currencies and unification can and will have disastrous implications. Loss of identity, loss of sovereignty, many nations have already started to feel the reprecussions of the EU. Bright promises for the short term, for the rich.
Every generation experiences some kind of crisis in their lifetime. I will go insofar as to put globalization on the same scale as fascism of communism for that matter. Different names and masks for such movements, but frighteningly similar objectives!
A major concern that will certainly unravel and come to light is the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). In short, The North American Union. Again, prosperity promised, but for whom? Ho ho! good thinking Jack!
Without going into too much detail and negative implications, this is a pact between America, Canada and Mexico (a further extension of NAFTA one can say) and discussions have been held completely in private, behind closed doors for the past 6 years. Speculation is that the SPP will be implented by 2010, an international super highway will be built and a new currency will be introduced, the Amero.
For those who seek further information and interest, provided is a link to a website called Integrate This! started by Maude Barlow as resistance to the SPP in order to provide information regarding the SPP, that which they haven't been telling the public what is going on behind closed doors!
http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/backgrounders/guide/index.html