Disney Family Gets Bigger!

Above is the promotional video for Disney's newest country member to air Disney's home channel!

Yes, just recently on 3 October 2009, Disney shows and culture could be seen for the first time on television screens across the Nethelands. This country joins many others in broadcasting Disney media products. Disney is a global media company with the competitive interest of acquiring larger shares of profits available in the international market. This probably explains Disney's presence in so many countries, and how Disney continues to expand its presence, or rather, market share with the introduction of its channel in the Netherlands.

(Disney Channel is currently showing in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America and the Carribean)

So how did Disney make itself a global phenomenon? Before they could make it big, it was important that they establish strong domestic roots. And U.S. based Disney has done that through classic Mickey Mouse Cartoons screened in America in the past.

They also needed a solid international development strategy. In approaching globalisation, Disney has adopted two main modes of expansion - the horizontal expansion and the vertical expansion. Disney has expanded horizontally because it sells the exact same product in different countries all over the world. For instance, I can watch 'Wizards of Waverly Place' in Singapore and in Hong Kong. It has also expanded vertically because Disney is engaged in successive stages of the production chain, and some of these stages are located in other countries outside the U.S. For example, Disney owns studios in America, while some of their distribution centres are overseas.

The same product sold to different countries, however might need slight modifications to suit audience's needs. As seen in the clip above, Disney was trying to reach out to media consumers in the Nethelands. As citizens in the Nethelands do not use English but Dutch as their native language, Disney had to dubb the entire commercial in Dutch. This is one of the strategies Disney employs to appeal to a mass of people who speak a different language. Language is after all essential in mass media. If people do not understand what is going on or said because of language, this barrier of communication will deter people from consuming the particular media product. If not, they would have to rely alot on non verbal communication to understand the commercial.

Due to Disney's dominance on the global stage, cultural imperialism has been occuring. People are or have definitely been influenced by Disney media products - the ideal happy ending is almost a familiar fantasy to everybody who consumes Disney.

Power of the Mass Media

As much as I know that watching the news is our most fundamental and basic way of keeping updated with local and international current affairs, the news channel is not the first button on the television remote control I press. However, I am forced to watch it or at least listen to it whenever my parents decide to tune in to our local news every night at 9.30pm. This is an example of media being forced unto me. However I still have a choice on whether I want to resist such information, by simply walking away from the television set.

The agenda setting function of our news as a mass media is indeed amazing! I have never considered how it influenced and defined what I saw as important. On some level I feel almost controlled. I always thought it was the media that had the responsibility to shape the messages according to what the public wants or finds interesting instead.

Recently, the news has been reporting quite a bit on the sale of houses, telling the public about their prices as indicated in the news clip above and exhibiting the surveillance and correlation function of the media. This certainly got people thinking about housing. And as if the news coverage regarding homes is not big enough, they publish it in yet another mass media – the newspaper: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_443462.html?vgnmr=1

The more frequent the topic is brought up (volume of news coverage on the issue), the greater the ability of the media to set its agenda, which in this case is to raise the significance of purchasing houses in the public's mind.

The other big feature in the news clip shows China's 60th anniversary celebrations. To the China citizens, this definitely drives home the point of patriotism. Here embedded within the context of a parade are elements of culture that reflect China's environment, and we as viewers are educated through this cultural transmission. The chinese people themselves are reassured when they are shown the big missiles that exist to protect them from physical threat as well.

This is the power of the mass media.

Wacky Group Overcomes Threat Together

Forget ice age, this is a new movie detailing the events of yet another wacky group! This unlikely team comprises of the Fox’s family, the Mole’s family, the Badger’s family, and the Rabbit’s family. So how did this group with such a united variety of animal species emerge in the first place? Well, first they do have similar behavioral standards. All four families happen to be diggers; they dig out their houses and live in holes. Secondly, they have a collective identity shared between them because they are neighbors residing in the same hill. Last but not least, (and the factor that perhaps forced them to work together), the 3 families face a common enemy – three farmers’ intent on their destruction. And this sets the platform for their unity against these humans. They hence become interdependent on each other for survival. As seen in the clip above, Mr. Fox asks for their various strengths so that the group may depend on them -

Mole: “I can see in the dark.”
Rabbit: “I’m fast!”
Badger: “Demolitions Expert.”
And Mr. Fox, as the title of the film suggests, is full of wit.

It is through identifying such strengths that tasks may be assigned to each animal, and members can assume their given roles more effectively.

It may seem strange that the rabbits are willing to cooperate with the foxes, even on the grounds of protecting their home, but it is important to consider what the rabbit gains from teaming up with its natural predator. In the movie, the group digs deep underground and creates tunnels leading to each of the farmer's cellar. There they steal food, enough to keep the fox's stomach preoccupied, and enough to keep every animal satisfied and well fed. Hence both the individual's needs and the group's needs are fitted quite nicely and there is no conflict. The rewards gained from being part of the group is having a share of the spoils, with no casualties. At the same time every member with their unique talents helps in the getting of the food, showing their allegiance and commitment to the group.

As with all tight allegiances, groupthink may occur. This unusual team may very well, in future, possess the illusion that they are unstoppable, and that they can always get away with their thefts. A sense of collective rationalisation may also grow amongst them, with the code of survival the primary reason why they continue to steal. The remedy for groupthink however, is near at hand. Although external to the group, the 3 devious farmers serve as devil's advocates, as their presence will continue to ensure the animal group does not get too cocky with themselves. One careless arrogant mistake and the farmers will kill them.

Speaking of which, we should not forget the farmers, who could use some empathy. As it is, they are up against 4 animal families (if we add every single family member there'd be an army, so we are just looking at family type which fits into the optimum group number). If you had a choice, would you join the farmers in their expedition to rid the hill of the 'pests' ? They do need 2 more people to form a group and you could be their next new member!

We all have a little of Summer in us.

(500) Days of Summer

This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Tom Hanson, grew up believing that he’d never truly be happy, until the day he met ‘the One’. The girl, Summer Finn, did not share this belief. You should know up front, this is not a love story.

Summer’s Diary, Day (27):
Tonight our office had a party at a bar. It was really fun. I got to know my colleagues a little better. Tom, one of my better guy friends from work, told me he actually believes in love! His ideas about relationships were so weird and medieval, but I was still fascinated by him. I found out from his drunk friend later that Tom actually liked me. Tom denied it at first, but I think his drunk friend might be right. That comment suddenly made me notice Tom more. Come to think of it, Tom is quite cute, and we can click in our conversations. Plus we share so many similarities in our tastes in music. Oh dear I hope this is not counterfeit liking. I should talk with Tom about it tomorrow.

Summer’s Diary, Day (28):
I kissed Tom in the photocopy room! I just had the urge to. I think we naturally assumed the role of dating after that by going to Ikeas together, but I had to tell Tom that I was not looking for anything serious. I like Tom, but I just want our relationship to be casual. Surprisingly he was fine with that. I thought most men would not agree to a relationship that was not really heading anywhere. Now that I’ve honestly stated my expectations of our relationship, I’m sure Tom and I will be very relaxed and happy around one another.

Summer’s Diary, Day (110):
Tom came over to my place last night. And we just talked and talked into the waking dawn. I told him my dreams; hopes and fears that I’ve never told anyone before. He seemed to like the fact that I was drawing him closer into my life. I was grateful too, to have someone I was comfortable with to share my deepest thoughts and feelings. I could just feel this wall around me come down. Sometimes it even seems like he can see through me. The portion of my johari window that is known to me but hidden from others appears to be opening up for him.

Summer’s Diary, Day (260):
Tom and I had a fight yesterday. He acted like my boyfriend at a bar. I hate labels. I just wanted things to be casual. He even said he wanted us to be a couple. Our expectations of each other are too dissimilar. I am starting to get tired of our relationship. I wonder if I should end this.

Summer’s Diary, Day (456-476):
I am married! I just woke up one day and knew that my husband was the one I wanted to be with, something I was never sure of with Tom. Proximities really play a part in love. I was sitting in a deli reading when I met my husband. So what if I had gone somewhere else for lunch, or if I’d gotten there ten minutes later? I would have never gotten the chance to interact with my husband. Love does exist, it was just not with Tom.