Global Media Week 6 Class 1

News Quiz

Multiple Choice

President Trump told pregnant women to “fight like hell” against taking which common painkiller, linking it to autism in a way that many doctors said overstepped medical research?

• Advil

• Aleve

• Motrin

• Tylenol

Multiple Choice

Trump announced late last week that the U.S. would charge $100,000 for H-1B visa applications for skilled foreign workers. Which country accounts for the most H-1B visa holders?

• China

• India

• Indonesia

• South Korea

Multiple Choice

Jimmy Kimmel is back. What media company said its ABC affiliates won't air the show...then changed its mind.

• Nexstar Media Group

• Cox Media Group

• E.W. Scripps Company

• Tegna Inc

Multiple Choice

Major League Baseball announced that it would implement what change starting next year?

• The addition of a 10th fielder

• Robot umpires to determine challenged calls

• The addition of two teams from Europe

• The removal of fans from behind home plate

Multiple Choice

The White House is threatening to do what if the government shuts down this week?

• Take away free water in the Capitol building

• Fire federal employees

• Cut Social Security benefits

• Give a tax cut to the rich

Multiple Choice

Which type of natural disaster recently forced a massive evacuation in southern China?

• Earthquake

• Volcanic eruption

• Typhoon

• Wildfire

Multiple Choice

Global leaders gathered in New York City last week to attend which annual meeting?

• World Economic Forum

• G7 Summit

• UN General Assembly

• NATO Summit

Multiple Choice

President Trump wants an investigation of mishaps at the U.N. General Assembly. What was one such calamity?

• The elevator broke

• The escalator broke

• The teleprompter had the wrong speech

• The interpreters got stuck in traffic

Multiple Choice

What is the list price of Apple’s latest top-of-the-line iPhone?

• $999

• $1,999

• $2,999

• $5,999

Multiple Choice

What didn't happen this week?

• Iranian diplomats were banned from Costco

• Kamala Harris endorsed Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor

• the Rapture

• none of these happened

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'Political Economy' as discussed in the lesson?

• The study of power relationships within media systems, focusing on ownership, control, and economic influence on content.

• A philosophy that emphasizes free markets, deregulation, and privatization in media.

• The process of intensifying worldwide social relations.

• The rise of international organizations and global trade agreements.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are historical roots of globalization according to the lesson?

• Colonialism & Imperialism

• Industrial Capitalism

• Post-WWII Era

• Digital Revolution

Multiple Choice

How did the combination of railroads and telegraph systems in the 1800s contribute to the process of globalization?

• They allowed information to travel faster than people, fundamentally changing how societies understood space, time, and connection.

• They created new forms of entertainment for the masses.

• They led to the creation of the internet and social media platforms.

• They established global trade agreements and international organizations.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the concept of deterritorialization?

• The speed of information flow increases globally.

• Social activities and cultural practices become detached from specific geographic locations.

• Local and global forces influence each other in complex ways.

• Traditional communities resist global integration.

Fill in the Blanks

Poll

Scenario 1: 1800s (Industrial Capitalism)

Railroads and telegraphs are transforming how fast information and goods move.

• Invest in railroads

• Focus on local trade

• Send news by telegraph

Industrial Capitalism

• Option A: Invest in railroads
  Explanation: This reflects social acceleration. Railroads moved goods and people faster, shrinking distances and fueling global trade.

• Option B: Focus on local trade
  Explanation: This resists globalization. By keeping trade local, you avoid global interdependence — but you may also fall behind economically.

• Option C: Send news by telegraph
  Explanation: This demonstrates the annihilation of distance. The telegraph allowed near-instant communication across long distances for the first time.

Poll

Scenario 2: 1950s (Post-WWII Global Flows)

Television is spreading rapidly, and media corporations are expanding worldwide.

• Export Hollywood films

• Support local cinema

• Broadcast international news

This is an example of contra-flows. Local industries push back against Hollywood dominance, keeping cultural identity alive.

Support local cinema

This reflects cultural imperialism. U.S. cultural products dominated global screens, shaping tastes and values abroad.

Export Hollywood films

Scenario 2: 1950s (Post-WWII Global Flows)

This highlights interconnectedness. Media brought global politics and events into homes, linking local and global realities

Broadcast International News

Scenario 2: 1950s (Post-WWII Global Flows)

Poll

Scenario 3: 2000s–Today (Digital Age)

Question: The Internet and smartphones dominate daily life. How would you participate in this global moment?

• Launch a global social media platform

• Create localized content for your region

• Build an online fan community

This balances local identity within globalization. It shows how local cultures adapt while still being part of global networks.

Create localized content for your region

This shows deterritorialization. Social media connects people regardless of geography, dissolving physical boundaries.

Launch a global social media platform

Scenario 3: 2000s–Today (Digital Age)

This demonstrates contra-flows and interconnectedness. Non-Western media can shape global audiences, resisting one-way cultural dominance.

Build an online fan community

Scenario 3: 2000s–Today (Digital Age)

Demon Slayer

We’ve been talking about globalization — how media circulates across borders, but also how power and economics shape access. Let’s look at a current case study: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. It’s breaking global box office records, but streaming has been delayed until 2026. Watch this video and think about what that means for globalization.

Poll

Crunchyroll delaying streaming until 2026 shows…

• Globalization creates shared cultural events

• Globalization is limited by corporate profit motives

• Both at the same time

Lesson

Social acceleration means media spreads fast, but corporate choices can slow access for profit.
Reality: Fans worldwide share memes/spoilers instantly, but must wait a year+ for streaming — unequal access despite global hype.

Poll

Who benefits most from this decision?

• Japanese studios (Aniplex, Toho)

• Crunchyroll/Sony

• Fans/audiences

• Theaters

Lesson

Interconnectedness links local creators and global markets — but power imbalances shape who profits.
Reality: Theaters stay full, Crunchyroll/Sony maximize revenue. Fans outside theaters wait, showing uneven globalization.

Poll

Is this release model (theatrical only, delayed streaming) progress or a barrier for globalization?

• Progress — creates a global spectacle

• Barrier — limits deterritorialization

• Both

Lesson

Deterritorialization suggests borderless flows, but regional rollout + streaming delays show borders still matter.
Reality: Infinity Castle is an international box office hit, but distribution choices block full global simultaneity.

Crunchyroll and Aniplex have to decide how to release Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle to the world.

Imagine you’re in charge:

• Do you keep the movie theatrical-only through 2025?

• Do you release it on streaming sooner to meet fan demand?

• Do you choose a hybrid model (limited theaters + earlier streaming)?

👉 Think about:

• How does each choice affect profits?

• How does it shape global fan access?

• Which globalization concept (deterritorialization, interconnectedness, social acceleration, contra-flows) best explains your choice?

Poll

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is in Japanese theaters. How do you release it globally?

• Keep it Japan-only for now

• Partner with Crunchyroll & stream worldwide quickly

• Theatrical releases staggered across regions

Poll

Scenario 2: Fan Communities

Question: Global fans are buzzing online after the Japanese release. What’s your response?

• Encourage global fan creativity (cosplay, memes, art)

• Enforce strict copyright and spoiler bans

• Host official world tour fan events

Poll

Scenario 3: Merchandising & Profit

Question: Infinity Castle is a global box office hit. How do you manage merchandise?

• Japan-first exclusive items

• Global partnerships (Funko, Uniqlo, Hot Topic, Amazon)

• Allow fan-made merch

Final Reflection

Looking at Infinity Castle’s July-to-September 2025 rollout, what does this show about globalization in media? Does staggered release build excitement, or does it highlight inequalities in access? Who benefits more — Japanese studios or international distributors like Crunchyroll/Sony?

Poll

Do you see Nollywood’s Netflix partnership as…

• Major progress for African cinema

• A new form of cultural imperialism

• Both progress and exploitation

Lesson

Neoliberal globalization is driven by free trade and deregulation. Under neoliberalism, Global South industries (like Nollywood) are often invited into global markets — but usually on terms set by Global North corporations. This creates opportunities for visibility and profit but also reinforces old power imbalances.
Reality: Netflix provides budgets and reach, but controls which Nigerian stories are seen worldwide.

Poll

Who benefits most from the Nollywood–Netflix partnership?

• Nigerian filmmakers

• Nigerian audiences

• Netflix (a U.S. corporation)

• Global audiences

Lesson

Globalization is about interconnectedness — flows of culture, money, and power across borders. But interconnectedness is not equal. Media concentration means large corporations often gain the most from global flows, even when local industries contribute the content.

Reality: Global audiences gain access, but Netflix profits most, while Nigerian creators debate whether enough revenue stays local.

Poll

Does Netflix’s involvement strengthen Nollywood’s deterritorialization (borderless storytelling), or weaken it by placing limits on what gets seen?

• Strengthens it

• Weakens it

• Both — depends on perspective

Reality

Deterritorialization means culture circulates beyond national borders. In theory, Nollywood films crossing into U.S. and European living rooms is a prime example. But deterritorialization can be shaped by gatekeepers — global distributors who filter and decide which cultural products actually travel.

Reality: Nollywood films are on Netflix worldwide, but the platform curates and filters what the world sees.

Poll

Does Netflix help accelerate Nollywood’s growth, or risk making it too dependent on outside funding?

• Accelerates growth

• Creates dependency

• Both

Lesson

Social acceleration refers to how quickly money, media, and ideas now move across borders. Streaming platforms speed up Nollywood’s growth by instantly reaching millions. But acceleration can also trap industries in cycles of dependency, where growth is tied to outside capital instead of domestic sustainability.

Reality: Netflix boosts Nollywood budgets and reach, but Nigerian producers worry about creative and financial dependency.

Poll

Overall, Nollywood on Netflix is best described as…

• Progress

• Exploitation

• Complicated — both at the same time

Lesson

Globalization is not a one-sided story of progress or exploitation. It’s contradictory. For Global South industries, globalization can mean recognition, cultural pride, and economic opportunity — while also deepening inequalities, reinforcing Western gatekeeping, and risking cultural dilution.

Reality: Nollywood gains global visibility and prestige, but issues of ownership, control, and authenticity remain.

​Genshin Impact

• The United Front is a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) political strategy that dates back to the early 20th century.

• Its main goal: extend the Party’s influence beyond government and into society — especially in business, culture, religion, and overseas Chinese communities.

• It does this by creating “United Front Work Departments” (UFWD) or United Front Offices inside organizations.

​Genshin Impact

​If miHoYo indeed houses a United Front office, then its global cultural products (Genshin Impact) are not purely market-driven — they may also serve political and ideological aims (soft power, narrative control). That means: Its content could be shaped or censored to align with CCP guidelines. Its global expansion might carry political messaging (implicitly or explicitly). The boundary between “private tech firm” and “state actor” becomes blurred.

​Neoliberal globalization often emphasizes markets and private actors, but in many places political power still plays a central role (especially in authoritarian contexts). United Front is a key CCP tactic to extend influence through ostensibly civilian organizations (businesses, cultural institutions). This challenges the notion that globalization is purely about corporate power — it shows that states also steer cultural flows.

Poll

Genshin Impact is developed in China but became a worldwide hit. Is this…

• Progress for Global South/East industries

• Just another case of capitalism at work

• Both progress and exploitation

Lesson

Globalization enables media from outside the West to circulate worldwide. But under neoliberalism, even “contra-flows” often operate within global capitalist logics (e.g., monetization models, platform distribution).
Reality: Genshin Impact generated billions globally and influenced Western companies — but it’s built on microtransactions that raise ethical concerns.

Poll

Who benefits most from Genshin’s global success?

• Chinese developers (miHoYo/HoYoverse)

• Global gamers

• App stores (Apple, Google)

• All equally

Lesson

Interconnectedness links local creators and global markets — but unevenly. Tech giants often profit from infrastructure (stores, servers, payment systems) even more than the creators.
Reality: Genshin’s success boosted China’s gaming industry, but Apple and Google take a large revenue cut from in-app purchases.

Poll

Does Genshin show deterritorialization (games crossing borders), or do platform rules and state policies still set boundaries?

• Mostly deterritorialized

• Still heavily bounded

• Both

Lesson

Deterritorialization suggests global culture moves freely. But with games, there are still restrictions: Chinese regulations, Western app store rules, and regional censorship.
Reality: Genshin launched globally, but its content is shaped by both Chinese state regulations and Western monetization norms.

Poll

Does Genshin’s success accelerate diversity in gaming, or reinforce dependence on exploitative monetization?

• Accelerates cultural diversity

• Reinforces exploitative monetization

• Both

Lesson

Social acceleration speeds up cultural flows, but can also speed up problematic trends (e.g., loot box mechanics, pay-to-win models).
Reality: Genshin introduced anime-inspired aesthetics to mainstream global gaming, but also spread microtransaction-heavy “gacha” systems worldwide.

Poll

Is Genshin Impact best understood as…

• A triumph of contra-flows (Global East shaping Global North)

• A product of neoliberal globalization

• Both

Lesson

Contra-flows resist cultural imperialism by reversing flows — Global South/East exporting culture globally. Yet within neoliberal globalization, these flows are shaped by capitalism and corporate power.
Reality: Genshin is one of the most profitable games worldwide, challenging Western dominance — but its model reinforces global corporate control of digital economies.

Multiple Choice

Across the case studies of Demon Slayer, Nollywood, and Genshin Impact, what is a common theme regarding the impact of globalization on media?

• Non-Western media achieving global influence

• Decline of digital distribution

• Homogenization of all global content

• Western dominance in all media sectors

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'deterritorialization' as demonstrated by Genshin Impact's global influence?

• Gameplay and cultural influence transcending national borders

• Strictly local gaming cultures remaining isolated

• Western developers dominating global gaming trends

• Digital platforms limiting global adoption

Multiple Select

Which of the following are listed as promises of media globalization?

• Increased cultural exchange and understanding

• Platform for marginalized voices

• Cultural homogenization risks

• Economic opportunities for local creators

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

What are the key requirements for the final research project assignment on globalization and media?

• Submit a 1-page project proposal, use at least three scholarly sources, and present in a video, podcast, or PowerPoint format.

• Submit a 10-page written essay, use only popular news articles, and present only in PowerPoint format.

• Submit a group project, use any sources, and present only in video format.

• Submit a 2-page project proposal, use only one scholarly source, and present in podcast format.