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The global village, coined in the 1960’s (Breit, 2001: 214), has come to represent and perhaps link technological progress with better global human relations which in turn has unearthed a spatial chasm in which journalism’s evolving culture can operate – the Internet. Ultimately, journalism and the entire media industries as not only a profession but a culture also, have expanded, specifically through the development of modern technology (i.e. new media, digitisation and the Internet), which has created new spaces for media industries to explore (for example – Cyberspace).
“The most important development in the beginning of the 21st century affecting global media systems is that information technologies are expanding access to information and entertainment to people all over the world, and nation-states can do little to prevent transnational information/entertainment news flows.�? (Merrill, 1995: 19).
Much of the scepticism and disdain with journalism today ultimately stems from the remarkable development in technology over the last decade or two. Although such technology has undoubtedly added to human endeavour, many believe it has also served to diminish the responsibility of a journalist. With more media outlets branching into new and rapidly developing technologies, journalism is becoming increasingly attuned to the rise of new technologies, specifically the information superhighway. United States academic Ellen Hume comments:
“The challenges generated by new media technologies provide a powerful incentive for the journalism community to get its house in order. New technologies are accelerating a shift of power away from traditional voices of authority in journalism and politics. Both institutions are uneasy, for good reason: their roles are being challenged by new competitors and their audiences are restless.�? (in Conley, 1997: 32).
The present journalism culture in cyberspace serves as a prime example of the way in which media's global influence is culturally determined and the role power-relationships play in controlling its content. Cyberspace appears natural, neutral, simply there, a backdrop to cultural activities, yet it is culturally and socially determined: it has been organised and structured in particular ways, by those with power, groups of people, individuals, institutions, historical events and processes; all in ways that influence our perception and experience of cyberspace and in ways that influence what we can do and be in cyberspace.
Like any other medium of communication, the Internet can be controlled by ideologies. While the virtual world is theoretically considered to allow unrestricted, limitless possibilities; in practice, the audience possess individual ideologies or individual perceptions according to their own political, cultural and social repertoire which inevitably hinder the virtuality of cyberspace. Thus, in such a vulnerable environment, where meaning is in fact dependent upon the control of ideologies, it is possible to succeed in exploiting the Internet's ability to provide a platform (the most accessible and global media platform available) which enables the prescribing and communication of certain meaning for a specific audience.
--Paul Fitzpatrick 17:48, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
