Scales of cultural influence: Malawian consumption of foreign media

Abstract

This article draws from qualitative and ethnographic work conducted in Malawi to interrogate anew questions of cultural influence by foreign media. Malawi presents a fascinating case for examining such questions, given the almost complete lack of local film or television production and an imperiled music industry, which combine to suffuse film, television, and radio with foreign content. In recent years, moreover, concerns about cultural influence have bubbled up in Malawi. Respondents were therefore asked to discuss their feelings regarding the foreign media presence in the country. Responses suggest the importance of third and subsequent parties to an understanding of cultural influence, as the article examines how Nigerian and American film and television compete with each other, and then examines how minority Tumbuka listeners suspiciously regard Zambian music sung in Malawi's national and majority language, Chichewa. The article aims to complicate theories of cultural influence first by illustrating how multiple cultures jostle for influence, and second by arguing that the often-unitary focus on nation as unit of reception for culture obscures the equal importance of both supranational and subnational cultural units as sites of reception and meaning-making.

Pathways of Global Cultural Diffusion: Mass Media and People's Moral Declarations about Men's Violence against Women

“…(Geston 2006:77). Other television stations primarily showed popular music videos by American, British, Malawian, Nigerian, South African, Zambian, and other African artists, many of which objectified women's bodies (Gray 2014). Violent conflict was also fairly common in music videos, especially between romantic partners (Englund 2011:117-118).…”

Media influence on migration expectations: Experiences of Sub-Saharan Black African students

“…As the world is globalizing, in the process there is growing dominance of Western culture, which is called cultural imperialism (Schiller, 1975;Tomlinson, 2012). Western culture is often viewed as the superior one compared with various world cultures because of the powerful mass media the West has globally (Gray, 2014).…”

“…This has led to the Westernization of world cultures, as the West exports its cultures to less powerful nations (Gray, 2014). In most African countries (for example, Malawi), the local channels and movie theaters are dominated by American movies that depict the power and success of the US (Schiller, 1975), partly due to lack of local movie production (Gray, 2014).…”

“…Television in Malawi was only introduced in 1999 (Gray, 2014). Prior to this time, people depended on foreign movies for entertainment (Gray, 2014).…”

“…Television in Malawi was only introduced in 1999 (Gray, 2014). Prior to this time, people depended on foreign movies for entertainment (Gray, 2014). It is normal in Malawi for people to watch Western movies through their local channels (TV Malawi) and movie theatres (Gray 2014).…”