Providing an improved basis for articulating the nature of transnational television and its potentials for improving relations among nations, is the central focus of this study. We are motivated to research this subject because we believe the existing perspectives on it need to be revised in line with present day reality. Our point of departure is the thorny issue of "cultural imperialism." In re-evaluating this issue, some fundamental questions are raised to determine whether past perspectives fit present day realities. Using the elite theory of power in various societies, aided by Johan Galtung's model of a global communication in "four worlds," we see a pattern of global television that suggests commonalities in underlying reasons for their establishment in various countries. In both developed and developing countries. We acknowledge with the support of a literature and data existence of a global systemic domination by the technology rich nations over the technology poor ones. But there are also substantial evidence to prove that some of the poorer nations exercise some degree of autonomy. That makes more difficult to try to explain "cultural imperialism" simply as a relationship that sees developed and developing nations as simply a dominant/subordinate association. Through a strategy of originating intent we are able to show that the elite in various societies acquire television mainly to satisfy either their political, economic or social interests.

The reality as we perceive it is shaped by various forms of representation regarding race, ethnicity, gender, class, etc. that are influenced by the media. When in summer 2010 the FIFA World Cup took place in South Africa, the host country was faced with the challenge of being in the international media focus and hence also the object of coverage in transnational television news. For the present study, which is based on the concept of media representations, the relation of sports and news media, previous research on football World Cups in the media and the role of transnational television, newscasts from three transnational broadcasters, BBC World News, CNN International and Al Jazeera English have been analyzed. The study aims to reveal how they depict and frame the host country, which topics were considered to be newsworthy, the differentiation between the country South African and the African continent and whether similarities or differences can be found in the three broadcasters’ coverage. To get answers to the research problem a combination of two methodological approaches, a quantitative content analysis, measuring the frequency of certain key topics, and a more interpretative qualitative discourse analysis of newscasts aired during the World Cup in June and July 2010, has been conducted. The findings suggest that the broadcasters were trying to represent South Africa from different perspectives, reporting about a broad variety of topics going beyond the actual football event, clearly differentiating between the continent and the host country. Nevertheless, the broadcasters’ way of presenting certain topics differs slightly. Hence, the study provides insights into how the broadcasters represented the host country as well as a comparison of their reporting. Moreover, it can function as a basis for future research that, for example, seeks to include the audience’s perception of the mediated image.

<p>By using a quantitative content analysis, this thesis examines how the Latin American television channel Telesur was established, and the character of Telesurs programme listings and news broadcasts. The thesis also examines how Telesurs agenda to promote pan-Latin American integration, is visible in the material broadcasted.</p><p>The theories used are the media dependency theory, framing of news, news bias and media globalization and regionalization.</p><p>The media development and current situation in Latin America and Venezuela is described.</p><p>The results show that Telesur came into existence in a polarized mass medial and political climate, as part of the communicational strategy of the Chávez government to promote the “21th century socialism”. The news broadcasts are not directly related to the Telesur agenda. The news does not differ much from other international news broadcasts in aspects of length, tempo and topics. The broadcasts lack economical segments but empathizes political segments. The geographical representation is to a great part concentrated to and around Venezuela. In the programme listings, the aim of being an educative and news providing television channel is clearly visible, as the channel provides a great part of news and documentaries.</p>

By using a quantitative content analysis, this thesis examines how the Latin American television channel Telesur was established, and the character of Telesurs programme listings and news broadcasts. The thesis also examines how Telesurs agenda to promote pan-Latin American integration, is visible in the material broadcasted. The theories used are the media dependency theory, framing of news, news bias and media globalization and regionalization. The media development and current situation in Latin America and Venezuela is described. The results show that Telesur came into existence in a polarized mass medial and political climate, as part of the communicational strategy of the Chávez government to promote the “21th century socialism”. The news broadcasts are not directly related to the Telesur agenda. The news does not differ much from other international news broadcasts in aspects of length, tempo and topics. The broadcasts lack economical segments but empathizes political segments. The geographical representation is to a great part concentrated to and around Venezuela. In the programme listings, the aim of being an educative and news providing television channel is clearly visible, as the channel provides a great part of news and documentaries.

This dissertation is about the production of national identity in the transnational age. Focusing on the specific example of Egyptian television, this dissertation argues that new production imperatives, mainly in satellite television and internet, have changed the way that television is produced in the Arabic speaking Middle East, most significantly away from direct state control. The changes in production accompany changes in distribution and consumption of electronic media and are significantly rewriting the ways that shared cultural identities in the Middle East, including nationalism, religious, and other significant identities, are produced, consumed and replicated. This dissertation approaches these topics by relating two specific televisual texts, the Ramadan serials Malek Farouq and Gamal Abdel Nasser, to larger changes in Arab and Egyptian television production. / text