The Jeremiad Over Journalism

to correspond to, or even promote, the values and structures of the dominating center of the
system.‖ 38
As is apparent in Schiller‘s argument, nations on the receiving end of American influence have little
agency or ability to resist the impulses received. Though Schiller sees American military and
economic influence on the decline in the 1970s due to the failed Vietnam War, he perceives
American attempts at influencing global communication structures as being on the rise. 39
In the realm of American journalism, Schiller demonstrates that after World War II leading media
owners and editors have been able to frame the discussion over free access to information to
coincide with the news outlets‘ own economic interests. Additionally, Schiller argues that American
institutions have directly influenced journalism teaching in Latin America, ―patterned after the
North American model,‖ by subsidizing journalism schools through funds which at times flow
through ―obscure channels.‖ 40
Furthermore, Schiller posits that the United States‘ dominance in the technological realm, especially
in the use of satellites for communication purposes, after World War II led to a shift in global
communicative power from Britain, who dominated information transfer through cables in the early
20 th century, to the United States. The shift in power, in Schiller‘s view, leads to dependence on
American government sponsored technological innovations by less affluent nations and thereby
perpetuates global inequality. 41
Though Schiller‘s argument concerning the economic, strategic and technological policies explicitly
meant to promote American interests globally is well-founded, and thereby presents a valuable
contribution to the study of structural Americanization, his view of cultural imperialism leads much
to be desired empirically.
As in the example with American-sponsored journalism education in Latin America, Schiller
generalizes without specifically stating how many or which universities are subsidized, and exactly
what he means by the phrase concerning funding through ―sometimes obscure channels.‖
38 Ibid. Page 9.
39 Ibid. Page 22-23.
40 Ibid. Page 11 and 25-29.
41 Ibid. Page 47. Schiller writes, ―it is imperative today to consider the general role of technology not only as an
instrument for effectuating cultural domination but as an embodiment of this very domination.‖
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