Hamm / Hoff 1

Cat Hamm / Emily Hoff

Mr. Davis
Intermediate Composition 2089.058
22 April 2015
Impact of Media: The Importance of Interconnectivity on a Global Scale
Within the last 100 years, humanity has seen many significant changes. Perhaps the most
impactful change is that of global inclusivity. But what accounts for this inclusivity?
Can its growth be attributed to prominent worldwide events such as the Olympics or the
World Cup? As researched by K. Aleisha Fetters, a health and fitness writer, 213 thousand people
were in attendance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia (Fetters). It is an easy
assumption that important multi-country events foster community on a global scale. With everincreasing numbers of people from different backgrounds coming together for a common
purpose, increased global inclusivity is an obvious product.
Can a rise in tourism and global travel be the cause? With the rate of travel and
movement between countries increasing every year, it has proven to be a significant factor in the
increasing global interconnectivity. The World Tourism Organization says that in 2013, there
were 52 million international tourists, with a cumulative total of 1.1 million arrivals throughout
the year (UNWTO Annual Report 2013). With the vast number of people traveling around the
world, there must be a rise in connectivity and correspondence between individuals and nations.
Or, is a rise in political alliances such as the United Nations responsible for global
inclusivity? According to data from the United Nations, 193 nations are currently represented,
leading to the assumption that political alliances and committees similar to the UN could be the
root cause of global inclusivity (Member States of the United Nations). In addition, data from

Hamm / Hoff 2
the World Health Organization displays 194 national delegates meeting in the World Health
Assembly, the primary decision-making body for the WHO (Governance). As nearly all
countries are represented in some form through these agencies, they are portrayed as bringing
about an increase in inclusivity.
Though these above factors are all important and valuable to people around the world,
there is something else that is even more influential regarding global inclusivity. During the 2014
Winter Olympics in Sochi, approximately three billion viewers watched the games on television
(Fetters). This medium allowed many more people than were in physical attendance to stay
connected. When it comes to travel, whether for business or pleasure, most people desire a
simpler way to connect with others. In todays world, innovations such as SkyScanner and
Expedia make travel more easily accessible. The UN also promotes this idea of connectivity and
inclusivity through their webcast of the General Assembly (24 Hour Live and Pre-Recorded
Programming). Thus, the real cause of global inclusivity is the interconnectivity brought about
by new forms of media.
Forms of media are constantly growing and expanding. Media consists of consists
through which information and entertainment are transmitted and made available to the public,
including but not limited to the internet, television, radio, and newspaper. The developments of
mass communication in the United States began as early as colonial America and have evolved
through both analog and digital mediums.
By 1704, multiple newspapers circulated in the colonies. Emery and Emery, authors of
The Birth of the American Newspaper, report that these early publications spread religious
ideology and tales of business success while becoming the basis of mass communication in what
would become the United States of America (17). However, information spread slowly and

Hamm / Hoff 3
reached only targeted audiences. Illiterate persons and people living far from cities were unable
to access this medium. According to the Public Broadcasting Service, as America expanded,
newspapers maintained their rankings as the most prolific form of mass communication until the
invention of the radio in 1894 (Who Invented Radio?). Radio opened many doors to spread
information to thousands of people at once, but lack of access limited this expansion.
Nonetheless, radio was able to reach beyond the scope of past media forms, though governments
and corporations began to monitor and control what and how information was shared. In A
History of Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia, author Margaret Blanchard states
that under the Radio Act of 1912, the government began the system of broadcasting regulation
(260). Because of this control, radio lost some of its integral features, such as the ability to share
any and all information without a larger body controlling what is said.
Media has developed into a more multifaceted societal current through modern
evolutions of the internet and social networking. According to Barbara Walkosz, author of
Global/Local: Media Literacy for the Global Village, more than 55% of teens currently post on
social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace (3). However, Roca, Aranda, and SanchezNavarro, authors of Television and the Internet: The Role Digital Technologies Play in
Adolescents Audio-Visual Media Consumption, explain that though this constant connection to
information and socialization has had an effect on the behaviors of teens, it has not completely
overridden peer-to-peer interaction (75). By having easy access to a variety of media, community
interactions have been impacted in both positive and negative ways.
Though the focus is often placed on the few extreme negative consequences of media
exposure, most behaviors are not adversely affected. Research completed by Roca, Aranda, and
Sanchez-Navarro indicates that when given choice, youth generally favor socialization with

Hamm / Hoff 4
friends rather than isolating themselves with media (75). As Ohannessian, Boyd, and Kirsh, guest
editors of Media and Youth Development: An Overview of Issues, Theory, and Research
specified, media use did not display a particular impact in the way adolescents viewed
themselves socially or academically, and that youth who are more socially acclimated are less
likely to experience negative effects (11). Thus negative impacts of media can still be observed,
though more often than not they are found in areas populated by more at-risk adolescents.
Arguably, the most significant change in mass media in modern society is the creation of
interdependence among people. Individuals are no longer isolated in their corners of the world,
but have the access necessary to become global citizens. Though access is critical, people must
also be media literate in order to be effectively interconnected.

Media literacy is defined by how consumers interact with media and how this interaction

is therefore used to impact society as a whole.

Today through media, local is now global (Walkosz 3).
Glocalization allows individuals to identify and understand how different cultures and

backgrounds will affect the way one views and finds personal meaning in media.
Due to the interconnectivity of personal media devices, communities and villages are no
longer isolated, but are linked, affecting political, social, and economic aspects of society
(Walkosz 3).

According to Dr. John Owens, chair of the Electronic Media department at the University of
Cincinnati, this interconnectivity also allows large groups such as governments and corporations
to spread into a more global marketplace for ideas and commerce (Owens). The increase in
media variety can create negative repercussions on society. As speaker Edward Murrow stated in
his RTDNA speech, there can often be a clash between corporate needs and individual wishes
when it comes to the use of media (4). As Walkosz addresses, it is critical to understand the
sources author. Taking information at face value can perpetuate the spread of falsehoods, as no

Hamm / Hoff 5
corporation or business mediates tweets by the general public. Additionally, Ng and Popkin,
authors of Time Use and Physical Activity: A Shift Away from Movement across the Globe,
identified that total physical activity trends declined sharply from 1965 to 2009: from 235 to 160
hours per week, indicating that negative effects of media on physical activity are widespread
over time (Ng).
The concept of net neutrality also poses major concerns in todays media. Though the Federal
Communications Commission recently passed a strong rule in favor of net neutrality and an open
internet, many corporations and politicians remain in opposition. President Barack Obama,
however, believes that having and internet open to all is vital to the success of the economy, as it
furthers the democratizing of American Society (Net Neutrality). Thus as media continues to
evolve, it is important to consider both its possible effects and ramifications.
With this history in mind, it is evident that the interconnectivity of media is instrumental in
creating a more inclusive global environment. The concept of media as conduits through which
information and entertainment are transmitted and made available to the public is criticized as
media creating division rather than inclusion in society. According to Michael Price, author of
Alone in the Crowd, an increase in portable technology distracts people from traditionally social
environments (Hampton). That may be true in some traditionally social environments. However,
the ability to contact individuals anywhere in the world at any given time supports the theory that
media brings people together, thus negating this criticism.
Another criticism is that increased connectivity results from a myriad of sources other than
media. The International Monetary Fund justifies this criticism by explaining that the increase in
international trade, global monetary systems, and other economic developments has drawn

Hamm / Hoff 6
nations together (About the IMF). However, this increase is only enabled by developments in
contemporary media.
To ensure sufficient interconnectivity is present to create an inclusive global environment,
many steps need to be taken. The first of these is acknowledging the potential shortcomings.
Internet and media disparities are commonplace in many nations and communities, even the
United States. Joseph D. Straubhaar, Robert LaRose, and Lucinda Davenport, authors of Media
Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology, discuss how wage gaps and income
imbalances create different levels of access for various people, thus instilling a digital divide
between populations (Straubhaar 11). Projects Lantern, Loon, and Link are potentially vital
solutions that address several access problems, from lack of basic opportunities to government
regulation of content.
These three developments provide open internet access through multiple strategies that seek
to improve global interconnectivity. Project Lantern, developed by Brand New Software,
provides basic internet access to nations in which online media is repressed by government
institutions (About Project Lantern). As the project only requires an application downloaded
onto a computer, it is one of the least invasive solutions and requires minimal effort. Requiring
more effort is providing broadband access to impoverished nations through fiber-optics
networks, as seen in Project Link. Their proposed solution focuses on Kampala, Uganda, which
is still limited to pre-broadband access. Link, a Google development, uses high quality
infrastructure to deliver better internet access to people as well as local and international
businesses (A Better Way to Connect). Finally, Project Loon advances to the global scale to fill
in the gaps of smaller rural and more remote communities. Project Loon is powered by a system
of high altitude balloons floating in the stratosphere on the edge of space, and, through

Hamm / Hoff 7
partnerships with various telecommunications companies, Loon can provide widespread access
to multiple regions and help recover internet access after natural disasters (Project Loon).
These three proposed projects work together to provide better and faster internet access to people
all over the globe and boost media interconnectivity.
Cost is a significant hindrance to global inclusivity, and as Dr. Owens stated, it is very
expensive to make a major impact via media (Owens). Due to practical plans set in motion by
Internet.org, the cost of media alone will not keep people from being active members of a global
community. Internet.org identified some cost saving initiatives, including network extension,
white space spectrums, low cost devices and data compression (Internet.org by Facebook). By
lowering the economic resources needed to participate, individuals will have the opportunity to
access media that will connect them to their peers around the world.
Maintaining open and free internet through net neutrality is the next step in the quest for
global media access, as the idea of businesses patrolling media is an idea dating back to the
1960s (Blanchard 3). President Obamas Plan for a Free and Open Internet emphasizes that by
treating all internet traffic equally, new businesses have access to promotional media equal to
that of established companies (Net Neutrality). Such access hinders the development of
monopolies. This aspect also allows individual media consumers to be treated equally without
sites being slowed for corporations to make a profit. In a public statement, Obama also said that
cable and internet providers should not be the gatekeepers in restricting content. Dr. Owens
agrees that major corporations should not hold restrictive powers over individuals by hindering
their spread and creativity (Owens). By keeping the internet free and open, interconnectivity is
easier to achieve and maintain throughout the world.

Hamm / Hoff 8
Because of the inherently isolated nature of many non-connected communities, a solution
must be in place to ensure that the spread of media can be sustained and long-term. Part of this
includes closing the gap between those who have internet access and those who do not. Diane
Charleson, author of Bridging the Digital Divide, compares the social and cultural divide due to
lack of media access to the problem of illiteracy, and the disadvantages thereby imposed on the
individual (Charleson 3). Through basic antennas or satellite dishes, the organization Outernet
has developed methods to guarantee individuals will have continual access to media and internet,
no matter their location or situation (Outernet: Humanitys Public Library). Because of
uncertainties in many of these developing communities, having access to media outlets such as
Outernet at all times will ensure the interconnectivity of the global community through a
continual communication stream.
The increase in ease of travel, exposure to global events, and interactivity of international
organizations such as the United Nations are all evidence in the growth of media impact around
the world. By spreading awareness of internet access disparities and options available to span the
digital divide, people around the world will increasingly understand the necessity of global
interconnectivity. Through less expensive devices and service as well as net neutrality,
connections can be established worldwide utilizing efforts such as Projects Loon, Link, and
Lantern. Clearly, the interconnectivity of media is indeed instrumental in creating a more
inclusive global nature.

Hamm / Hoff 9
Works Cited
24 Hour Live and Pre-Recorded Programming. UN Web TV. United Nations, n.d. Web. 15
Apr. 2015.
This source provides links to past and live meetings of the United Nations. It is an
important source because it demonstrates how technology works through international
organizations. This source was used in the exordium of our paper to provide an example
of media as the one common thread of global inclusivity.
A Better Way to Connect. Google | Project Link. Google, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2015
Project Link is a Google development working to spread broadband access to Kampala,
Uganda through a series of high quality fiber-optics infrastructure. This source is vital
because of the practical knowledge of the creators and the descriptions regarding their
methods to spread media access. Google and its employees are a valuable source due to
their integral part in the interconnectivity of our global environment. This source was
used as a basic outline of a potential plan to rectify the problem presented.
About Project Lantern. Lantern. Brave New Software Project, Inc., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
Project Lantern is a tool created by the nonprofit organization, Brave New Software
Project, Inc. Adam Fisk, lead developer, previously lead development of both LimeWire
and Little Shoot. Therefore, this source is useful in depicting one of the technologically
originated sources of spreading internet access globally. The developer is an expert in his
field. This makes his opinion on media and this particular solution reliable. This source
was used in our paper as an example of a plan already in place to support our thesis.
About the IMF. IMF. International Monetary Fund, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

Hamm / Hoff 10
Defined on their website, the International Monetary Fund is a collaborative effort of 188
countries working to diminish poverty and promote a healthy global economy. This
organization is therefore important and reliable as it focuses on issues around the world
and understands the problems from a variety of perspectives. This source is utilized to
support one of the refutations to our thesis.
Blanchard, Margaret A. History of the Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia.
Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998. Print.
Margaret Blanchard is a notable author because of her long career as a media historian
and teacher. As an encyclopedia, this source provides objective details on hundreds of
topics in media and is therefore important in providing unbiased viewpoints that can
support arguments made in this paper. This source is used to discuss broadcasting
regulations under the Radio Act of 1912.
Charleson, Diane. Bridging the Digital Divide: Enhancing Empowerment and Social Capital.
Journal of Social Inclusion. 3.2 (2012): n. pag. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
This source is a journal article written by Diane Charleson, an employee of the Australian
Catholic University. It discusses the digital divide in media and technology in relation to
disadvantage and marginalization in society. It is a significant source because it discusses
the issue of the digital divide in depth and relates it to the other societal problems to
display the effects of media.
Emery, Edwin, and Michael Emery. The Birth of the American Newspaper. The Press and
America: An Interpretive History of the Mass Media. 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall, 1978. 17-30. Print.

Hamm / Hoff 11
This source is a chapter within The Press and America written by Edwin Emery, a
professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Minnesota, and
Michael Emery, a professor of journalism at California State University, Northridge. It
details the beginnings of media in America, which formed the basis for modern
developments of mass communication. This source is used when referring to the effects
and purposes of early newspapers in colonial America.
Fetters, K. Aleisha. 2014 Sochi Winder Olympics by the Numbers: Money, Drugs, and Other
Surprising Stats. Conde Nast, 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
This report is by K. Aleisha Fetters, a health and fitness writer for various websites and
magazines. It is an important source because it presents an unbiased look at the statistics
of the Sochi Olympics. This source was used in the exordium section of the paper to
discuss the attendance at the Olympic Games versus television viewership.
Governance. Governance. World Health Organization, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
This source is directly from the World Health Organization and explains who is involved
with them and how the organization works. It is important because it provides an
unbiased and factual viewpoint at the WHO and outlines the responsibilities of each
position. This source was used in the exordium of our paper to discuss the involvement of
nations and display a potential source of global inclusivity.
Internet.org by Facebook. Internet.org. Facebook, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
This project is run by Facebook and consists of multiple technology and software
companies working together to make the internet more affordable and spread it to areas
of the world that currently lack access. It is important because it provides one example of

Hamm / Hoff 12
a collaborative effort to use the internet to create a more global network. This source is
used as another basic outline of a potential plan to support the thesis.
Member States of the United Nations. UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
This source is a list of all countries that are represented in the United Nations. It is
important because it is unbiased and gives an accurate count of representation. This
source was used in our paper to provide an example of an organization with a high rate of
global inclusivity and discuss the reasons behind that inclusivity.
Murrow, Edward R. RTDNA Convention. Chicago, IL. 15 Oct. 1958. Speech.
This source is a speech delivered by Edward R. Murrow at the RTDNA Convention in
Chicago, Illinois. It is important because it provides the point of view of an American
broadcast journalist. Murrows opinion reflects that of media professionals and presents
an informed view of the industry. This source is used to discuss the goals of media for the
public and corporations from the point of view of a broadcaster.
Net Neutrality: President Obamas Plan for a Free and Open Internet. The White House. The
White House. n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
This article does not have a listed author, but was posted by the White House. It presents
the recent decisions on net neutrality made in Washington as well as argues the
importance of having an open internet. It is an important source because it brings the
governments opinion into media moving forward and displays some of the conflicts
currently faced as media evolves. The use of this source is to point out and discuss issues
that have arisen in media today and which carry over to the future.
Ng, S.W., and B.M. Popkin. Time Use and Physical Activity: A Shift Away from Movement
Across the Globe. Obesity Reviews 13.8 (2012): 659-80. Web. 9 Mar. 2015

Hamm / Hoff 13
S.W. Ng and B.M. Popkin wrote this article for the National Center for Biotechnology
Information. The authors work with the Department of Nutrition at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The source provides insight into the effects of media on
physical activity and is important because it provides many examples of statistical
evidence to support the way media influences lives. This article is utilized in our paper
during the discussion of the effects of media on public health and exercise rate.
Ohannessian, Christine M., Michelle Boyd, and Steven Kirsh. Guest Editor Commentary.
Media and Youth Development: An Overview of Issues, Theory, and Research 9.1 (2014):
7-13. National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.
The article by Ohannessian, Boyd, and Kirsh is vital because they are editors of the
journal issue and therefore present an overview of information present in all of the later
articles. It is also a valuable source because it provides more introductory information
than later articles and highlights the important details the later articles discuss, which
makes it easier to select which ones are applicable to the paper. This article is used to
point out the effects of media consumption on children and adolescents.
Outernet: Humanitys Public Library. Outernet. Outernet Inc., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
This website, published by Outernet, Inc. sets forth a plan for ensuring continual access
to internet and other media forms to individuals in developing communities. While
addressing the uncertainties and potential setbacks, the authors are able to highlight the
successes and failures of such a plan. This website was used as a basis of what a potential
solution to ensuring there is enough interconnectivity through media to create an
inclusive global environment.
Owens, John. Media in Our World. E-mail interview. 1 Mar. 2015.

Hamm / Hoff 14
This work is an interview with Dr. John Owens, the chair of the electronic media
department in the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. It
encompasses the past, present, and future of media developments and includes Dr.
Owens perspective on the influence of media on society. This is important because it
provides the firsthand opinions of a media professional and introduces ideas that can be
debated through an analysis of modern media. This interview is used to present the view
of a media professional on the benefits and shortcomings of media as well as the effects it
has on the public.
Price, Michael. Alone in the Crowd. American Psychological Association, June 2011. Web. 30
Mar. 2015.
This journal article was written by Michael Price for the American Psychological
Association. It discusses the research and findings of MIT social psychologist Sherry
Turkle, PhD and how modern technological advancements affect personal interactions
between families and friends, as well as how people relate to society as a whole. The
source is used to add depth to the conversation about the limitations of the spread of
technology through the effects it presents in young people.
Project Loon. Loon for All Google. Google, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
Project Loon is an example of a project developed by Google to bring internet access to
parts of the world that lack it through a system of high altitude balloons interacting with
various telecommunications companies. This is important because it adds variety to the
examples of strategies people and corporations have developed to create a wider spread
range of internet access. This source was used in our paper to highlight another potential
solution and the steps it entails.

Hamm / Hoff 15
Roca, Meritxell, Daniel Aranda, and Jordi Sanchez-Navarro. Television and the Internet: The
Role Digital Technologies play in Adolescents Audio-Visual Media Consumption.
Media and Youth Development: An Overview of Issues, Theory, and Research 9.1
(2014): 71-85. National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.
As a journal article, this source is intended to spread information of findings to a general
audience. Roca, Aranda, and Sanchez-Navarro work at the Universitat Overta de
Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. This journal article summarizes an experiment, thus the
findings should be objective. This source is important because it displays information
from other parts of the world. It is used in the background section of our paper to
illustrate the results of the study on the effects of media consumption on teenagers.
Straubhaar, Joseph D., Robert LaRose, and Lucinda Davenport. Media Now: Understanding
Media, Culture, and Technology. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013.
Print.
This work is a textbook written by Straubhaar, LaRose, and Davenport, professionals in
the field of media. It is a well-crafted piece of writing focusing on the transitioning role
of media over time. This source is used in our paper to support the idea that wage gaps
contribute to the increase of disparities in internet access seen through the digital divide.
UNWTO Annual Report 2013. UNWTO (2014): 10-13. World Tourism Organization. Web.
14 Apr. 2015.
This source is a report released by the World Tourism Organization to summarize the
travel that took place during 2013. The pages used in our paper detailed the specific
numbers and statistics of tourism to display interconnectivity and inclusivity. The source
is used as an example of a possible root cause of this inclusivity.

Hamm / Hoff 16
Walkosz, Barbara J., Tessa Jolls, and Mary Ann Sund. Global/Local: Media Literacy for the
Global Village. International Media Literacy Research Forum (2008): n. pag.
Medialit.org. Center for Media Literacy, 16 May 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2015.
This academic paper by Walkosz, Jolls, and Sund was submitted for the International
Media Literacy Research Forum Inaugural Meeting. It details the importance of media
literacy and how media has become a global concept that connects human beings from all
over the world. This is important because the evolution of media globally has been very
influential in how it continues to develop moving forward. This source is used to discuss
the definition and importance of the concept of media literacy and global connectivity
through media.
Who Invented Radio? Tesla Life and Legacy. PBS, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2015.
The Public Broadcasting Service works to provide high quality and diverse media for all
age ranges. This article in particular is valuable for our paper because it discusses the
creation of radio through the life of Nikola Tesla. It states the developments made over
the course of Teslas life and reflects the media developments of the time. This source is
used to discuss the evolution of media through the development of radio.