Global Television : Co-Producing Culture

The face of television broadcasting is changing in ways that are both profound and subtle.Global Televisionuncovers the particular processes by which the international circulation of culture takes place, while addressing larger cultural issues such as identity formation.Focusing on how the process of internationally made programming such asHighlander: The SeriesandThe Odyssey-amusingly dubbed "Europudding" and "commercial white bread"-are changing television into a transnational commodity, Barbara Selznick considers how this mode of production-as a means by which transnational television is created-has both economic rewards and cultural benefits as well as drawbacks.Global Televisionexplores the ways these international co-productions create a global culture as well as help form a national identity. From British "brand" programming (e.g,Cracker) that airs on A&E in the U.S. to children's television programmes such asPlaza Sesamo, and documentaries, Selznick indicates that while the style, narrative, themes, and ideologies may be interesting, corporate capitalism ultimately affects and impacts these programmes in significant ways.

Barbara J. Selznick is an Associate Professor in the School of Media Arts, The University of Arizona and author of Sure Seaters: The Emergence of Art House Cinema