Media Subimperialisms and the Rise of Global South

This book defines media subimperialism through three key characteristics: resistance and collaboration with imperial media, regional dominance despite partial domination by imperial systems, and reliance on imperial media for technology and content. Here, “imperial” or “metropolitan” media refers to systems rooted in imperial centers. Together, these traits not only clarify the role of “southern players” in global media but also challenge the notion that they signal the end of media imperialism. Grounded in Marxist theories of imperialism and subimperialism, this work offers a novel perspective on the rise of media giants from the global South.

This book is a groundbreaking contribution to global media studies for two main reasons: it frames emerging media giants from the South as subimperial powers and, uniquely, examines multiple case studies (e.g., Brazil, South Africa, Turkey) collectively rather than individually. It highlights a phenomenon at the intersection of media and power.

This book’s scope is twofold: first, it conceptualizes media subimperialism in the context of globalization, global hegemony, and media imperialism; second, it examines a range of case studies to allow for comparative insights, with at least seven cases analyzed. As pioneering research, this book sets the stage for future studies and captivate media scholars and students worldwide.

1. Introduction.- 2. Global Cultural Hegemony and the Political Economy of Transnational Media.- 3. Mexican Media Industries: The Work of a Sub-Imperial Power.- 4. Patrimonial and Capital Relations in Turkey’s Media Industry Under Neoliberal Order.- 5. Brazil as Part of a New global Cultural System.- 6. Subimperialism and Culture Industry in Brazil.- 7. Showmax an Extension of South African Subimperialism.- 8. A cultural approach to media imperialism: National identity in US, British, Indian, and Pakistani media.- 9. No Country is an Island: The Israeli Media System as a Developmental, Post-colonial and Sub-imperial Entity.- 10. Transforming Narratives: New Voices in the Global South — Al Jazeera as an Example.- 11. From Sub-Imperialism to a New World Order: An Afterword.

Farooq Sulehria is Assistant Professor in the Department of Liberal Arts, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. With a doctorate in Development Studies (SOAS University of London), he has MA in Global Media and Postnational Communication (SOAS University of London).