American Idol After Iraq: Competing for Hearts and Minds in the Global Media Age

ISBN-13: 9781405187411 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 184 str.

Nathan Gardels; Mike Medavoy

Opis

This dazzling little book explores the role of US media in foreign policy, not only at the present moment, but with an eye to the future.

• Written by a veteran Hollywood film executive and an internationally known columnist in foreign affairs
• Explains how American movies, TV shows, and pop music provide the images of America to the rest of the world, and the rest of the world to Americans
• Includes discussions of the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed Danish daily newspapers, Tibetan monks censored out of Chinese TV news reports only to show up on You Tube, and the Vatican's assault on the Da Vinci Code movie
• Argues that Hollywood is a key player in the 'deep coalition' required to support a 'smart power' foreign policy and build a global cultural infrastructure that will make the world safe for interdependence

Recenzje

"The authors draw on their extensive experience and contacts within the political and entertainment arenas to present an interesting analysis of the role of media, and especially Hollywood film, in support of US foreign policy objectives." ( CHOICE , January 2010) "Gardels and Medavoy, two of California′s most creative public intellectuals, bring a West Coast perspective to the role of culture in foreign policy. Gardels and Medavoy offer interesting observations on these trends." ( Foreign Affairs Magazine , Sep/Oct 2009)  The book ends with a powerful challenge to Hollywood to accept its responsibility as a major player in the struggle to restore America′s moral influence in the world. ( Huffington Post , June 2009) American Idol After Iraq will inspire debates the country needs to have regarding the power of pop culture. ( Pajamas Media , June 2009)   Short and a delight to read, focusing, not surprisingly, on the power of the West Coast to project American soft–power almost everywhere through the pervasive and alluring imagery of mass entertainment. ( Providence Journal , June 2009) "It is comparatively short and a delight to read, focusing, not surprisingly, on the power of the West Coast to project American soft power almost everywhere through the pervasive and alluring imagery of mass entertainment. ( Japan Times Online , May 2009) The tone of the book is pitch perfect combining a passionate appeal for soft power with a rigorous analysis of what it will take to restore America′s influence in the world. ( Huffington Post , May 2009) Gardel s and Medavoy s readable and yet comprehensive book explores the need to understand the effective use of power in an increasingly globalized world; the understanding of which has never been more pressing or pertinent, following, as it has, the increasingly negative perceptions of America s policies abroad. ( Editorial On The Environmentalist , April 2009) "This fascinating work, rich in dates and anecdotes, opens our eyes to the impact the Hollywood audiovisual phenomenon has had and still has, as well as analyzing the image of America and the role its cinema must play. Both entertaining and informative, as well as brave, Nathan Gardels and Mike Medavoy s book defines challenges and obstacles in order to overcome them, as well as providing solutions." [Translated from Spanish.] ( Critica Libro , April 2009) "Gardels and Medavoy s text succeeds in challenging the philosophical assumptions of public diplomacy while remaining accessible and practical." ( Public Diplomacy Magazine , Winter 2009)

Spis treści

List of Plates vi

Foreword by Joseph S. Nye Jr. vii

1 Hearts, Minds, and Hollywood 1

2 The Magic is Gone Except at the Box Office 9

3 Creativity into Cash: How Hollywood Works 26

4 Seeing and Being Seen 34

5 Hollywood Beats the Red Army: The Height of America s Cultural Appeal 51

6 Backlash: Soft Power is Still Power, and Still Makes Enemies 60

7 Culture Wars in the West: The Pope vs. Madonna 71

8 Media Storm Troopers of the West vs. Islam 83

9 New Stories, New Audiences in the Global Age 98

10 Reinventing Cultural Diplomacy 124

Six Key Concepts of This Book 145

About the Authors 149

Acknowledgments 155

Index 159

O autorze

Nathan Gardels is the editor of National Perspectives Quarterly. He has written widely for many publications, both nationally and internationally, including The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Guardian, Corriere della Sera, El Pais, Le Figaro, and the New York Review of Books.

Mike Medavoy is the chairman and co–founder of Phoenix Pictures. Throughout his career he has been involved in the creation of countless films, including sixteen nominated for Best Picture Academy Awards, and seven winners.

Blurb

"In the information age, success is not merely the result of whose army wins, but also whose story wins." from the Foreword by Joe Nye, former Assistant Secretary of Defence.

"This book breaks completely new ground in the study of communication power –the key power of the 21st century." Manuel Castells, Author of The Network Society

This book explores the role of US media in foreign policy, not only at the present moment, but with an eye to the future. Written by a veteran Hollywood film executive and an internationally known columnist in foreign affairs, American Idol after Iraq examines the increasingly–complex role that media plays in a world where conflicts are as much about the abundant cultural flows of the global information economy as the scarcity of oil and water.