The Impact Of Media Globalisation In The Eurovision Song...

This essay aims to analyse how media globalisation shapes our identity and sense of belonging in the world today. In particular, this essay will focus on Australia’s involvement in The Eurovision Song Contest, otherwise known as Eurovision, discuss how it’s participation is placed via media flows as discussed by Thussu, and finally how media globalisation causes Australia to be represented in new ways. Eurovision acts as a platform that effectively allows Australians to showcase their culture and identity, strengthening their sense of belonging in the world. This is a result of media globalisation and transnationalising audiences emerging in a globalised society today. Media globalisation is a phenomenon that causes us to be understood†¦show more content†¦As a non-European country, arguments have been raised with regards to Australia’s involvement and inclusion in Eurovision and how it defines the nation as a whole. As a member of the EBU, Australia qualified to be a participate in Eurovision. Even with its geographical distance, in relation to the European immigration and colonisation, Australia does encompass cultural similarities with Europe (Carniel, 2017). The different ways Australia participated and engaged with Eurovision throughout the years further demonstrates the transnationalising of Australian audiences. In 1975, Australia first began to engage Eurovision by inviting Europeans onto an Australian stage. This took place when 1974 Eurovision champions, Swedish pop group ABBA’s music appeared on Countdown, an Australian music television show in 1975. Australia made an appearance again in Eurovision in 2014, when Jessica Mauboy, an indigenous artist was invited as a guest performer during the contest’s intermission. By placing an Australian representative on an European stage, it was another step to engage Eurovision as a part of a broader transnational audience, rather than solely an Australian audience. Following Mauboy’s performance, the year 2015 was Australia’s first official Eurovision entry as a contestant. Malaysian-born Australian singer Guy Sebastian’s performance was intentionally supposed to be a