global village Written by Brian A. Cogan Contributor to SAGE Publications's The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society (2020) whose work appears in Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with SAGE. Brian A. Cogan Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated May 27, 2026 •History The global village is a phrase that is closely associated with the Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan. In its simplest form, the concept argues that the rise of electronic media has made the world into a kind of global village, where information is rapidly and almost instantaneously shared worldwide. It also describes a new media environment in which communication and interaction between different cultures are possible on a global scale never seen before. To McLuhan,...

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