July 6, 2007
Muslim resist America's pop culture
Audiences abroad are still keen on American pop culture, but Hollywood should brace for growing resistance to its wares in some markets -- particularly those with a strong Muslim base. Diane Garret reports for Variety
"Twenty-seven of 47 nations surveyed -- about 60% -- have a positive view of U.S. movies, music and TV, according to Pew Research Center's latest study of global attitudes. But avorable ratings of the U.S. declined in 26 of 33 countries for which comparisons are available since 2002.
The study, Pew's largest in five years, offers a snapshot of global views on American culture and reveals that there are already limits to just how far Hollywood likely will be able to extend its reach overseas.
The Pew study found that while a majority of the nations surveyed still like America's pop culture exports, the percentage that don't is growing.
Not surprisingly, Western European countries like Sweden and Spain expressed the highest approval of American culture in the study. But views were more mixed in Africa and Eastern Europe. Predominantly Muslim countries gave U.S. pop culture the lowest marks, but Indians and Russians weren't that fond of American culture either.
Pew's survey also revealed strong schisms in Muslim countries. In Lebanon, Christians and Sunni Muslims overwhelmingly embrace American culture, while the Shia community largely rejects Yank cultural exports. Similarly, Christians in Ethiopia and Nigeria tend to like American pop culture while Muslims dislike it. And in Malaysia, the minority Buddhist community is more bullish on American culture than the majority Muslim community.
In predominantly Muslim countries, it's not just that they don't approve of American culture; most plain don't like it. More than two-thirds of Bangladeshis (81%), Pakistanis (80%), Turks (68%), Palestinians (68%) and Indians (68%) said they do not like American music, movies and television."
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