MOM 2006 journal for pdf.pmd - University of Michigan-Flint

Many countries have taken Latin American telenovelas and adapted them to fit the local
cultural norms. For instance, many countries purchase only a block of 40 episodes, which are
edited down from the original 200 episodes that aired in series’ home country (Jaspar). There is
also the issue of censorship in countries such as China, where editing must be done to change the
content of the programs to meet government regulations. In a process called co-production, the
Latin American production companies often work with local Chinese companies to facilitate the
process and come up with a more authentic product (Jaspar). Another type of co-production,
known as licensing, was used in India by Sony’s Hindi channel. A local version of Colombia’s
“Betty la Fea” (“Betty the Ugly”) is seen in India using local talent and local adaptations on the
original themes. Another example of licensing is the Russian “Poor Anastasia”, which was
loosely based on “Betty la Fea” (Martinez).
Telenovelas have a very strong influence on the people who watch them – a fact which can be
considered positive or negative, depending on the cultural context. Paula Andaló explains:
Telenovelas’ larger-than-life story lines may be exaggerated renditions of
real life dramas, but many viewers see their own lives reflected in those of
their favorite stars. They identify themselves and others they know with
various characters and are drawn in by the compelling twists and turns of
overwrought plots. Thus, modeling a behavior they see on screen is
almost natural.
In recent years the production companies in Latin America realized that they could use this
opportunity to promote social change to an already captive audience, leading them to insert
messages about health, abuse, women’s issues, drugs, alcohol, AIDS, and trying to live a better
life in general. Since many telenovelas deliver messages about sensitive topics, some countries
find the material unsuitable for local viewers and must edit this content. Research conducted in
Latin America, however, has shown that issues presented in telenovelas inspired people to make
changes for the better in their lives. For example, in the Peruvian series “Simply Maria” a rural
Peruvian women moves to the city and falls on hard times, finding herself betrayed by a lover
who leaves her to raise their child alone. She turns her life around by overcoming obstacles such
as illiteracy and lack of marketable skills by taking classes. Research conducted during this time
reported a marked increase in the amount of sewing and literacy class enrollment as a result of
seeing how Maria was able to improve her life situation (Andaló).
Analysis of Theoretical Models of Cultural Globalization
The concept of cultural imperialism is described as a type of cultural domination by powerful
nations over weaker ones. Because Latin America is considered a developing region, the
dissemination of its popular culture on such a grand scale isn’t often described as being
“imperialistic” or “dominant”. However, telenovelas are becoming so popular and influential
worldwide that they are being banned, adapted, or emulated by local production institutions.
Their success shows us that globalization has a “back channel”, where there is room for surprise
in a world dominated by the American entertainment industry (Martinez). This success has been
called “reverse cultural imperialism”, or more humorously, “Montezuma’s revenge” (Martinez).
Meeting of Minds 2006 95