How ‘halal media’ can change perceptions of
Muslim world
Reuters’ recent State of the Global Islamic
Economy Report revealed that Muslim countries are emerging as a production
powerhouse for “halal media” ? i.e., content targeting or suitable for Muslims.
The report highlighted Saudi Arabia as a promising market after it launched its
entertainment reforms and opened cinemas, thus creating supply and demand for
Islamic-themed content and visual arts in general. The report stressed that
productions by the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) have exhibited strong performance, setting the scene for more
Islamic-themed content from the region.
As Muslims represent a quarter of the
world’s population and are very young ? 54 percent of Muslims will be under the
age of 30 by 2030 ? it is only natural that the entertainment business would
target them with content that caters to their cultural and language demands.
According to the Reuters report, Arabic content in the Middle East and North
Africa rose by 40 percent between 2011 and 2014, while Western content dropped
by 55 percent. Turkish entertainment has also become increasingly popular over
the past decade and has been translated into multiple languages.
Content producers have already tapped into
the Arab market, especially in the Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia laying the
foundations to be a major player. The report pointed out that the overturning
of the ban on cinemas in Saudi Arabia is expected to push Islamic-themed
content for the big screen and result in crossovers to the small screen and
online. The first movie to be screened in Saudi Arabia after the 35-year ban on
cinemas was lifted was Marvel’s “Black Panther” in Riyadh in April last year.
This week, the first movie theater, with 12 screens, was due to open in Jeddah
at the Red Sea Mall ? part of a rollout that will see 300 new screens in the
Kingdom within 18 months. This will create thousands of job opportunities and
will contribute to achieving one of the goals of Vision 2030, to diversify the
local economy and output.
This opportunity is not only about jobs at
the theaters, but also about establishing an entertainment industry that
creates and produces content with local talents, has studios and production
houses, and exports films. Marvel is now set to develop a Muslim superhero to
appeal to the Muslim audience. And, with content being increasingly streamed
online, the Muslim world has launched its own “Netflix” for children called Ali
Huda, offering thousands of cartoons and edutainment programs in English and
Arabic.
The Muslim population size and age group,
with its huge purchasing power, presents major opportunities for content
producers, whether from the region or outside it. According to the Reuters
report, Muslims’ spend on media and recreation was $209 billion in 2017 and is
forecast to reach $288 billion by 2023. Children, in particular, represent a
critical and sizeable consumer segment within halal media. Some attempts have
been made recently to develop attractive Islamic-themed content for children,
notably Ali Huda and Muslim Kids TV, but a lack of concrete investment in the
genre has limited their reach and impact. With the right marketing, cartoon
heroes that Muslim children can relate to could become highly popular.
“The Muslim population size and age group,
with its huge purchasing power, presents major opportunities for content
producers, whether from the region or outside it.”
Maha Akeel
The main problem is securing the funds and
investment required to create a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Investors need
to believe in the viability of the industry. Governments should also offer
support by providing the right incentives and facilitations.
But halal media is not only about business
and employment ? it could be a force for good in changing the Muslim narrative,
especially in the West.
Societies express themselves through
different art forms, and the opinions and views of societies are shaped by how
they express themselves and how they are being portrayed by others. Whether
accurate or not, most of what we know about countries and societies we have not
been to or interacted with is shaped by media reports and movies. By telling
our own stories and creating our own content, we can take control of how we are
being portrayed.
Realizing this, the OIC, with its 57 member
states and acting as the collective voice of the Muslim world, recently
announced it would launch an initiative to promote cooperation between its
members in cinematographic production in a bid to improve the positive image of
Muslims.
Through a proposed OIC film festival,
countries will be able to showcase their productions, exchange expertise, know
more about each other’s cultures and issues, have the opportunity to cooperate
on joint productions, and benefit from their pool of talent. This cooperation
is also expected to help in countering negative stereotypes and enhancing the
image of Islam and Muslims by giving them a voice and presence to tell their
own stories.
It is a good initiative and it could work.
It would have a great impact if it gets the government and financial support it
needs.
Link-> http://www.arabnews.com/node/1443446
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