26 American Soft Power Shaped European Values and Ideas For VideoAge to ask about the influence of U.S. studios on European television of someone who discovered French cinema through François Truffaut will result in an answer that is somewhat biased from the start. Several films by Truffaut, a leading figure of the French New Wave, were co-produced by American studios, and many were distributed in France and internationally by these same studios. Truffaut liked to say he felt “at home” in Hollywood, and his long-standing friendship with Steven Spielberg had a significant impact on him. His film celebrating cinema, Day for Night (La Nuit Américaine), is a testament to that influence. This is also a starting point for the answer. Historically, U.S. studios have always exerted a strong influence in Europe, primarily because the studios themselves pursued it. In 1945, by creating the Motion Picture Export Association of America (MPEAA) to organize the international distribution of films, U.S. studios structured themselves to maximize their reach abroad. The internationalization of studios continued with successive acquisitions by foreign groups (Sony acquiring Columbia in 1989, Matsushita buying MCA/ Universal in 1990, News Corp. acquiring Fox in 1985, and Vivendi acquiring Universal in 2000), further increasing their global market penetration and influence. Over time, U.S. studios have also developed extensive international co-productions to serve this goal. In the 1990s, economic and cultural globalization, coupled with the in-depth knowledge of market data and international audience behavior provided by the Los Angeles-based National Research Group (founded in 1978) allowed the American entertainment industry to expand its power and influence worldwide. By the 1990s, U.S. box-office revenues in international markets surpassed those of the domestic market. This trend continued with the explosion of the TV market in the 1980s, followed by the videocassette boom. In France, for instance, we remember Jack Lang’s attempts to curb the flood of U.S. films in this nascent market. Today, this influence extends globally thanks to the rise of streaming platforms. The seamless integration of film and TV on international streaming platforms amplifies soft power — the strategy of influence that seeks to attract, persuade, and shape public opinion around American values and ideas. This well-known phenomenon has now reached levels that many countries envy. Of course, this influence was initially, and continues to be, driven by two key factors that should not be overlooked: first, Hollywood’s creative excellence (writing, dialogue, etc.) and its mastery of production techniques. Then, there’s the immense talent of the stars, the actors, and all those supporting them. However, after this brief historical overview, can we say that this influence still holds today? In France, after years of dominance, American series are almost no longer broadcast during prime time on major networks, as their audiences have dwindled — a trend observed in many European countries (U.K., Germany, Spain, the Nordic countries, etc.). Is the influence of U.S. studios fading? From my perspective, it still exerts significant influence in the following ways: The incredible appetite for TV series: U.S. studios have played a pivotal role in the current trend for TV series in Europe and beyond. Productions like Friends, Game of Thrones, and Breaking Bad have become global cultural references, sometimes still airing in prime time on European channels, drawing large audiences. These shows have renewed widespread public interest in a genre that now dominates TV consumption worldwide. The globalization of TV formats: Concepts like Big Brother, Survivor, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — all developed and produced by North American studios — have been successfully commercialized internationally, including in many European countries. These innovative formats of reality TV and game shows have transformed programming schedules and created new expectations among both viewers and advertisers. The revolution of streaming platforms: Wellknown North American services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ have revolutionized TV consumption in Europe by offering diverse, on-demand content available anywhere, anytime. They not only changed viewing habits (binge-watching, subtitling, etc.), but also prompted European broadcasters to adapt and respond with counter-programming. This shift has had a profound impact on content consumption habits, with on-demand viewing encroaching on traditional live viewing, pushing European broadcasters to launch their own streaming services (such as BBC iPlayer and MyTF1). Moreover, these platforms have begun investing substantially in local European productions to appeal to specific audiences. Shows like La Casa de Papel (Spain), Dark (Germany), and Lupin (France) have become global successes, proving that European content has a role to play alongside American productions in captivating international audiences. At the same time, these platforms have imposed new production and narrative standards on European content, inspired by the North American model, which were previously uncommon. Cultural impact and new narrative formats: American series, with their long narrative arcs (10 to 22 episodes per season), have By Herve Michel* Hit procedural NCIS introduced and popularized the genre in Europe In France, after years of dominance, American series are almost no longer broadcast during prime time on major networks. (Continued on Page 28) VIDEOAGE October 2024 Hollywood Studios
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