Page 137 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

CHAPTER 5

proximately 18 million potential contestants. In addition, India’s film
31
industry, known as Bollywood, makes nearly 1,000 films each year, 50
percent more than the number of features made in the United States. 32
Popular genres now enjoy worldwide popularity and acceptance. For
instance, over 400 million people in 110 countries tune in daily to soap
operas like The Bold and the Beautiful. David Andrews declares, “Soap
operas are the closest thing we have to a world religion.” 33
In Germany, a call-in quiz channel, 9Live, is the nation’s fastest-
growing broadcast station. It offers eight hours a day of live call-in shows
like DreiZwoEins (Three, Two, One), Glucksrad (Wheel of Fortune),
and Alles auf Rot! (Everything on Red!). Viewers throughout Germany,
Austria, and Switzerland call its switchboard in Munich, Germany, to
participate in the station’s quiz shows. Chief Executive Christiane zu
Salm says, “We’re getting 18 to 20 million calls a month. I think it’s an
enrichment in the German programming palette to have this type of TV
format.” 34
Many popular genres are exported from the United States to other
countries. Hollywood has found a lucrative global market for its block-
buster films. As an example, in 2000 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone doubled its domestic box-office take abroad ($316 million domesti-
cally compared to $638 million overseas). 35
However, the United States has begun to import popular genres
from abroad. Popular U.S. reality shows like Big Brother and Survivor
originated in Europe. In addition, telenovelas, which are hugely popular
throughout Latin America, have crossed over to the U.S. market. Telenove-
las combine elements of soap operas, mini-series, and romance novels.
They focus on one story exclusively for approximately six months. At
the conclusion of the story, another one begins, complete with a fresh
plot and characters. Telenovelas are currently presented on Telemundo
and Univision, networks that cater to Hispanic viewers. Indeed, several
telenovelas broadcast by Univision have attracted larger audiences than
programs on English-language networks like UPN and the former WB.
As a result, Fox’s plans for fall, 2006, included Table for Three, a new
drama series based on a Colombian telenovela of the same name, Mesa
Para Tres, which will help kick off Fox’s new television network, My
Network TV. This telenovela is scheduled to have an intense run—all five
weeknights in prime time for thirteen weeks—with recaps on Saturday
night. Fox’s development and production unit plans to adapt at least three
telenovelas a year. In addition, NBC Universal struck a two-year deal

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