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Date:
January 30, 2024

Reel Controversy: Creative Freedom vs. Compliance in Malaysia

Navigating international distribution is challenging and risky.

In the ever-evolving media and entertainment landscape, the intersection of legal constraints and cultural sensitivities is a pressing concern for creators and industry professionals. The recent controversy surrounding the film "Mentega Terbang" in Malaysia, highlighted in three insightful articles: Time , Free Malaysia Today , and South China Morning Post , shed light on the complex challenges of navigating legal and cultural issues.

Mohamad Khairianwar Jailani, the director and co-scriptwriter of "Mentega Terbang," and producer Tan Meng Kheng find themselves entangled in legal proceedings, facing charges related to violating laws safeguarding religious feelings. The backlash indicates the importance of understanding the country-level regulatory landscape of releasing content. Industry stakeholders must stay informed about content creation and distribution regulations, which is crucial, especially in culturally diverse regions like Malaysia.

One of the articles emphasizes the director's perspective that censorship is a significant hurdle to the growth of the film industry. This viewpoint underscores the delicate balance between artistic freedom and compliance. Executives must be aware of censorship challenges and work towards finding solutions that foster creativity while respecting cultural sensitivities and legal boundaries.

The threat of potential jail time for insulting religious feelings, as discussed in the South China Morning Post article, adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Such legal consequences have critical implications.

For those in media and entertainment, grasping the nuances of diverse cultures and respecting local sensitivities is a moral and strategic obligation.

The "Mentega Terbang" contention is one of many daily stories dominating global headlines, indicating that media and entertainment should proactively address legal and cultural challenges. To that point, ensuring they're ready for the market is essential. We've written about the best practices for preparing films and series for global distribution. No global video compliance platform can reduce these costs more accurately than Spherex AI . Contact us today to learn how we can help get your content to market faster during regular and challenging times.

By staying informed about the legal landscape, advocating for a balanced approach to censorship, and fostering cultural literacy within their teams, executives can lead the industry toward a future where creativity thrives without compromising cultural respect and legal compliance.

Report: Cultural differences impact TV series demand

Findings from a report on the connection between local age ratings, cultural factors and TV show audience demand in key markets worldwide analyses the age ratings and cultural content of five popular US-originated TV shows worldwide.

The report, Global TV Snapshot: Culture, Age Ratings and Audience Demand, from global entertainment technology and data company Spherex and audience demand measurement specialist Parrot Analytics considers the audience demand for each show in seven targeted markets.

The pair selected markets around the world that are varied in cultural norms and have different age rating regulations and compliance requirements. Featured countries include Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States. The series analysed include American Horror Story, Grey’s Anatomy, House of Cards, The Walking Dead, and Prison Break.

The top three findings from the report state:

  • Content age-based ratings have a direct impact on audience size as parents and families rely heavily on them to make viewing decisions.
  • Content elements most likely to impact ratings are sexuality, violence, and religion.
  • Storylines or characters that are culturally or socially identifiable to local audiences attract greater interest and larger audiences.

The Global TV Snapshot report provides insights into why shows that are in demand with audiences in the US may not be as popular in other countries. The Walking Dead has a completely different audience appeal depending upon the local culture. Australia hosts Zombie Walks for entertainment; whereas Indonesia finds the representation of Zombies to be disrespectful to the dead. The American political drama House of Cards is popular in countries where corruption and intrigue are perceived to be local problems, such as India. But in countries with lower tolerance for bad language or explicit sex, which are staples of the series, countries like South Korea and Indonesia see significant reductions in audience demand and acceptance.

The growing awareness of and sensitivity to other cultures continues to rise in the West, and the Global TV Snapshot details how US content is perceived, accepted, and rejected by cultures around the world. From religion and zombies to sex and family allegiances, the report provides important insights into audience demand and culturally specific content critical to success in the global streaming wars.

“This report refutes the common expectation that top-rated shows in the US are assured success everywhere,” asserts Teresa Phillips, CEO of Spherex. “Consumers are attracted to shows they can relate to, and market success begins with cultural awareness and understanding. This report highlights how core themes in American film and television are interpreted around the world.”

“Our data shows that global audience demand for a series is not only shaped by its narrative and characters, but also by the cultural values of the country where it is aired,” adds Samuel Stadler, VP Marketing for Parrot Analytics. “Age rating restrictions are one way that local regulators try to protect their citizens, but our data shows that these ratings can also have a significant impact on a show’s popularity.”

Source: Advanced Television

Related Insights

The Future of Advertising: Why Cultural Intelligence Matters More Than Ever

In today's borderless media landscape, where streaming platforms deliver films and TV shows to over 200 countries instantly, advertisers face a critical challenge: ensuring their ads resonate with diverse audiences while maintaining cultural sensitivity and brand safety. Traditional advertising approaches, relying on demographics, basic localization, and keyword filtering, often fall short. These methods fail to capture the emotional and cultural nuances of different markets, leading to misplaced ads that miss the mark.

To navigate these challenges, brands must go beyond surface-level strategies and adopt a deeper understanding of how content resonates emotionally and culturally across markets. This is where innovative approaches come into play, offering a way to not just reach global audiences, but truly connect with them on a profound, culturally aligned level.

Emotional Arbitrage: The Key to Better Ad Targeting

A groundbreaking approach called "emotional arbitrage" is revolutionizing how brands connect with global audiences. This strategy identifies moments of cultural tension and resolution within content, enabling advertisers to strategically place their messages for maximum impact.

When viewers encounter cultural dissonance—a scene that challenges their deeply ingrained values—they unconsciously seek resolution. Research indicates that brands offering this resolution through culturally aligned messaging achieve significantly higher engagement, recall, and positive sentiment.

Consider a scene in a TV show where a young woman defies her family's expectations by pursuing a career in the arts. In some cultures, where familial respect and tradition are paramount, an ad for an educational institution that helps young people find their passions might be appropriate. Conversely, in cultures prioritizing individual expression and self-discovery, an ad for a bank that helped a young woman open a clothing store featuring her designs could resonate more effectively.

By strategically placing ads that align with cultural expectations, brands can forge deeper emotional connections with viewers, ensuring their message is not just seen, but genuinely felt.

AI-Driven Solutions: The Next Frontier of Cultural Intelligence

Imagine a technology that can analyze video content, not just for keywords or demographics, but for the subtle nuances of cultural and emotional context. This technology could identify moments of tension, humor, sadness, or joy, and pinpoint exactly where an ad would resonate most effectively with a specific audience. Such AI-driven solutions are transforming the advertising landscape, empowering brands to tailor their messages with unprecedented precision and cultural sensitivity.

How AI-Powered Advertising Enhances Performance

By leveraging AI for cultural intelligence, brands can achieve:

  • Strategic Ad Placement: Ads are placed at moments when viewers are emotionally primed to engage, increasing effectiveness.
  • Brand Safety Assurance: Prevents ad placement in content that could be misaligned with brand values or culturally sensitive.
  • Higher Engagement & Recall: Ads become part of the storytelling experience, reinforcing brand messages rather than disrupting them.
  • Scalability Across Global Markets: AI-driven insights allow brands to optimize campaigns for diverse cultural contexts without manual intervention.
The Future of Culturally Intelligent Advertising

As digital content continues to transcend borders, understanding how different cultures react to media is no longer optional—it's essential. Advertisers that embrace cultural intelligence and leverage AI-powered solutions will not only protect their brand integrity but also forge stronger, more meaningful connections with global audiences.

In a world where content is universal but cultural experiences are unique, the brands that adapt will be the brands that thrive. The future of culturally intelligent advertising starts now. Click here to learn how SpherexAI can elevate your advertising strategy.

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Spherex Classification Tool Now Approved for Home Entertainment Content in Australia

The Albanese Government has updated the Spherex Classification Tool approval to include ratings for theatrical releases, home entertainment, and streaming content in Australia. Spherex was previously approved to classify online films.

The update underscores the Australian Classification Board’s confidence in Spherex as a tool to help Australian viewers make informed choices about the content they consume. This means Australians can now access a range of new films sooner than they might across all formats and windows.

Spherex has a longstanding relationship with the Australian Classification Board. Since 2020, Spherex has collaborated closely with the Australian Government to ensure its technology reliably generates classification decisions that meet Australian standards and viewers' expectations.

As the world’s only commercial provider of local age ratings, Spherex has successfully produced classification decisions for high volumes of online content in over 100 countries. Since 2018, Spherex has issued over one million age ratings for digital content, including films, TV shows, and trailers, distributed by its clients worldwide.

Spherex customers, including Umbrella Entertainment, Madman Entertainment, and Sugoi Co., rely on its AI-based platform to obtain local age ratings in Australia and significantly improve efficiency, cost reduction, and market reach.

Discover how Spherex's cutting-edge AI-based platform can streamline your content classification process and enhance your market reach while reducing costs.

Visit spherex.com today and see how we can support your content distribution needs.

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Spherex Featured in the DPP's IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report

Spherex was featured in the DPP’s IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report, a comprehensive look at how the M&E industry is meeting key customer demands. The report focuses on the topics of empowering creators, understanding audiences, engaging users, and innovating the newsroom. It also highlights many of the technical innovations seen at the recent IBC Show.

An article by Spherex’s CEO Teresa Phillips titled "Navigating Cultural Resonance in Global Media: The Art and Science of Culture Mixing" was featured in the report, exploring how Spherex is pioneering the future of culturally informed content.

Teresa shares how cultural mixing has become a critical strategy for creating content that appeals to diverse audiences in today's global media landscape. This phenomenon involves blending elements from different cultures to craft films and television shows that resonate globally while adhering to local regulations.

However, the process of culture mixing is fraught with risks. Superficial or stereotypical representations can lead to accusations of cultural appropriation or insensitivity, alienating audiences and damaging a company's reputation. For example, imposing Western concepts on Eastern content without proper context can feel inauthentic and jarring to local viewers. These missteps highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of cultural elements to ensure that content is respectful and engaging.

To address these challenges, M&E companies are increasingly turning to data-driven solutions. Platforms like SpherexAI utilize artificial intelligence to analyze visual, audio, and textual elements, providing insights into how well content aligns with cultural and regulatory standards across over 200 countries and territories. This approach helps media companies understand the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market, enabling them to make informed decisions about global distribution.

By leveraging these advanced tools, M&E companies can go beyond traditional content localization. They can create media that actively engages and resonates with diverse audiences. As the industry continues to evolve, those companies that embrace culturally informed, data-driven approaches will be better positioned to succeed, fostering cross-cultural understanding and trust while delivering globally appealing content.

Download the report here.

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