past two decades, changing everything from film distribution to marking and spin-offs (toys, games, books, and theme park rides) to ownership and control of the major studies (Wasko, 1994, 1). The film entertainment industry is trying to position itself for the 21st century, and the world market is very much a part of the picture. Entertainment is one of the world's most important entertainment industries, one that is rapidly changing as the world becomes more globalized. Sensitivity to the correct balance between selling entertainment that is desired and courtesy regarding the countries who buy Hollywood fare has to be reached out and somehow found in those who create and market film entertainment.
The American film distributors seem to view the world as a global league of people who will take whatever is given to them, along with cigarettes and other tasteless habits. People abroad are curious about how Americans live and will attend movies that people of similar sophistication in the west would not attend. This situation gives a distorted view of the dreary plots·crime, sex, corruption, physical violence, obscene language, and boor behavior depicted in inferior films·as viewers in other countries think that the films accurately portray life in America (Miller, 2003, 2). Curran and Park state that the nation-state is fundamentally weakened under the transnational corporations (and the media they own and control) (2000).
In countries without much native production, American movies and television dominate the market, exposing audiences in a desensitizing manner to the American mass media. America creates some fine films, but not all of them are exported. Actress Meryl Streep said that the U.S. "exports crap, and then we wonder why everybody hates usawe should export the best movies we make" (Miller, 2003, 2).
Exporting film and television shows is a business, and the corporate distributors of America's film and televi...