Cartoon enthusiasts, take notice: The future of animation in Egypt looks exceptionally promising.
At least, this is what Alan Musa, vice president and general manager of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), Pan Middle East and Africa, keenly indicated during his visit to Cairo this past weekend to meet with local production companies who may soon play a role in the success of Cartoon Network Arabic.
Launched last October by TBS, a subsidiary of entertainment conglomerate Time Warner, the fledgling free-to-air channel debuted with lofty ambitions, and the momentum has only amplified in the following months.
“The reception has been great,” Musa told Daily News Egypt. “We’ve seen lots of visibility, and indicators by those in the industry show that people are finding out about the channel, and people are enjoying the content, so anecdotally, we’re doing really well. The website for Cartoon Network Arabic has grown: The number of unique visitors more than doubled after its first month and the monthly page users have more than tripled month on month. We plan on developing more indicators to measure reception and get feedback on how we should structure the programming.”
The Arab world is no stranger to the appeal of shows such as “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Dexter’s Laboratory,” but with the establishment of a dedicated Arabic version of Cartoon Network, these popular US productions will be dubbed in Arabic for the first time. In order to attain mass appeal with all Arabic-speaking countries, shows will be dubbed in fusha (classical Arabic). However, this further complicates a ubiquitous issue facing all entertainment studios — for children and youth, who comprise the majority of Cartoon Network Arabic’s target audience — the language may appear outdated and irrelevant in the context of the program.
Nevertheless, Musa expressed confidence that this is the right approach for now, and regular focus groups in various countries throughout the Middle East will be held not only to comment on the linguistic barrier but also to gather feedback on the socio-cultural factors that may impact the channel’s programming decisions.
“We are taking a more local approach,” Musa confided. “We have offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be more in touch with the cultural environment. We have consulted programming and content experts about the subjects we should avoid, and we are abiding by the guidelines and advice provided. In the end, animation is animation, and good cartoons are about making people laugh, but obviously we should be sensitive.”
Citing the successes of CNN and Turner Classic Movies in the Middle East in the past 10 years, Musa confirmed TBS’s intention to broaden its exposure in the region, and part of the strategy includes a gradual shift in the blend of imported and local content offered by the network.
Currently, the programming mix weighs heavily towards original Cartoon Network productions from the US, but Musa eagerly shared his ambition to increase local content over the next five to 10 years. “The time frame is not defined,” Musa said, “It comes down to quality. I’m trying to get a sense of the content that can be produced locally. So far, I’ve seen three shows in the past three days that have been great, and I think there’s good prospect here.”
Cartoon Network Arabic has already established production agreements with two animation houses, Amman’s Rubicon and Dubai’s Lammtara, and TBS will extend its investment in the animation industry through a partnership with twofour54, a regional media and entertainment center based in Abu Dhabi.
Initiatives include the formation of the Cartoon Network Animation Academy and local development studios, which were launched in 2010. Production studios are also slated to commence early this year. “We want anyone with the creative passion for cartoons to be able to develop their idea and get it to the point where it can be produced and shown on Cartoon Network Arabic,” Musa said.
In discussing the possibility of introducing “Adult Swim,” an adult-oriented programming block broadcasted during late night, Musa laughed heartily at the suggestion. Since July 2007, he has taken responsibility for “Adult Swim” in the UK, and his admiration for the cult favorite is palpable.
“Adult Swim is one of my favorite brands in the organization,” Musa explained. “However, it is a separate brand from Cartoon Network so further evaluation will be needed to see if it will work in the market.”
Brimming with optimism, Musa anticipates the Middle East audience will see much from the network this year. He specifically expressed excitement for “The Wonderful World of Gumball,” a program currently in production, and described plans to travel extensively around the Middle East in promotion of the channel, engaging more with children, and participating in festivals to show movies and encourage local talent to join efforts to push the channel into greater visibility.
Additionally, in order to compete with the wealth of entertainment available online, Cartoon Network Arabic’s website will feature games, downloads, and additional video content to offer a multimedia approach to reaching the Middle East market.
As for Musa, who joined TBS in 1997, the challenge to succeed with Cartoon Network Arabic is internally driven. And just as Tweety Pie’s Sylvester the cat, his favorite classic cartoon character, entertained him as a child, Musa is determined to deliver programs that will induce the same fondness for the 35 million homes in the Middle East the channel aspires to reach.
“The challenge is always to push ahead and deliver a great channel. TV market anywhere in the world, including the Middle East, is very competitive, and kids are pulled into different directions, but we always aim to create a compelling channel,” Musa said. “We can’t be complacent, and that’s what we’re good at — continually changing, evolving. We want to make sure we’re making kids laugh.”
