“A whole new world” market: Disney’s Arab audiences in the UAE
Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Popular Communication
Publication Date
10-2-2025
Abstract
With several studio acquisitions, including Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, Disney has become one of the largest and most influential global media conglomerates in the new millennium. However, studies of the company’s audiences have been scant since the landmark Global Disney Audiences Project was published in 2001. This study used a questionnaire (n = 232), interviews (n = 18), and observation to examine Disney’s reception by Arab audiences in the United Arab Emirates. The findings demonstrate Disney’s Arab audiences diverge in numerous ways from all previous Disney global audiences by maintaining consistent levels of contact and affection from childhood through adulthood, being unalarmed by Disney consumerism, setting apart narratives inconsonant with Arab and Islamic social and cultural values, anticipate sharing favorite Disney films with their children, and not seeing Disney narratives as saccharine or sterile. Arab audiences, compared to global audiences in previous studies, exhibited a higher level of engagement and receptivity to Disney.
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Volume
23
Issue
4
First Page
370
Last Page
394
Disciplines
Communication
Keywords
arab peoples, Audience, Disney, Middle East, reception
Scopus ID
Recommended Citation
McCarthy, William and Kotsi, Filareti, "“A whole new world” market: Disney’s Arab audiences in the UAE" (2025). All Works. 7792.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7792
Indexed in Scopus
yes
Open Access
no