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Why should exhibitors care?
Two recent events-the vote for "Brexit" in the United. Kingdom and the rise of Donald Trump in the Republican party of the United States-suggest that nationalism may be gaining some ground against globalism as a preferred economic and political philosophy. Though these developments have been widely debated in the public press, litde has been discussed about the potential impact on the business of exhibition. With certain caveats, this writer strongly believes that globalization over the past few decades has benefitted motion picture theater operators, and that a potential return to protective national policies could be bad for business.
WHAT ARE NATIONALISM AND GLOBALISM ANYWAY?
Much has been written about the way people identify with their government, economy, and culture and how that identification shapes legal and emotional geo-political boundaries. The driving forces of this identification matrix can be religion, language, ethnicity, philosophy, patriotism, xenophobia, or many other factors. Simply put, nationalism is identification with a country and a belief in the commonality of the values and people of that country. Globalism, on the other hand, is identification with international integration and shared worldviews.
At times, nationalism can manifest in resentment toward other communities or foreign powers and can support policies designed to protect the culture, beliefs, jobs, and economy of its own citizens as opposed to foreigners. Globalism fosters the international exchange of products and ideas and the travel or migration of people across national borders. Globalists generally favor the "best" product, idea, or worker regardless of national origin.
HOW HAS GLOBALIZATION BENEFITED EXHIBITORS?
Over the past few decades, globalization has generally benefited the exhibition industry. Consider six examples to support this conclusion.
Immigration can drive attendance. Globalists believe that people should be freer to move around the world in search of a better life for themselves and their families. More often than not, originally disadvantaged people improve their standard of living after migrating to another country. With their improved standard of living comes an ability to increase their spending habits on leisure activities, such as buying movie tickets.
The United States offers a prime example of this phenomenon. Hispanics have constituted the largest source of immigration in recent years, and Hispanics also go to the movies more than...