It appears that Syria's once- flourishing links of london charms soap opera industry is losing its glory and sliding into a recession after Arab television networks and satellite channels declined to buy Syrian soaps in retaliation for Syrian actors' positions towards the country's current political crisis.
Since the eruption of protests in Syria in mid March, Syrian actors and actresses have shown conflicting attitudes towards the events, with some of them supporting the protests while others openly backing the Syrian government and attacking the protests as aiming to undermine the country.
Syrian actors complain that they have been boycotted by Arab TV satellite channels owned by wealthy Saudis and Qataris, whose governments are now maintaining cool relations with Syria. The reason, they said, is their overt backing of the Syrian government and the reforms announced by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Abdul-Rahaman Abu al-Qassem, a prominent Syrian actor, confirmed to Xinhua that the Syrian drama industry has been " greatly influenced by what is happening in Syria," noting that most producers depend on the Gulf funds in this respect.
"Syria is subject to an unprecedented attack at all political and cultural levels... We are living under a total siege," he said.
Syria has been wracked by nearly four months of protests demanding sweeping reforms. The turmoil has badly hit all sectors in Syria, including the drama industry.
Most Arab networks were once racing to buy Syrian soaps to be screened during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan due to their unparalleled links of london charms popularity and daring subjects. Arab and Gulf viewers, in particular, used to be reportedly glued to TV screens during Ramadan to watch Syrian series that tackle subjects like gallantry, terrorism, love and other social topics.
During past surveys, Syrian series ranked number one as the most watched among Arab viewers, and even those in foreign countries.
Najdat Anzour, a renowned Syrian director, said in a statement obtained by Xinhua that there is a Arab political decision that has been taken covertly not to buy Syrian soaps or at least to purchase them at low prices in a way that reduces the value of those works.
Anzour said there are 25 Syrian soaps ready for Ramadan, adding that some works have been postponed to the next season as outlooks for this season are gloomy.
The boycott of Syrian soaps demonstrates that "art is inseparable from policy in the Arab world and this would deprive art of a lot of ethical and humanitarian values," Anzour said.
This "systematic media attack against Syrian drama would terminate its pioneering role in the Arab world in favor of the Gulf and Gulf-backed Turkish drama," he said.
Prospects that the Syrian soaps would keep their radiance are dim in the foreseeable future and they need at least two seasons to rebound, he said.
Some others, however, have shown an upbeat mood and shrugged off claims that the Syrian drama industry is facing a crisis, stressing that it's still glittering and tackling daring subjects.
They said comedy will control the Syrian scene despite the events in the country and their impact on this season's drama production, which dropped to less than 25 TV series.
"The Syrian drama is still fine and still able to compete and be the number one," said actor Abdul-Munem Amiry, adding that he is now starring at the serial "Al-Zaim" which is produced by the Arab satellite network MBC.
He brushed off claims that the Syrian drama was hit by the crisis and showed an optimistic tone as saying that "Even if all refrain from buying our serials, the Syrian government will do, as it has done previously."
When the Syrian drama was spurned by Arab channels years ago for political reasons, Assad instructed the Syrian TV to buy 28 Syrian series in a show of support to the industry.
Some soaps produced recently will mimic the latest developments in the Arab countries, especially in Syria. Serial "Al-Khurba" with famous links of london sale Syrian actor Duraid Laham, for example, was created during the turbulence in Syria.
It is not yet clear how far the Syrian drama would be able to go and whether it would keep its glamour under the pressures. Questions have been raised about how Ramadan will be like without the lovely Syrian soaps.
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