It’s nice to see how intermingled cultures can get; there are many ways we’ve seen different aspects of our world that can draw the attention of anyone looking to learn. As for today, we’ll look at how it became a staple of entertainment. Today, some shows and movies originate across the sea and are part of pop culture. So let’s sit down, add subtitles or dub, and look deeper.

Starting in 1968

When Washington’s Foreign Press Center opened to serve the estimated 160 foreign correspondents reporting from the nation’s capital, although It is unclear how many different organizations they represented or how many countries they came from, there was little doubt that by the mid-1990s, their numbers had grown substantially. A 1994 United States Information Agency directory listed 507 foreign news organizations from 79 nations and territories working from Washington. The Foreign Press Centers database lists 796 media outlets from 113 countries and regions represented by at least one correspondent in Washington. Much of the growth in recent years has come with an influx of media from Asia, especially China, the Middle East, and Africa.

All are regions where America’s policies and actions have increased in importance over the past decade.

The Increase in Popularity

Foreign content is boosting its share of the American entertainment diet, largely thanks to streaming, the pandemic, and the creator economy. “This trend started in mid-2019, so it predates the pandemic, but the strong upward trend has continued into 2020,” says Wade Payson-Denney, an insights analyst at Parrot. In Q3 2020, non-U.S. shows accounted for nearly 30% of demand in the U.S. The data shows that U.S. audiences are discovering content from unfamiliar markets, like India, Spain, and Turkey. The top 5 international markets in the U.S. by Q4 2020 were the U.K. (8.3%), Japan (5.7%), Canada (3.2%), Korea (1.9%), and India (1.5%), per Parrot. The big picture: The trend extends across all genres.

“A growing number of the biggest pop stars in the world are from outside the traditional capitals of the continental U.S. and U.K.,” Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw writes.

Closing Thoughts

With that, we’ve learned the history of foreign media and how it has slowly become mainstream worldwide. As the entertainment industry grows, so does our accessibility to their music, shows, and movies. Thanks to the modern age, what was considered out of reach or region-locked is the norm. You have your selection of anime, Spanish soap operas, and European comedies; no end is in sight. So, if you can’t explore the world on foot, you can always explore it remotely and on a screen.

https://theableshow.com/the-intermingling-of-cultures-globally

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2009/07/16/growth-foreign-media-presence/.

https://www.axios.com/2021/02/16/americans-consuming-foreign-entertainment-content.

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2009/07/16/growth-foreign-media-presence/.