Regular viewing of international content up 24% in English speaking countries

Regular viewing of international movies and TV shows has risen 24% among 18–64-year-olds in key English-speaking countries since 2020, according to a report by Ampere Analysis.

54% of internet users in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada claim to watch non-English language content “very often” or “sometimes”, up from 43% since the start of 2020.

Age is a key factor: 66% of 18–34-year-olds regularly watch international TV and films compared to 41% of 45–64-year-olds. However, growth is fastest among older age groups which coincides with the increased use of streaming sites by this demographic.

South Korean TV shows and movies have seen a 35% rise in frequent viewing in English-speaking markets in the last four years with titles including Squid Game and Parasite driving awareness of the country’s output. 

“The increased viewing of international programming in English-speaking markets shows that as content producers diversify production regions, viewers are ready and willing to transform their viewing habits,” said Annabel Yeomans, research manager at Ampere Analysis.

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