Audiences Increasingly Watching Foreign-Language Titles as Streamers Shift Productions Overseas
Streamers are moving more productions outside the United States to help cut costs, and a new survey finds that audiences are more than willing to watch.
Does the language a streaming title is presented in matter? Increasingly, the answer is “no,” according to a new survey from the London-based firm Ampere. The analytics firm recently released the findings of a new survey that asked customers about their willingness to watch non-English titles on streaming services. It found that English-speaking viewers of all ages are more accepting of foreign-language titles than they were four years ago, which is excellent news for streaming services that are moving more productions outside the United States in order to save money.
Key Details:
- Regular viewing of non-English shows and movies has grown by 24% in top English-language markets since 2020.
- More than half of audiences in these areas watch foreign-language shows “very often” or “sometimes,” up from 43% in 2020.
- Streamers like Netflix and Prime Video are creating more foreign-language titles to cut costs and build international audiences.
The growing popularity of non-English titles has held true in every age group, according to Ampere’s findings. It surveyed viewers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and found that regular viewing of shows not produced in English increased by an average of 24% amongst 18 to 64-year-olds since the first quarter of 2020.
Among internet users in these countries, Ampere found that 54% say they watch non-English content “very often” or “sometimes,” which is a jump from 43% in 2020. Given that most of the titles available to stream on services in these markets were produced in a primarily English-speaking country, that rise is all the more impressive.
All age groups have increased their viewing of non-English shows and movies in the past four years. Audiences 18-34 are the most likely to be watching such content, with 66% saying they stream such titles regularly. Growth has been most substantial among viewers aged 45-64, however, which shows that streaming services are being adopted more frequently by older audiences.
When it comes to how viewers consume titles not originally produced in English, subtitling is the most popular. More than one-quarter (28%) of people in the English-speaking markets surveyed by Ampere prefer subtitled viewing options, as compared to just under one-fifth (19%) who say they enjoy dubbing more.
Which Streaming Services Offer More Foreign-Language Content?
Essentially every streaming service has at least a small handful of shows and movies made outside a primarily English-speaking country. But production costs in these markets can be decidedly cheaper than creating a show in the United States, which is why streamers like Netflix and Prime Video are increasing the number of titles they produce in areas like the Asia-Pacific region and India. Streamers are also looking to build more international audiences with such moves, as they have a limited number of new customers to pursue in the U.S.
Many streaming services already offer ways to enjoy international content from the comforts of your own couch. A recent survey by Horowitz found that Latino households are most prevalently using services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and Prime Video because of the amount of Spanish-language options available.
As far as live TV streaming services go, platforms like DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo offer Spanish-language packages, which often come with smaller channel counts that focus on offering networks like Telemundo and Universo. The skinny channel bundle NOW TV from Comcast launched a Latino plan in early July, with prices starting at just $10 per month. Fubo also offers international sports add-on packages for viewers who want more cricket, soccer, rugby, and other options available.
To expand even further internationally, viewers should take a look at Sling TV, which has the Dakshin Flex or Desi Binge options to watch cricket on Willow TV as well as entertainment content from India. The Dakshin Flex pack is $10 per month or $99 per year, while the Desi Binge Plus add-on is $15 per month or $180 per year.
Streaming has made it easier than ever for viewers to watch titles from all around the world, and audiences are responding by enthusiastically expanding their watching habits. English-first audiences are more and more willing to watch titles not produced in their home language, and streamers will likely have more of this content to offer in the near future.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.