The Globalization of Streaming

The global entertainment industry is approaching a tipping point, as regions around the world master the production of episodic TV that had long been dominated by the U.S.

The new Variety Intelligence Platform special report “The Globalization of Streaming” highlights how Netflix, Amazon Prime and, to a lesser extent, other leading SVOD brands, are driving this redistribution of premium content creation, once concentrated to Hollywood but now coming out of multiple continents to audiences increasingly receptive to high-quality entertainment even when it’s not in their native language.

The emergence of Netflix’s landmark hit “Squid Game” set in motion an era in which series attract additional audiences far outside their countries of origin.

But this data-filled VIP+ analysis also demonstrates that overseas territories in 2024 are seeing varying levels of growth as deep-pocketed streamers choose different markets to either restrain or increase the allocation of resources. Netflix and Amazon alone accounted for 87% of non-English content available to watch in the first half of 2024.

These seismic shifts arrive as the post-peak TV decline is squeezing the North American market, which, as this report shows, is projected to see its programming spend drop by more than 20% by 2028.

In addition, “The Globalization of Streaming” zeroes in on how exported entertainment is playing in regions across the globe, from a U.K. market with a hitmaking ability that rivals the U.S. to South Korea, where “Squid Game” seems to be far from the last production to captivate viewers half a world away.