Global distribution and ‘national mediations’ of ready-made TV shows in foreign markets: An introduction to the Special Section

The increasing internationalisation of cultural industries, including television, is a salient topic within Media Studies. Substantial research efforts have been focused on the increasing volume of content circulating among different countries, on the economic and socio-cultural forces driving its distribution, and on global TV markets and format adaptations. In different contexts, the multichannel environment and global digital platforms can either reduce cultural diversity and flatten tastes or increase access to texts coming from marginal markets. In this context, not enough attention (and often only within the frameworks of Intercultural Studies and Translation Studies) has been devoted to what actually happens to the original audio-visual content once it is transferred to the receiving markets. In fact, a substantial number of subtle changes are carried out by national intermediaries, which affect the experience of these apparently ‘ready-made’ texts. A complex system of professionals deals with the transformation of the texts and the readjustment or recreation of the experiential context. Different goals and specific routines mediate the content, modify it, and reshape it around national cultures and viewing habits, to be more effectively delivered to national audiences.