Many nations feature content from abroad in terms of television. It is argued that the prevalence of foreign TV shows is detrimental to the countries’ own cultures. This essay, nonetheless, disagrees with this statement and suggests that foreign-made programmes foster globalization and provide beneficial cultural exchange.
Firstly, it is safe to assume that shows which are broadcasted in different countries were filmed in major global languages, such as English, Spanish, and etc, because most successful content on television is made in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries where international language is official. Hence, more people are involved in world culture that unites nations all around the globe. TV show enthusiasts can discuss the same topics and nudge others to join their conversation in one ubiquitous language. Granted, human language has always been essential part of every culture in the world without exception so much so that culturologists often draw no border between the former and the latter, and TV programmes in the languages which are different from that of a country by no means damage countries’ cultures. In fact, they only supplement and enrich them, by adding new vocabulary from the language of imported entertainment to people’s own native tongues.
Secondly, international television directly contributes to the cultural exchange, that can be integral for a society. For example, isolated by Sakhara desert and damaged by malaria, Africa had been hindered from so needed cultural exchange with Eurasia, thereby it had its agricultural revolution delayed, resulting in a huge adverse impact for the advancement of the region. Speaking of exchange, if viewers of one country consume content of another country, it allows to the latter to not to put all eggs in one basket, mitigating risks of a cultural extinction, because the former becomes an additional carrier of the foreign culture.
To summarise, even if we allow for the possibilities of harm to others, television from abroad brings advantages without which a society cannot thrive.