1. Trend Alert: Foreign Language Media Gaining
Ground
This article was originally published on the Acclaro blog.
Category: Global Trends
Who knew what Al-Jazeera was 10 years ago? Not many people
in the U.S., that's for sure. The only access that Americans had
to foreign language media sources was through special cable
subscriptions, and a lot of foreign channels were simply not
available in many American markets.
That's no longer the case. Satellite television has brought foreign
channels into many American homes. And as people consume
media in an increasingly diverse amount of ways beyond
newspapers and television, other media sources are getting attention from Westerners.
From North Korea's national Twitter account, in which anyone in the world can read the
"pronouncements of the state," to TwoFour54, an Abu Dhabi-based media company that uses
TV, radio, film and video games to broadcast its message, foreign language media sources are
gaining strength.
The impact of these new diverse sources is not just international, however. Mainstream media
sources from the Western world like BBC, CNN, and The New York Times are losing clout among
audiences abroad. Both local-language media and English-language media are giving them a
run for their money, writes Faisal al Yafai in The National.
Al-Jazeera English is the obvious example, reaching millions of people
around the globe. China launched CNC World last month. Other state-
funded English-language news channels are gaining prominence, such
as Russia Today, Germany’s Deutsche Welle, France 24, Japan’s NHK
World, China’s CCTV and Iran’s Press TV. Having an English-language
channel (often along with other major languages) allows them to
spread their brand and message un-interpreted by others.
Another upside of their existence is that viewers can see international
Page 1: Trend Alert: Foreign Language Media Gaining Ground Copyright © Acclaro 2012

2. events and get information that is grounded in the language and culture that they are familiar
with, adding to the trust factor that has been gradually slipping away from mainstream media.
The downside? A possible distrust of information presented in a way that does not fit the
viewer's world view, and the loss of authenticity as people understand how many versions of the
truth really exist. News as we know it may disappear, becoming merely another comment on an
event, Yafai suggests.
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Page 2: Trend Alert: Foreign Language Media Gaining Ground Copyright © Acclaro 2012