ABSTRACT
This chapter surveys the growing international circulation of media and television productions and the related forms and processes of national mediation of this content as it enters different markets. Most of the content broadcast by TV networks and linear channels (or distributed via on-demand audiovisual platforms) is made not of original products but of shows created, developed and first released elsewhere. This content is often modified, repackaged or remade to reflect local audiences’ tastes and habits, through various processes negotiated between professionals and implied viewers. This chapter begins by considering the institutional context in which national mediations play out, summarizing recent research in relevant fields. Part two spotlights the complexities of national mediations effected by industrial supply chains and influenced by key professional cultures and invisible intermediaries; it probes both direct and indirect forms of national mediation (dubbing, subtitling and repackaging vs acquisition, scheduling and promotion). Part three examines the global circulation of television formats, adapted and remade for local markets; the pivotal role of the professionals in this process is highlighted throughout. The chapter includes specific examples taken from original research, and concludes with a look at the global non-linear operators and how their segment is changing these processes.
