The Cultural Algorithm

From the first commercial television broadcast at W3XK in Washington DC in 1928 through the inauguration of the first basic cable TV station ( WTCG ) until the launch of streaming video-on-demand (VOD) by Netflix in 2007, how and what people watch on television hasn't changed much. Television sets were how entertainment, sports, and news entered people's homes. Large networks created shows aired by their affiliates, broadcasting in communities across the country. Station and network operations, including content creation, were funded through commercial advertising. Even the programming schedule was primarily determined by the station or network's ad sales. Most stations went off the air at midnight and returned at 5 AM the following day.

Spherex and Parrot Analytics today released the findings from a first-ever report on the connection between local age ratings, cultural factors and TV show audience demand in key markets worldwide. The Global TV Snapshot: Culture, Age Ratings and Audience Demand analyzes the age ratings and cultural content of five popular U.S.-originated TV shows worldwide while considering the audience demand for each show in seven targeted markets.

Spherex and Parrot Analytics released the findings from a first-ever report on the connection between local age ratings, cultural factors and TV show audience demand in key markets worldwide. The ‘Global TV Snapshot’ report analyses the age ratings and cultural content of five popular US-originated TV shows worldwide while considering the audience demand for each show in seven targeted markets.

During Netflix Q4 2021 earnings call , COO and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters revealed the company "subtitled 7 million run-time minutes in '21 and dubbed 5 million run-time minutes" of content to reach their 222 million subscribers worldwide. That's 116,666 hours of subtitles and 83,333 hours of dubs they produced before releasing titles anywhere across their 192-territory footprint. That's a massive undertaking.

As professionals involved in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, we’re sure you are aware there are separate ratings for US film and TV content. What you may not be aware of are the differences between the two. This post will highlight these differences and describe how they impact the audience as content is distributed across various platforms. The Basics Ratings exist to inform parents and audiences about the appropriateness of content for their children and families. The problem ratings attempt to solve is that exposure to violent, sexual, adult, or suggestive language content can be harmful or offensive to specific audiences. Ratings provide a warning that those events are part of the production. Age is the primary determinant in assigning a rating, but presumed maturity within a rating category (e.g., PG vs. PG-13) may also be a factor. In other countries, criticism of the government, unflattering depictions of cultural norms, or negatively describing religion are grounds for content to be assigned higher age ratings or even banned. Those factors are not typically an issue with US age ratings for film or TV. The first thing to understand is the fundamental difference in the purpose, type, and reach between the two platforms. Movie ratings were established for the content shown in movie theaters. TV ratings were created for content displayed on TV screens. The similarity is content; the difference is paid admission versus 24/7 access in our living rooms. The former is controlled access by requiring payment for a ticket, and the latter may not be controlled at all. Parents can be in the audience with a child in a theater but might be away while the show is on the living room TV. As a result, content notification requirements are more granular and specific for TV ratings than for film. For example, there is no need for a comparable TV-Y or TV-Y7 rating in theaters because a G-rated film easily encompasses and addresses the guidance those ratings provide. Likewise, there is no market for NC-17 content on linear TV or streaming platforms, so TV has no comparable rating. The next thing to understand is two different groups developed the US ratings systems. The Motion Picture Association ( MPA ), an industry trade group, developed  US film ratings in 1968. Occasional updates have reflected changes in types of content, such as the introduction of the PG-13 rating following the release of an Indiana Jones film. We have previously written about this in more detail here . Television ratings were developed and maintained by the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, also an industry trade group, in 1996. Its members include the MPA, the National Association of Broadcasters ( NAB ), the Internet and Television Association ( NCTA ), and five public interest groups. Their interests are related, but their ratings differ at the top and bottom of the age scale. TV ratings were created as a voluntary system following concerns expressed by the US Congress and complaints made to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about objectionable TV content being aired without notice to parents. TV programs are self-rated by the networks or platforms in the US system. The Ratings Matrix Below is a comparison matrix that presents the difference between movie and TV ratings systems. US TV ratings also contain "content descriptors” that specify specific types of potentially objectionable content. The elements within those descriptors are: D – Suggestive dialogue (rarely used with TV-MA-rated programs) L – Coarse language S – Sexual content V – Violence FV – Fantasy violence (exclusive to TV-Y7-rated programs) These elements are shown below the rating and displayed for 15 seconds at the program’s beginning and following any breaks. Upon review, it’s clear that TV ratings closely resemble those used for movies; this is on purpose. The reason is to provide continuity and consistency for parents and regulators across all content distribution platforms, including theatrical, linear, retail, and online services. As a system, both have worked quite well and have served as a model for other countries worldwide who wish to provide consumers with helpful information about content and titles they may consider sharing with their children, families, and friends. Spherex: Localized Age Ratings Services Provider As the global industry authority and leading private provider of local age ratings worldwide, Spherex uniquely understands the importance of getting age ratings right, regardless of the platform.  Spherexratings™ and Spherexgreenlight™ provide content creators with the necessary knowledge to tailor titles to fit any age rating and identify their best markets. Greenlight™ is a first-of-its-kind AI/ML technology that culturally adapts content for markets worldwide. With this technology, content creators can increase engagement, drive more revenue faster, and avoid legal and regulatory risks. Take the guesswork and risk out of international expansion. Contact us today!

Predicting the future is problematic. The process begins with the predictor's perspective on the past, includes their view of things as they are today, and ends with someone else going back to see how close they came 12 months later. The task is further complicated by the difference between what we thinkwill happen and what we wantto happen, both of which can have no relationship to what actuallyhappens. The challenge then, to paraphrase Peter Drucker, is not "predict the future, but to create it." Our predictions focus on technologies and changes we believe will contribute to a new future for the M&E industry in 2022.

Imagine you're one of the 209 million worldwide subscribers scrolling through the seemingly endless options of movies and television shows on Netflix every single day. What causes you to stop and choose what to watch? Was it the title? The actors? The genre? The description? The trailer? The information we use varies, but it does beg the question of where this information comes from in the first place?

The past 12 months have seen significant change and disruption in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. Due to the impacts of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are now more accustomed to being entertained at home and on multiple devices. The growth of online subscriptions reached levels analysts had not predicted for another two or three years. For example, Disney+ achieved subscriber numbers that Netflix took seven years to reach. The amount of money spent to buy new content also increased, hitting $220B in 2021—the most ever by the industry.

You may be familiar with seeing a large 'PG' or 'R' flash on your screen before a movie begins. Most have a general idea of what these age ratings mean and how they indicate the appropriateness of a film's content. However, they may not understand the process or the criteria for how movies are classified. Today, most movies are released on multiple online platforms and movie theaters simultaneously. As a result, worldwide audiences have more access to internationally produced content than ever before, so understanding age ratings for films is more important than ever. This post discusses US film ratings are determined, explains the different movie classifications, and how they are essential in international distribution.