An international cross-platform news organization based in Asia had already made the decision to expand their reach into North America, so they sought data and insights they could use to guide their rollout and maximize their chances of success. City Square Associates recommended a survey with a jumbo sample of 2,000 news consumers from twenty-five major media markets, with twenty being from the U.S. and five being from Canada. The survey was completed by adults who self-reported watching international content at least occasionally.

Questionnaire design was especially important in this study. We wanted to understand users’ appetite for international content generally and Asia-related content specifically. On the basis of the study, we were able to identify an addressable audience of over 38 million adults in the U.S. and Canada with an appetite for international news, film, documentaries, and TV shows, more than 40% of whom report that they are especially interested in content related to Asia and the Pacific. Demographically, these Asia-interested news users turn out to be younger, more diverse, and more affluent than average, suggesting strong advertising revenue potential. We also wanted to understand the media behaviors of these same prospects, identifying especially strong potential in the FAST (free ad-supported TV) space.

Our client has been using these data to shape its implementation strategy. In addition to focusing its attention on the delivery of content via ad-supported live streaming starting with YouTube, they have been using insights from the research to inform both their content strategy and their marketing strategy—speaking to the clearly perceived relevance of the Asian perspective and a strong curiosity about a part of the world that feels unfamiliar to many in North America.