History Main / ImportFilter

** The breakdown of this trope is at least part of the reason why UsefulNotes/TheJapaneseInvasion began to grind to a halt in the late naughties. The internet fandom communities that popped up in the prior two decades were now big enough to bring many more Japanese series to the US... and they began to realize just ''why'' certain shows weren't imported. People not only began to realize not only that Japanese animation ''wasn't'' inherently superior to American animation,[[note]]and the fact that American animation was starting to leave one of its intermittent {{audience alienating era}}s at that very time also helped[[/note]] they also began to see that anime had its own assorted tropes and cliches, which were made more apparent once the novelty wore off and they could witness a broader, more representative cross-section of it.

* An interesting twist on this in TheSixties was that British artists like Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}} and Music/EricClapton were [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff far more into traditional American blues and R&B]] than Americans were. For many Americans, their first introduction into authentic blues were hearing the Stones and Clapton doing covers of classic tracks. This led to a significant revival of interest in the US, but the oft-titled "[[UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion British Invasion]]" was really, in many ways, just American music being played by British guys.

** And then there was Bush, a London band who were [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff popular in the States but never made it in their home country]]. While Music/{{Oasis}} were trying to crack America and being promoted as "the new Bush", Bush were trying to crack Britain and being promoted as "the next Oasis"...

* Similarly, countries such as France, Nigeria, South Africa and the Philippines also mandate radio and television stations to devote at least a portion of their broadcasting to local content. This also applies to films in countries such as the Philippines to encourage local filmmakers, a notable example of which is the UsefulNotes/MetroManilaFilmFestival where no foreign films are shown apart from IMAX and 3D releases.

** The breakdown of this trope is at least part of the reason why UsefulNotes/TheJapaneseInvasion began to grind to a halt in the late naughties. The internet fandom communities that popped up in the prior two decades were now big enough to bring many more Japanese series to the US... and they began to realize just ''why'' certain shows weren't imported. People not only began to realize not only that Japanese animation ''wasn't'' inherently superior to American animation,[[note]]and the fact that American animation was starting to leave one of its intermittent [[AudienceAlienatingEra Audience-Alienating Era}}s at that very time also helped[[/note]] they also began to see that anime had its own assorted tropes and cliches, which were made more apparent once the novelty wore off and they could witness a broader, more representative cross-section of it.

** Note, however, that this was not true ''before'' the '90s. From the early days of television through TheEighties, American TV was seen as campy, disposable cheez-whiz that only attracted a very specific viewership and which the networks only threw on because they didn't have enough domestic shows to fill airtime. Unlike many other, smaller countries (including many in Europe) where the arts saw heavy state sponsorship with an egalitarian ethos and a fairly light hand with censorship that drew many creative voices to television as much as film, the US has a massive, world-renowned film industry considered the most prestigious in the world while its television industry was heavily sanitized by its {{Media Watchdog}}s, and so American actors, writers, and filmmakers came to associate television with MoneyDearBoy work. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlDDAURDyIw&t=63s This episode]] of Creator/CharlieBrooker's ''Series/{{Screenwipe}}'' covering American TV opens by detailing the [[MadeInCountryX contempt]] that it once received in the UK, describing its public image as "[[Series/{{Dallas}} soft-focused soaps starring shoulder pads instead of people]], [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard whooping inbreds tossing cars over swamps]], [[Series/SavedByTheBell sitcoms half as funny as breaking your jaw on a door frame]], and shapeshifting festival of idiocy ''Series/{{Manimal}}''." While this stereotype started cracking in the '90s, it was only with the explosion of cable TV in the '00s that it fully broke.

** Note, however, that this was not true ''before'' the '90s. From the early days of television through TheEighties, American TV was seen as campy, disposable cheez-whiz that only attracted a very specific viewership and which the networks only threw on because they didn't have enough domestic shows to fill airtime. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlDDAURDyIw&t=63s This episode]] of Creator/CharlieBrooker's ''Series/{{Screenwipe}}'' covering American TV opens by detailing the [[MadeInCountryX contempt]] that it once received in the UK, describing its public image as "[[Series/{{Dallas}} soft-focused soaps starring shoulder pads instead of people]], [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard whooping inbreds tossing cars over swamps]], [[Series/SavedByTheBell sitcoms half as funny as breaking your jaw on a door frame]], and shapeshifting festival of idiocy ''Series/{{Manimal}}''."

** The breakdown of this trope is at least part of the reason why UsefulNotes/TheJapaneseInvasion began to grind to a halt in the late naughties. The internet fandom communities that popped up in the prior two decades were now big enough to bring many more Japanese series to the US... and they began to realize just ''why'' certain shows weren't imported. People not only began to realize not only that Japanese animation ''wasn't'' inherently superior to American animation,[[note]]and the fact that American animation was starting to leave one of its intermittent {{Dork Age}}s at that very time also helped[[/note]] they also began to see that anime had its own assorted tropes and cliches, which were made more apparent once the novelty wore off and they could witness a broader, more representative cross-section of it.

** For decades, the Import Filter on British television was enforced by Creator/{{PBS}}, a network of publicly-funded and viewer-supported stations. Between their lower budget compared to the commercial networks, their decentralized structure, and their public service mandate, the money they spend on original programming is usually reserved for news, documentaries, and [[Creator/PBSKids educational children's programs]], which together give it a more highbrow viewership and reputation. As such, what little money they have left over for general entertainment programming usually goes to importing shows from the UK and, to a lesser extent, Canada, and knowing the tastes of their viewers, PBS stations usually pick the classier ones. This is most evident with the ''Series/{{Masterpiece}}'' (formerly ''Masterpiece Theatre'') anthology series created by the UsefulNotes/{{Boston}} PBS affiliate WGBH, which plays directly into [[BritishStuffiness American]] [[StiffUpperLip stereotypes]] [[QuintessentialBritishGentleman of the UK]]. When it does air more populist material, like ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', ''Series/AreYouBeingServed'', and ''Series/DoctorWho'', it usually picks out the cream of the crop there as well. Since PBS was, for a long time, the primary way to watch British TV in the US (a common [[FunWithAcronym backronym]] claimed that PBS stood for "Primarily British Series"), its upper-crust filter heavily affected how Americans perceived it. This started to change in the 21st century, though, as the cable network BBC America and later streaming services gave Americans access to a wider variety of British shows.

** In the US, the Import Filter on British television was often enforced by Creator/{{PBS}}, a network of publicly-funded and viewer-supported stations that has generally cultivated a smaller and more high-brow viewership than the commercial networks. Since they were the largest network airing British shows in the US, their tastes leaned more highbrow, most evidently through their ''Series/{{Masterpiece}}'' (formerly ''Masterpiece Theatre'') anthology series, which gave its British imports a classy gloss that played directly into [[BritishStuffiness American]] [[StiffUpperLip stereotypes]] [[QuintessentialBritishGentleman of the UK]]. When it did air more populist material, like ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' and ''Series/DoctorWho'', it usually picked out the cream of the crop there as well. This started to change in the 21st century, though, as the cable network BBC America and later streaming services gave Americans access to a wider variety of British shows.

This can lead some people to declare that [[MadeInCountryX foreign media are better]], because while they're exposed to the full spectrum of things from their own country, they only encounter imports that are both among the best works in a genre, and pre-selected to fit their tastes besides. Others who lack similar tastes may decide not to bother, or they may be turned off on imported works [[HypeAversion simply because fans like them so much]].

Compare NostalgiaFilter, a similar effect applied across temporal rather than physical/cultural distance. Contrast KeepCirculatingTheTapes, where a work is distributed ''samizdat'' among fans because owners won't - or '''can't''' - sell the product legally (which can include works being filtered out as unprofitable by importers). Can easily lead to a case of GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff.

This can lead some people to declare that foreign media are better, because while they're exposed to the full spectrum of things from their own country, they only encounter imports that are both among the best works in a genre, and pre-selected to fit their tastes besides. Others who lack similar tastes may decide not to bother, or they may be turned off on imported works [[HypeAversion simply because fans like them so much]].

** Also true for Germany. Most German series are regarded as ripoffs of American series and get canceled sooner or later. It's really frustrating when they market a series as "THE new US hit series" when it's really a show that got canceled after the first season...

* This also applies to Canadian television. While shows like ''Series/CornerGas'', ''Series/NorthOf60'', ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'', ''Series/TrailerParkBoys'', ''Series/{{Beachcombers}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheRaccoons'' all attain fanbases ranging from cult followings to genuine (if modest) popularity in English Canada, they occasionally hit it really big in the United States, with ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' being a major example. Incidentally, ''Red Green'' has become a major source for Creator/{{PBS}} [[{{Telethon}} pledge drives]] in the U.S., with the actual cast of the show appearing to drum up support. Meanwhile, as with film, French Canadians actively consume their own domestic work, most notably in Quebec.
* British TV is often well-regarded, but only a few shows are widely viewed in the US -- ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' and ''Series/DoctorWho'' are prominent examples.

* On the other hand American TV is just as equally guilty of being adored globally and leads to the impression that prestige stuff like Series/BandofBrothers are common. Even more low brow stuff like Series/Friends are assumed by many non-Americans to be representative of American Television and are assumed to be standard Network TV flair, leading to the perception American shows are high quality. But just like British TV, only few of what actually airs on American TV is exported and often extremely popular stuff like Series/TheXFiles and quality prestige programs in the vein of Series/TheSopranos. So just like other examples, American TV has far more trash than good stuff and what is broadcasted in other countries are cherrypicked selections.

** WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM0riNhB3eQ argued]] that this is the reason why Americans have such a high opinion of British pop music. He admits that, when it's good (like Music/TheBeatles, Music/EllieGoulding, or Music/{{Adele}}), it rivals anything America has to offer. However, he also feels that, as bad as Americans think they have it with their own awful pop music, at least they never had to suffer through the Cheeky Girls, Crazy Frog, Jedward, or the slew of ''[[Series/TheXFactor X-Factor]]'' runners-up (at least, those not named Music/OneDirection, Olly Murs, or Music/CherLloyd).

** WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCfAFJJisfc feels]] that this is the reason why Americans have such a high opinion of British pop music. He admits that, when it's good (like Music/TheBeatles, Music/EllieGoulding, or Music/{{Adele}}), it rivals anything America has to offer. However, he also feels that, as bad as Americans think they have it with their own awful pop music, at least they never had to suffer through the Cheeky Girls, Crazy Frog, Jedward, or the slew of ''[[Series/TheXFactor X-Factor]]'' runners-up (at least, those not named Music/OneDirection, Olly Murs, or Music/CherLloyd).