The United States has long been hailed as a great melting pot, and this can be seen in the growth of foreign language programming in America. The benefits of diversity have done the nation well in the centuries since it was first formed, and the highly immigrant nature of the population within the country has led to a constantly changing culture. Technology often embraces and grows with this diversity and it is easy to see in things like radio and television where a language other than English is used. When trying to choose the right TV service to accommodate your needs be sure to check the availability of your desired channels before deciding on a cable service. If you are an immigrant or identify with an immigrant ethnic group, finding entertainment is easy as long as you use a combination of television, internet, and mobile networks.
Middle Eastern Channels
The development of Middle Eastern channels on radio and television has fueled the growth of foreign language programming in America, and many examples exist of broadcasting that is devoted solely to serving populations that hail from the Middle East.
SAT-7 is one of the newest additions to this tradition and provides service for all Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish-speaking people across North America. Peace TV is another channel that focuses on the Middle East and has versions in Urdu and Bangla. GLWiZ provides programming in Persian for those with an Iranian heritage. The Arab Radio and Television Network (ART) is another popular Arabic channel, and is available throughout various places. If you are Turkish, there are well over 100 Turkish channels available through satellite, cable, and internet providers.
South Asian Channels
South Asian ethnic groups have seen their options expand with the growth of foreign language programming in America. Hindi and Tamil languages are both widely served, and you can actually see Bollywood productions on cable television.
For an even more diverse selection, YuppTV is a subscription based service available on Apple, Android, and Blackberry and provides programming in Marathi, Telugu, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, and Malayam languages. The relationship between America and India as former British colonies has fostered healthy immigration, and Hindi channels are often available as premium packages in cities with high ethnic Indian populations. You can also find a wide selection of Hindi news, music, and movies on YouTube.
African Channels
African immigrants have also benefited from the growth of foreign language programming in America. African TV 24 distributes live news streams from Kenya, which can be access via mobile device and the internet. Additionally, BilalTube is very similar to YouTube and has a wealth of video content in Swahili. Media giant British Broadcasting Channel (BBC) also maintains a website devoted to African news programming and focuses on politics, popular culture, and sports. Swahili, also referred to as Kiswahili, is often seen as the trade language of Africa, and programming in the language has re-opened doors to native culture for many African immigrants in recent years.
Entertainment and news media have been making the shift towards an all-inclusive model for decades now. Languages like Spanish, French, and Portuguese have a solid presence in American programming no matter what part of the country you are in.
Africans and Asians represent represent growing demographics and the availability of ethnically diverse programming is rising to match that expansion. If you are an immigrant in America and there are few options in your native language, things are changing, and you may see more that targets you in years to come. The vast majority of television and radio in place is distributed by free to air satellite and internet, but industry mainstays have begun to contribute substantially to the growth of foreign language programming in America.
