FIGURE 1

U.S. Viewers Say Everyday Challenges and Believable Dialogue Are Key to Making a Show or Film Feel Authentic

Percentage of viewers who say each element is most likely to make depictions of work, family, and care feel authentic

A split bar graph of the share of viewers who say that everyday challenges and believable dialogue are key to making shows and films feel authentic, with between 48 and 60 percent of overall U.S., rural, midwestern, southeastern, and southwestern viewers saying each is important.

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Note: Respondents selected up to three elements; the two most frequently chosen are shown.

Source: Survey of 1,130 U.S. streaming viewers, aged 18–59, conducted by MarketCast for New America, April 2025. Data are weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the U.S., with Black, Latine, and Asian over-samples.

New America