(FORTUNE Magazine) – They watch Baywatch in Bombay and The Simpsons in Santiago. TV addicts around the world faithfully gather at the altar of demigods like Larry Hagman and Pamela Anderson. It's all part of America's worldwide cultural takeover, right?

Not really. While American films enjoy about an 80% worldwide market share, U.S. TV offerings routinely place second to local programming. There's only a handful of countries where any American show manages to creep into the top 30. So yes, shockingly, more people in Germany watch Wetten, dass, a variety show, than Melrose Place.

Still, international deals account for as much as half the revenues of TV production companies, and that could rise further as global demand for foreign TV shows--especially U.S. shows--grows.

--Melanie Warner