“The Bear” Effect: Media’s Depiction of Cities and Public Perception

The trend of most settings in media being a generic city is going out of fashion. The success of TV shows such as The Bear and Atlanta can be attributed partly to the emphasis these shows place on giving viewers an intimate look into the local culture of the city where they are set. That said, depicting a city authentically means sometimes showing parts of local culture that  wouldn’t necessarily be featured in a tourism ad.

Are these depictions of U.S. cities resonating with audiences? According to data from The Harris Poll, these more nuanced representations of metropolitan areas in the U.S. are ringing true, and are potentially improving public perception of the areas.

Most of those that have been to a city believe that the way it’s depicted in the media is accurate, and a notable sum view these depictions as having a positive impact on the cities. 

• Three quarters (76%) of U.S. adults who have either lived in or visited New York City agree that depictions of the city in popular media (e.g., movies, TV shows) are accurate. Seven in ten (69%) think that depictions of New York in popular media have a positive impact on the city’s reputation.
• Three quarters (77%) of U.S. adults who have either lived in or visited Los Angeles, CA agree that depictions of the city in popular media (e.g., movies, TV shows) are accurate. Seven in ten (69%) think Los Angeles’s depiction in popular media has a positive impact on the city’s reputation.
• Three quarters (76%) of U.S. adults who have either lived in or visited Washington, DC agree that depictions of the city in popular media (e.g., movies, TV shows) are accurate. Seven in ten (69%) think that depictions of Washington DC in popular media have a positive impact on the city’s reputation.
• Seven in ten (71%) U.S. adults who have only visited Chicago agree that depictions of the city in popular media (e.g., movies, TV shows) are accurate. Three in five (58%) U.S. adults who have only visited Chicago agree that depictions of Chicago in popular media have a positive impact on the city’s reputation.

These surveys were conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll from September 29, 2023 to October 02 2023 among 1,059 U.S. adults, ages 18+. Figures were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions within the US population. Respondents for this survey were selected from a pool of potential respondents who have agreed to participate in The Harris Poll’s online research.