Think Global, Rock Local

One of my favorite things about working for IREX’s media development division is the chance to learn more about what kind of media makes people tick all around the world. In Ukraine, one television station we worked with developed a strong following for a series on the history of World War II and its impact on southern Ukraine. In Russia, one of our partner organizations was so taken with the storytelling on Chicago Public Radio’s “This American Life,” that they invited host – and, to me, American cultural icon – Ira Glass to a seminar on radio story telling. 

Culture often guides content and is often the lure for many in our profession. What makes a Russian tick won’t necessarily make an Egyptian tick. Music, however, is a different story. Local music will catch just about anyone’s ear, which is why this recent blog post (hat tip: Foreign Policy’s Passport blog) struck me as so fascinating.

While rock ‘n roll isn’t for everyone, the study’s findings certainly make an interesting case. IREX always strives for cultural sensitivity – part of why local expertise and staffing is so critical to all our programs. Such concerns seem even more sensitive when discussing media content. Political talk shows play well everywhere – whether on cable news channels in the U.S. or on Azerbaijani public television, where parliamentarians and viewers dissect current affairs – likely because keeping it local is the key. Just as Joshua Keating writes on Passport, it’s the local context that has likely kept bands like Mumiy Troll wildly popular in their home country – where they sell out arenas -- while abroad they tour in smaller venues (like Washington, DC’s Black Cat, for our neighbors here in the capital city.) It’s easy to see why Mumiy Troll might appeal to anyone with an interest in their style of quirky rock, especially when coupled with awesome videos like this one:

Eleeza V. Agopian is a Program Officer at IREX