We Want Media

In this day in age, it seems like handshakes and formal press conferences can only take you so far. When it comes to diplomacy and cultural understanding, the new generation seems to be taking a different approach: Reality TV.

Attempting to “win the hearts and minds” of the Arab world, and visa versa, Layalina Productions created a reality show On the Road In America. It documents the cross-country journey of Arabs in America, and it is aired on The Middle East Broadcasting Center, an Arab satellite TV network.

What makes this project particularly interesting is the board of Layalina Productions: George H. W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Richard Fairbanks and others. Courtesy of On The Media from NPR, there is an interesting interview with Fairbanks (the creator of Layalina Productions) describing this new approach to diplomacy: We wouldn't have started the project if we didn't think we could have a positive impact on breaking down barriers and stimulating critical thinking in the Arab world about us and, conversely, since we're going to try to sell it back in the United States.

Cultural diffusion through media is a simple fact of today’s age. You can’t go anywhere without seeing a MacDonalds in Thailand or watching The Simpsons in Czech. Sparing all arguments on the “Americanization” of other cultures, I think these guys may have gotten it right. If cultural diffusion is inevitable, why not produce something that attempts to bring cultural understanding, awareness and critical thinking? And what makes this project particularly successful, at least in my mind, is that it is a two-way street. The creators intend to sell it back to Americans as a means of connecting and understanding.

For once, a fresh look at politics!

View the trailer of “On the Road In America” courtesy of Layalina Productions.