[FA Worldmusic] knowledge transfer and marketing across generations

[Paul Harding]

Good topic Dmitri!

That's something I think I've been struggling with as a
radio host/programmer for a long time.

My show is on the student run, University of Minnesota's
station, Radio K.  The folks at the station have had a
tendency to think of their audience as younger than the
data (Arbitron & other) indicates.  It's easy to think
that the audience of the college station is mostly college
kids, but we have a lot of listeners in their 30s and 40s
and some older yet.  I think my show may even lean heavier
on the older demo.

I know plenty of my listeners are of my parents'
generation, who love the traditional end of the musical
spectrum and would rather never hear (what they still
call) "rap", dancehall and the like.  But I think that's a
big part of the interesting musical fusion right now,
pretty much everywhere - and so, important to include (and
personally appealing).

The other side of this coin is the younger audience that
may lack the patience for the older, more traditional,
jazzy, or new agey sounds.  They request Los Amigos
Invisibles, Brazilian Girls, Ojos De Brujo, reggaeton,
etc.

So, I feel obliged to include nearly the full spectrum. 
Perhaps the show would be more successful if I targeted
one or the other?

>From my perspective, I see a lot of promotion of world
music as very geared for the older crowd.  Maybe people
who are browsing for "world music" are older - while the
younger folks are looking for specific artists or genres? 
Or at least, it's perceived this way by marketers?

-Paul


> I think the recent discussion about (mis)interpretations
> of the origins of one
> song -- one perspective surf rock and another early rap --
> brings up the issue
> of cross-generational reference points. I am curious what
> practices people on
> this list (presenters, labels, retailers, media, and
> others) have implemented
> to:
>
> 1. step out of their own generational reference points to
> communicate with
> other generations of fans, consumers, and
> readers/listeners
>
> 2. address the issue of aesthetics across generations in
> marketing materials
>
> I think a lot of the debate about the "world music ghetto"
> has to do with how
> music is presented. What are the visual and semantic cues
> that accompany
> certain forms of "world music?"
>
> Much respect,
>
> Dmitri Vietze
> rock paper scissors, inc.
> (NEW ADDRESS as of May 18, 2007!!!)
> 511 W. 4th St., Suite 2
> Bloomington, IN 47404-5171
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> www.rockpaperscissors.biz
>
> {{music of global significance}}
>
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