Karaoke Used to Support State Propaganda
Vice President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and Prime Minister Hun Sen (2nd R), and CPP Honorary President and President of the National Assembly Heng Samrin (L) wave as they arrive for a ceremony at the party headquarters to mark the 34th anniversary of the toppling of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime in Phnom Penh, January 7, 2013. Some 1.7 million people are believed to have died in the “Killing Fields” of the ultra-Maoist guerrillas, whose four year reign of terror was brought to an end in 1979 by invading troops from neighbouring Vietnam. REUTERS/Samrang Pring (CAMBODIA – Tags: POLITICS ANNIVERSARY) – RTR3C676
The Geo Quiz Thursday takes the form of a sing-a-long.
For decades the leader of one South Asian country has employed his own personal composer to write songs extolling his policies.
The state songs are broadcast on television as karaoke videos.
This is part of a larger campaign in which this Premier has used pop culture, songs and even comedians as propaganda.
In what country can you sing along to a ditty about fishing policies on the television?
Cambodia, which is the answer to the geo quiz, is where Prime Minister Hun Sen has written song to support his message.
Anchor, Aaron Schachter talks with Cambodian scholar and author, Sophal Ear about Hun Sen and the role of music in Cambodian politics.