The glocalization of The Daily Show

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the domestic success and international growth of The Daily Show (TDS) targeting specifically the Jon Stewart period (Comedy Central, 1999–2015), It then focuses on the glocalization of the program resulting in an official Dutch version The Daily Show: Nederlandse Editie that appeared on Dutch Comedy Central in 2011 and two contrasting unofficial versions, Al Bernameg (Arabic: البرنامج‎) broadcast on CBC/OnTV Egypt, 2011–2013 and then MBC MASR in 2014, and the Heute Show that has been on ZDF since 2009. This article concludes that the glocalization of TDS allowed a faux news satire show with universal appeal to take advantage of an emerging global media environment shaped by cross-cultural exchanges between the global and the local. By comparing and contrasting the three foreign versions, a blueprint for a sustainable glocalized TDS franchise emerges: a stable political environment, local relevance and the protection of a public channel.

KEYWORDS:

• Glocalization, The Daily Show
• Jon Stewart
• entertainment television
• international news satire
• The Daily Show Global Edition, The Daily Show: Nederlandse Editie, Al Bernameg, Heute Show

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. During Stewart’s period the show won 23 prime time Emmy awards and 3 Peabody awards.

2. The news media had declared that Gore had won Florida and declared him the winner of the election, then they said that Bush had won Florida and declared him the winner, then they finally stated that because Bush’s margin was 537 there would be an automatic recount.

3. Merijn Scholten, Owen Schumacher, Peter Pannekoek, Sander van Opzeeland, Niels van der Laan, Daniel Arends, and Kees van Amstel.

4. Censorship officially began in Egypt in 2014.

5. Season 2, episode 29.

6. Used to refer to Egyptians among Arabs for their sharp sense of humor.

7. Interview of Stephen Denzer by the first author, November 1, 2021.

8. This information comes from figures and statistics provided to the first author by Rahul Dasgupta of ZDF.

9. He is most likely referring to Claus Kleber the recently retired anchor of heute-journal

10. Interview of Denzer.

11. Satire can be grouped into two main categories: Horatian, derived from the Roman Satirist Horace (65–8 BCE) which tends to be playful mocking humor, or Juvenalian satire based on the writings of the Roman satirist Juvenal which is quite harsh and critical.

12. Interview of Denzer.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Lipson

David Lipson is an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Strasbourg. He received his PhD from the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris. His research interests are in popular culture, Late Night TV, documentary films, gender studies and political satire.

Mark Boukes

Mark Boukes (PhD, 2015, at Universiteit van Amsterdam) is an Associate Professor at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam. His research focuses on media effects, journalism, and infotainment (e.g., narratives, soft news, political satire, talk shows). Additionally, he has investigated the coverage and effects of economic news.

Samira Khemkhem

Samira Khemkhem (Ph.D in American Studies 2016 from the University of Strasbourg) is an Assistant Professor and head of the International Relations Department at the University of Strasbourg. Her research interests are foreign policy and international relations between the U.S. and the Middle East.