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Public Diplomacy

BBC Persian television launches

Image courtesy of BBC Persian TV

The newest Persian language satellite network made a splash in the Iranian blogosphere when it began broadcasting in January. But just how far can the BBC go in the face of hostility from Tehran and without local bureaus, asks Contributing Editor Paul Cochrane.

Repairing American public diplomacyIcon indicating an associated article is new

State Department official Alberto Fernandez speaks on al-Jazeera

How can the Obama Administration rebuild American public diplomacy in the Arab World? Engaging with regional media, reforming BBG Arabic broadcasting and reducing the military role would be a good start, argues Ambassador William A. Rugh.

Social media and the Gaza conflict

Glassman (far right) fields questions in Second Life

More than ever before, governments and pressure groups sought to use social media like Facebook and YouTube to rally support during the Gaza conflict. Why did so many of these attempts fizzle? Managing Editor Will Ward investigates.

BBC Arabic TV: A

Hosam El Sokkari, the man behind the BBC's move into Arabic-language television, insists the new channel will not be the British Alhurra. So why would the British public want to spend Foreign Office money on a channel in the Arab world? Co-Editor Lawrence Pintak finds out.

International broadcasting and intercultural dialogue: Deutsche Welle in the Arab World

Germany’s government spends over a quarter billion Euros a year on this satellite network aimed at stimulating intercultural dialogue. But does Deutsche Welle really connect with Arab viewers? Carola Richter investigates.

Bravely Stating the Obvious: Egyptian humor and the anti-American consensus

Co-Editor Walter Armbrust puts anti-Americanism in Egyptian comedy in historical and comparative perspective, arguing that current U.S. public diplomacy efforts can do little to change prevailing anti-American sentiments.
(Features Video)

The Alhurra Project: Radio Marti of the Middle East

US public diplomacy channel Alhurra: an expensive irrelevance?

Larry Register’s forced departure from the US public diplomacy channel marks a low point for American efforts at broadcasting to the Middle East, an entirely predictable debacle which likely puts paid to even the slender hopes that the station might turn itself around argues Editorial Board Member Marc Lynch.

Rate of Arabic language TV start-ups shows no sign of abating

France 24 plans to broadcast 12 hours daily in Arabic.

Alan L. Heil Jr. documents the plethora of new public diplomacy channels broadcasting in Arabic, including France 24, Deutsche Welle, and Russia TV Today, arguing credibility will be crucial to success with audiences in an increasingly crowded market.

Voice of America versus Radio Sawa in the Middle East: A Personal Perspective

The VOA has a long history of covering the Middle East both in English and in Arabic.  Picture courtesy of the VOA.

By scrapping Voice of America in the Middle East, the US has both undercut its own public diplomacy interests and the interests of listeners in the region itself, argues Laurie Kassman.

Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa: Advancing freedom in the Arab World

Outgoing BBG Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson says Alhurra and Sawa are advocating freedom in the Middle East. Courtesy of the BBG.

That Arab viewers accept this U.S. government-funded station as credible is a great victory, especially after being on the air little more than three years. That some Arab viewers find the assertions of advocates for freedom jarring to their ears is a price we will gladly pay, argues outgoing Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson.

America's Voice as it could have been

At a projected start-up cost of $15.5, the branded-VOA full Arabic network would have cost half of Radio Sawa.  Picture courtesy of VOA.

The inability of Sawa and Alhurra to speak with critical populations in the Middle East and their emphasis on the most trivial of American pop culture have marginalized the United States and prevented a reasoned and substantive conversation between the United States and the Arab world, says former VOA Director Myrna Whitworth.

Radio Sawa: America's new adventure in radio broadcasting

According to its founders, Radio Sawa was designed to report the news 'straight up' so listeners could 'decide for themselves'.

In this content analysis of U.S. Public Diplomacy radio station Radio Sawa, veteran Middle East broadcasting specialist Sam Hilmy argues that the pop-music driven channel is not meeting its commitment to provide “accurate, timely and relevant news about the Middle East, the world and the United States.”

British Middle East representative, Jon Wilks: Fluent Arabic spokesmen can “promote a freer media in the Arab World”

Recently posted at the British embassy in Dubai, Jon Wilks is no newcomer to the Middle East. Having served across the region over a number of years, the fluent Arabic speaker has been brought in to explain British government policy to the Arab World. Speaking to Arab Media & Society Managing Editor George Weyman, Wilks talks about his role, revealing his mixed views on Arab-channel interviews and how he avoids discussing conspiracy theories.

American Encounters with Arabs: The “Soft Power” of U.S. Public Diplomacy in the Middle East. William A. Rugh. Westport: Praeger Security International, 2006.

Readers of American Encounters will be heartened by the reminder that — regardless of the administration or specific policy — there remain elements in the U.S. foreign policy establishment dedicated to engaging with Arab audiences and keeping avenues of communication open, argues Will Ward.

2007: A Fateful Year for America's Voices?

There are several reasons why the new Democratic 110th Congress, the Bush administration, or both need to take a hard, new look at the American networks without delay, says Alan L. Heil Jr.

'The Perfect War': US Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1990/1991Icon indicating an associated article is peer reviewed

US Public Diplomacy Czar Karen Hughes (AP).

In this article, Nicholas Cull reviews the performance of the United States Information Agency (USIA) during the Gulf Crisis and War of 1990-91. He concludes by contrasting the effective US use of public diplomacy during this period with the problems encountered following 9/11.

Arab Media Wire

CPJ asks Jordanian king to toss out cyber law The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, is deeply concerned about a provisional law on cyber crimes that was approved by the cabinet of ministers on August 3.
The Loss Of Popularity Of Egyptian Blogging The active blogs of a few years ago, which scrutinised social violence and confrontations between the opposition and the police, seem to have waned in popularity today. Their success was attained neither by Facebook nor by mini-blogs, like dormant volcanoes whose eruption has been postponed eternally.
Media Habits of MENA Youth - AUB/Issam Fares Institute report "The survey found the participants highly adept at using new media. They spent considerable time consuming new and traditional media, but much less time producing media content."
Kuwait likely to follow UAE, Saudi BlackBerry ban Kuwait officials are likely to follow Saudi Arabia and the UAE with a ban on certain BlackBerry services, local Arab media has reported.
UAE to suspend Blackberry service on security fears The United Arab Emirates' plan to suspend BlackBerry services in October has sparked concern among users in the Gulf Arab state over the impact it might have on free speech and on companies which rely on the services.
Al Jazeera Files a Lawsuit Against the Egyptian Newspaper Al Ahram Al Jazeera has filed a lawsuit against the Egyptian-based newspaper Al Ahram Newspaper following the publication of what it calls false and damaging statements about the international news network and its management. Al Jazeera says tThese allegations, published in June in an article entitled "Jazeerat Al-Taharrush" ("Al Jazeera an Island of Harassment"), were completely baseless, and without merit, and were mainly aimed at damaging the reputation of the Al Jazeera Network.
Re-thinking 'civil society' in the Arab world Rami Khouri on the role of NGOs in the Arab world
Journalism court threat to Iraqi media Media freedom in Iraq has taken another turn for the worse with the announcement of plans for a special court to handle journalism cases.

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