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The Public Diplomacy Blog is intended to stimulate dialog among scholars, researchers, practitioners and professionals from around the world in the public diplomacy sphere. The opinions represented here are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School.
PROSPECTS ON U.S. DIPLOMACY IN THE ARAB WORLD (PART 1 OF 5)
NOV 21, 2006 - 2:35AM PDT
Posted by Ahmed El Gody
All posts by this author
Why Do Arabs Ignore Al Hurra?
If you think Arabs don't watch Al Hurra because of its U.S. agenda or credibility, you are wrong. It is not because Al Hurra comes from Virginia, USA that Arabs don’t tune to Al Hurra, as Arab citizens are still fond of MBC channels that produce 24/7 American entertainment and news. So the idea that Arabs prefer Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya over Al Hurra has to do with the programs presented in the channel.
When Al Hurra debuted, it produced programs for an average American Joe, showcasing the best of U.S. entertainment sports -- NBA, NHL and NFL -- that Arabs don't even watch. Al Hurra's programming also featured stand-up comedians making jokes about matters that Arabs don't understand, alongside documentaries and programs that seemed better targeted for audiences in Seattle or Miami, not Baghdad or Rabat.
When Al Hurra pulled itself from the Americanization trap by changing its programming policy to focus on Pan Arab news production to provide an alternative to sweep-taking Al Jazeera, it was not a success.
The problem again was not because the news is made in the USA, as Arab citizens do still consume CNN and BBC heavily, further the level of foreign news credibility is higher than regional ones (because Arabs still fear the idea of a hidden agenda presented by Pan Arab nations). In an informal survey about the expected reopening of BBC's Arabic service, over 80 percent of respondents stated that they will believe BBC because it is credible.
Al Hurra did not attract Arab audiences because it spoke with the wrong tone of language and it was not loud enough to make an impact.
The Arab audience is sentimental -- unlike presented in Hollywood movies that portray Arabs as merciless butchers. To be successful in sending a message you have to speak to the Arab hearts before Arab minds. For example, Al Jazeera in its early debut, won wide audience during the Al Aqsa Intifada in October 2000 by speaking to the senses of the Arab audience. Footage of the 12-year-old Palestinian, Muhammad al-Durra, being shot by Israeli soldiers while held in his father's arms were more dramatized by creating a popular song "Jerusalem shall return to us," and sold to the world. Since then Al Jazeera news-formula was simple: strong footage + poetic words= larger audience
Al Hurra on the other hand presented textbook news format. Further it was presented in a too professional format to an audience that grew to hate professionalism in news. It reminds them with governmental protocol news. They hated it! The rise of independent newspapers and private satellite channels do witness that Arabs need a change in the way to be approached.
Al Hurra offers lame reporting and programs, maybe it is part of the professional act? That doesn't work either. During the past 10 years over 300 satellite stations emerged... to be viewed a channel needs to be loud. Programs that are widely viewed offer loud debate, controversial issues that create discussions that stimulate audience and make them interact. Again a formula successfully presented by Al Jazeera programming presenting an array of loud programs that present controversial discussions.
For example, Al Jazeera's Opposite Direction program, modeled on CNN's Crossfire, is perhaps the most watched program on Al Jazeera. It is anchored by Dr. Faisal al-Qasem, a Syrian citizen who studied drama in London believing in the role of art and drama in social change. The show's formula is simple, two guests who have completely opposite opinions argue about a controversial topic whereas Al Qasim stirs it up. Screaming, shouting, threats, insults, marching off set, are all characteristics of the program and during which news and debates break.
The problem with Al Hurra is that it is not approaching the hearts of an ever growing passionate Arab audience, they need to break their formal tone speaking to the heart of the audience, but that again needs to be done with a twist, it has to be loud enough to break through the 300 other satellite channel to be heard. It can be done again understanding Al Jazeera technique of breaking scandals! But that is another story.
Read Comments (5) | Add Your Own
 Read Comments:
arthur green on November 22, 2006 @ 3:16 am:
re your comments on Mohamed al-Dura.
i served as the American Embassy Acting Public Affair Officer in 2002.
please recheck your facts - Mohamed was 8 and not 12. independent analysis by both German and French TV networks challenge the allegation that the IDF was responsible; in fact there is premise that the Palestiniasn staged this tragedy.
a-Jazeera gained market share in the 2000-2003 time frame by adopting to its hilt the mantra IF IT BLEEDS IT LEADS
I monitored AJ for a 4-month period in the summer of 2002.
the al-Dura footage was used for every promotional and led into the newscasts. AJ editorial standards do not meet the professional standards of the Society of Professional Journalists
Alan Simpson on November 24, 2006 @ 8:51 pm:
We need totally original thinking to win the global political broadcast war. Consider Hughes/Rice promoting an Ice Skating personality to impress the masses living in the barren deserts of the world.
Mr. Green, the IDF have supplied enough examples of attrocities without rechecking if one was a 8 or 12 year old. Wanna defuse a million or so anti-personnel cluster bombs across Lebanon this weekend instead of debating if AJ has enough material to keep it's market share?
Looking forward to 2 -5.
Michael Bains on December 2, 2006 @ 6:34 am:
Art and Ahmed appear to be in sync, like it or not, on what makes al Jazeera work: If it bleeds it leads.
Sounds just like Fox News and, with that Co's ratings taking their recent punch o' retribution, I'd say al Hurra should abstain from going quite that far.
An Arabic, and broader Middle Easter Style are surely necessary, but highlighting empirical facts is the job of the News, regardless of cultural milieu. Build the broadcasts around that - which neither Fox nor al Jazeera have yet proved able to do - and the ratings will rise slowly in the wake of journalistic credibility.
The only Profit to be expected from News, should be that last bit. Otherwise it isn't News. It's merely entertainment and propaganda.
David Hazinski on December 11, 2006 @ 8:03 pm:
I was present at the birth of Al Hurra and recommended against the direction it took. I believed Arabs would believe it if the channel simply said what it was, what it represented and separated straight news from American promotion. The managers chose another path-- and Arabs understand their direction.
The most telling comment I hear about Al Hurra came while I was visiting one of our clients, Alsumaria, in Beirut last year. When I asked the supervisor monitoring other channels what he thought of it, he said "it's fine now. It has a rough start but it looks professional now... but no one watches it." I asked him why-- if he thought it was because it was the American government's channel. He said "no, because it is a GOVERNMENT channel." In a world used to Pakistani TV and Saddamvision, ALL government channel are suspect.
The U.S. government out to be spending its resources helping the dozens of indigenous broadcasters growing up around the world-- helping to spread democracy and the fourth estate, not creating channels to compete with them.
Rachel on December 10, 2007 @ 1:20 am:
Dear Good Friend.
I greet you in the name of the Lord.
I am Mrs.Rachel Samuel.from Solomon Islands. I am married to Mr. Prince Samuel who worked with our Embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died on the 15th August 2006. We were married for eleven years without a child.
He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days.a
Ever before his death we were both born again Christians and have sown into many ministries. Since his death I decided not to remarry, but feeling quite lonely if not the Lord who has been my partner and comforter.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$ 7,000,000. ( Seven million United States Dollars ) witha Bank in Cote D lvoire. Presently this money is still in the custody of the Bank in Cote D lvoire.Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Five months due to cancer problem. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church,organization or good person that will utilize thismoney the way I am going to instruct herein.
I want a church,organization or good person that willuse this funds to help the orphans, widows and other people that needfinancial assistance. Using part of this money to provide facilities for God,s work, taking the gospel to greater height is my major reason of donating this funds out.The Bible made us to understand that"Blessed is the hand that giveth".
l took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and it had been their wish to see my husband dead in order that they might inherit his wealth since we have no son.
These people are therefore not worthy of this inheritance.This is why I am taking this decision. Meanwhile I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. It is only a sinner who's death is painful I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health hence the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know about this development and l know that With God all things are possible.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank in Cote d' lvoire. I will also issue a letter of authorization to the bank that will prove you the present beneficiary of this money.
I also want you to always uplift me in prayer.
My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever that Wants to serve the Lord must serve him in truth andfaith, "serving him with all you have, knowing that naked we come and naked we must go" Contact me on the this email address and any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another good person, church,organization for this same purpose.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein.
Hoping to receive your response immedaitely.
Thanks and Remain blessed in the Lord.
Your Sister in Christ.
Mrs.Rachel Samuel.
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