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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.

Posts by Alvin Snyder

PSYCHOANALYZING AMERICA’S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, WHILE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE EXERTS ITSELF
NOV 15, 2006 - 2:10PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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Two public diplomacy initiatives have emerged; one from the Bush administration; the other from America's private sector. Together they suggest a subtle maturation taking root in U.S. efforts to connect with publics abroad, although change is never easy.

The new Bush administration initiative first surfaced briefly last January in a memo from Karen Hughes, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, transmitted to hundreds of U.S. embassies, consulates, and missions abroad. It was leaked to the press but largely was a media sleeper. In her memo to the field, Hughes sought to address some media relations issues expressed to her... FULL TEXT
 
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OP-ED: AL-JAZEERA FINALLY COMING TO TOWN, BUT HURDLES REMAIN
NOV 8, 2006 - 11:15AM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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In what can only be described as anti-climactic, Al Jazeera International is starting its English channel broadcasts to North America November 15 with a whimper, rather than the desired flourish. After failing to meet several self-appointed inaugural air dates over the past year, the controversial Arabic TV channel kicked off its service to the U.S. via bottom-tier, off-the-beaten-track delivery services on which Al Jazeera International's audience in America will be miniscule to start.

The satellite service Globecast, owned by France Telecom, has added Al Jazeera English to its menu of some 150 overseas channels on its program menu, watched mainly... FULL TEXT
 
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RESTORING VISION TO U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
OCT 31, 2006 - 2:18PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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Worldcasting noted last week the need for that "vision" thing to be injected into America's international broadcasts. It should be the first order of business for those who oversee America's non-military TV and radio programs abroad. Instead, the attention these days is diverted to intramural turf battles that accomplish little to advance U.S. efforts to communicate with international publics.

Of course, one's vision could become dated. Aristotle's vision of a perfect city in ancient Greece was one where only men were in charge. But he also believed that leadership requires anticipation, and that notion still holds up.

So let's give... FULL TEXT
 
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THE CHANGING VOICE OF AMERICA
OCT 27, 2006 - 10:19AM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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Events moved rapidly this week at Voice of America. VOA director David Jackson decided to give his managers a heads up, shocking them with the news that he was planning to move on soon That's exactly what happened. Within days the entire VOA staff saw the announcement that Jackson was indeed leaving. The supervisory Broadcasting Board of Governors accepted Jackson's resignation and approved a successor, who would arrive on the job a couple of days after that.

The BBG acted faster and more efficiently than it had in years.

David Jackson, previously a 23-year career senior journalist with Time magazine,... FULL TEXT
 
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AMERICA’S ARABIC NEWS CHANNEL GAINS AUDIENCE
OCT 13, 2006 - 1:32PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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The American government's satellite news channel, Alhurra, while still well below the audience ratings of the well-entrenched Arabic TV news channels, appears to be catching on with audiences in the Middle East.

During this summer's Israel-Hezbollah war, which greatly boosted TV news viewing habits throughout the Middle East and elsewhere, Alhurra finally earned mention in honest-to-goodness competitive TV audience surveys, one conducted in the Middle East's largest commercial marketplace, Saudi Arabia. Previously, Alhurra relied on its own commissioned TV surveys which provided cumulative audience figures over a week or two, without listing the competition's cumulative audience size, or Alhurra's competitive... FULL TEXT
 
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