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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

NEW YORK LOVES RUSH AND HANNITY AND L.A. JOINS THEIR FAN CLUBS
JUL 20, 2006 - 5:01PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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New York and Los Angeles have gone conservative. Well, a good number of folks anyway, judging from the immense and growing popularity of conservative talk radio personalities in these two largest cities in the U.S., and the flame-out of their liberal talk show competitors in those locations, as well as in most other radio markets.

The topics presently dominating talk radio are the Israel-Hezbollah conflict and U.S. Middle East policy, while the prevailing interactive talk is decidedly conservative and pro-President Bush. These views are reported in several public opinion polls these days.

Newly-released Arbitron radio ratings for Spring (second-quarter) 2006... FULL TEXT
 
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WORLDCASTING: U.S. FAILS TO FIGHT RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP OF VOA/RADIO LIBERTY NEWS BROADCAST
JUL 13, 2006 - 1:40PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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To be or not to be -- A 'Re-Jiggered' U.S. Information Agency

That is the question, or one of them anyway, as to how America's public diplomacy efforts may be ratcheted back up to speed.

My recent "F" grade to those who pine for a reassembled USIA is challenged by former Director Bruce S. Gelb, who headed the U.S. Information Agency from 1989-91. He contends that:

… [A]ll the "transformational" BS and the re-jiggering of the half-man half-beast organization that purports to be the 21st century upgrade of the once effective USIA just doesn’t work and cannot work period.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY’S MID-YEAR REPORT CARD
JUL 5, 2006 - 10:46AM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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It's mid-year report card time!

Sadly, there are some failing "F" grades thus far this year for international media, but others show improvement.

Sir David Frost knows the "F" grade first-hand, as he continues to await his long overdue breakfast, which he ordered many months ago. The British TV star of yester-year was to debut his breakfast show on Al-Jazeera's International English service early in 2006, but there is speculation that Sir David's pancakes may not flip until year's end, if then. The reason: Al-Jazeera has yet to secure a major domestic U.S. cable or satellite-to-home carrier to transmit its... FULL TEXT
 
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THE ROLE OF FOOTBALL IN U.S. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
JUN 17, 2006 - 5:30PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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Too bad for President George W. Bush that political public opinion surveys are not conducted at U.S. football games. That’s where fans express what they are thinking directly; spontaneously and without reservation, no matter how they may feel about politics, their president, or their team’s opponent.

The pre-game outburst comes during the singing of The Star Spangled Banner, America’s National Anthem. Specifically it’s the part near the end of the Anthem that creates the great roar of approval and expression of bonding that rocks a stadium. It’s the line about the American flag waving “O'er the land of the FREE…”... FULL TEXT
 
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THE TARNISHING OF WHAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY’S GOLDEN AGE
JUN 1, 2006 - 4:50PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
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Technology is running amok, trampling public diplomacy efforts for almost everyone.

Because of its misuse by most, Satellite TV technology is worsening, rather than aiding efforts to communicate with publics abroad. The ease by which TV satellites can be accessed to distribute signals to practically anywhere, has caused professional communicators to become lazy, and to run their efforts on autopilot.

The trashing of public diplomacy is not really the fault of technology. It is the fault of those who abuse the tool, and who are dazzled to distraction by it.

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy defines public diplomacy as... FULL TEXT
 
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