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John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PRESS AND BLOG REVIEW, JANUARY 23-24, 2008
by John H. Brown

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PRESS AND BLOG REVIEW, JANUARY 23-24 “What do you do when you get married?” —Question posed in South Carolina by a five year old to former President Bill Clinton; cited in “Bill Clinton Lies To 5-Year-Olds, Too” (Wonkette, January 24) LINK “I’m a spray man myself.” —President George W. Bush, speaking to government leaders and American counter-narcotics officials during his 2006 trip to Afghanistan; cited in Richard Holbrooke, “Still Wrong in Afghanistan” (Washington Post, January 23) LINK DOCUMENTS a) Detailed Information On The Public Diplomacy Assessment (Expectmore.gov). Assessment year: 2006 LINK b) “Evaluation and the New Public Diplomacy: Presentation to the Future of Public Diplomacy 842nd Wilton Park Conference” (March 2, 2007) by David Steven, River Path Associates LINK VIDEO How to make a propaganda poster LINK ATLANTIC MONTHLY Atlantic.com is dropping its subscriber registration requirement and making the site free to all visitors. LINK A) PUBLIC DIPLOMACY (1-24) 1. We Must Address Poor Image Of United States In The Arab World - Marwan Kraidy (Desmoinesregister.Com, January 24): A renewed U.S. multilateralism must integrate numerous state and non-state actors. A series of basic, common-sense steps should be undertaken: Create an empowered, better-funded and more autonomous public diplomacy organism. The low US reputation in the Arab world is not a communication problem but a policy problem. The silver lining is that negative perceptions of the United States in the Arab world are not old or immutable. They are the result of U.S. policies. So a change in policies can also result in a change in perceptions. LINK 2. Gaza explodes: In this unfolding tragedy, borders have turned into instruments of collective punishment, Israel’s way of bringing Palestinians to their knees - Soumaya Ghannoushi (Guardian, January 24): Enormous amounts of money were and continue to be, pumped into a public diplomacy strategy aimed at improving America’s image in the world. But the truth is that a mere glimpse of what goes on in Gaza today, or what went on in Jenin, Rafah, or Beit Hanoun before, is enough to undo the work of years of exchange programmes, speaking tours, and PR campaigns. SEE BELOW ITEMS 26-33. LINK 3. Reviews are In, and They’re Not Good - Steven R. Corman (Comops Journal, January 22): Comments by the press in a supposedly moderate Arab state—Qatar—underscore the poor position of the U.S. in public diplomacy, its inability to influence the conversation other than to reproduce a negative image, and the consequent need to do something that will change the game. LINK 4. Blunderbuss shots at U.S. public diplomacy - (Kim Andrew Elliott Discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy, January 23): “Do a little bit of research, and the ‘Britney Spears’ [USG-funded] radio broadcasts (which are mostly not Britney Spears) make some sense. People in the Middle East are using television for news, current affairs, and ‘freight.’ The radio audience is more interested in music. Radio Sawa and Radio Farda appear to be attracting large audiences, who are then captive for brief but substantive…... FULL TEXT
 
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