A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Al-Hurra under fire, again
I'm glad to see these issues get aired, and I hope that this will spark a serious debate over how to approach public diplomacy instead of another round of partisan warfare. At the end of the day, the Post and Pro Publica focus attention on some big questions which remain unresolved: Is the real problem conceptual or implementation and management? Could something like al-Hurra have succeeded if done differently, or was it a missed opportunity? What should al-Hurra be, a pseudo-independent news outlet or a mouthpiece for US foreign policy?
U.S.-Funded Arab Language TV Network Under Scrutiny
A U.S. government-funded Arab language television network, Al Hurra, has been the focus of recent criticism over both its lack of viewership and content choices. Two experts discuss how the network has fared and its ties to U.S. diplomacy efforts in the Middle East.
Resistance snuffed out as Olympic torch tours Tibet
China paraded the Olympic torch through the streets of Lhasa at the weekend in a blaze of red flags, eager to present a picture of national unity and domestic harmony just three months after the Tibetan provincial capital was rocked by anti-Chinese riots.
U.S. Network Falters in Mideast Mission
Al-Hurra -- "The Free One" in Arabic -- is the centerpiece of a U.S. government campaign to spread democracy in the Middle East. Taxpayers have spent $350 million on the project. But more than four years after it began broadcasting, the station is widely regarded as a flop in the Arab world, where it has struggled to attract viewers and overcome skepticism about its mission.
Meeting of young Israeli and German diplomats held in Berlin
A unique meeting between delegations of young Israeli and German diplomats, instigated by FM Livni and FM Steinmeier, was held last week in Berlin...Among the topics discussed at the meeting was the stance of the West regarding the Iranian nuclear program, Israel's image as perceived by the German public, and Germany's image as perceived by the Israeli public.
Samsung Shapes Korea’s Image
For many foreign nationals, it's not Korean culture or history, but rather Samsung's latest electronic products that define Korea. A new survey shows that top corporate brands including Samsung and LG Electronics have become the dominant images that shape how other countries understand Korea.
In Algeria, a Tug of War for Young Minds
First, Abdel Malek Outas’s teachers taught him to write math equations in Arabic, and embrace Islam and the Arab world. Then they told him to write in Latin letters that are no longer branded unpatriotic, and open his mind to the West...At a time of religious revival across the Muslim world, Algeria’s youth are in play.
Town in India rocks
This annual incantation is more than one man's act of madcap devotion. It is also a peephole into the love affair with Western music that goes on every day in this pine-wooded outpost in India's northeast. Shillong, a British-era hill town that is now home to dozens of boarding schools and colleges, is its hub, especially when it comes to rock.
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