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.

Quieting the Voice of America

Deep cuts in broadcasting are projected... President Obama’s proposed budget comports badly with the aspiration stated in the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) 2012–2016 Strategic Plan to become the “world’s leading international news agency” by 2016.

Tags: united states, media, international broadcasting, government pd, public diplomacy, voice of america, bbg

The future of the U.S.-China relationship

Furthermore, despite making impressive efforts to cultivate its soft power, Joseph Nye concludes that China “has had a limited return on its investment.” Perhaps most importantly, while the past decade has undermined global opinion of U.S. power and policy, China has been unable to develop strong alliances.

Tags: china, united states, soft power, government pd, public diplomacy, public opinion

Azerbaijani, Armenian MPs Talk About Cooperation In Yerevan

Wednesday was a day for public diplomacy between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as cultural figures from the two countries met for talks in Moscow, mediated by Russia. The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents agreed...on the need for more public contacts between the two sides...

Tags: public diplomacy, public opinion, azerbaijan, armenia

40 countries to map Somalia’s future

Efforts to stabilize Somalia have been intensified.. Getachew Reda, a public diplomacy and communications director general at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday said the coordinated military operations, to wipe out Al-Qaeda linked extremist group in "disarray".

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, africa, somalia, strategic communication

A Brief History of the Smith-Mundt Act and Why Changing It Matters

"Modern international relations lie between peoples, not merely governments." The above quote is from a State Department report entitled Memorandum on the Postwar International Information Program of the United States. The report was completed in July 1945...

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, smith-mundt act

Another Korea Wave: New Books in U.S.

The flurry of attention that the girl bands Girl’s Generation and Wonder Girls got in South Korea for making appearances in the U.S. earlier this month suggested that Korea’s pop culture was cracking the U.S. more than it really is.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, non-state pd, korea, books

Vintage Thai Music Goes Global

It started as a humble DJ session in a Bangkok bar. A few years later, it has traveled to Japan and Europe, spawned two CD compilations on international labels, and transformed into a biannual showcase starring some of Thailand’s most important musicians.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, non-state actors, thailand

On Iran, Take a Lesson From Burma: Verify and Never Trust

The United States and Europe used sanctions and public diplomacy to try to effect change in Burma. We cut off non-humanitarian funds, targeted the regime with stiff sanctions, and publicly challenged the junta on its human rights abuses.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, public opinion, iran, europe, burma, nuclear weapons

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