international broadcasting
The Gulf crisis has hit the eighth week of its diplomatic standoff. Prior to the trade siege, and right after the Qatar News Agency cyber-attack that U.S. intelligence officials now attribute to the UAE, the media voice between the parties involved was vehement. [...] Qatar’s communications have capitalized on three elements: 1) show concern; 2) prove that Qatari leaders are in control; and 3) display commitment to stakeholders.
In his first State of the Nation Address, President Duterte called for the creation of a People’s Broadcasting Corp. (PBC), replacing PTV-4, the government-run TV station. [...] The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation building and the right of the people to information on matters of public concern.
![Photo via iStock](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/275x168/public/uploads/Qatar-political-conflict-with-Saud-Arabia%2C-Egypt%2C-UAE-and-Bahrain-concept.-3D-rendering-693451320_2125x1416_1.jpeg?itok=JjLiHR04)
Ilhem Allagui looks at the Qatari government's successful crisis management amid a GCC breakup threat.
![Image courtesy of Joi Ito via Flickr Al Jazeera Logo](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/275x168/public/uploads/rsz_3358743639_2c2139062e_b.jpg?itok=1hd9VZGz)
Philip Seib looks at the history of Al Jazeera and why it is a point of contention for some Middle Eastern countries.
Information warfare and fake news? Washington-funded media outlets like Radio Free Europe and the Voice of America have long run what the Kremlin sees as an anti-Putin propaganda campaign aimed at supporting the Russian opposition.
Arab world’s leading TV channel is used to controversy – but now it fears for its future as Saudi Arabia wants it shut down.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) [US] joins the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) [UK], Deutsche Welle (DW) [Germany], and France Médias Monde (FMM) [France] to co-sponsor the Bypass Censorship website. International news websites, along with social media and messaging channels used for accessing, sharing and engaging in the free flow of news and information online are routinely blocked by governments in many countries.
Some spokespersons have it tough. Think Sean Spicer trying to defend Donald Trump, Ron Ziegler defending Richard Nixon, maybe Dmitry Peskov fronting for Vladimir Putin. But the kind of tough job facing a spokesman that we should really respect is the one performed for the past three years by Col. Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Ukrainian armed forces. He comes daily to the Ukraine Crisis Media Center in downtown Kyiv and reports on-the-record on the state of the war in Ukraine’s eastern regions.