To improve Israel’s image in the United States, one of the best things is to bring opinion makers to the country. And just like in Israel where the likes of Yaron Dekel and Keren Neubach often play a big role in setting the national agenda, in the US, there’s no greater barometer for public opinion than the radio talk show host.

China's most expensive film, a bloody blockbuster about the Japanese army's massacre of civilians in Nanjing, will be released in cinemas across the country on Friday as Beijing steps up its efforts to project its "soft power" across the world.

“Sierra Leoneans have a lot of stories to tell,” says Ahmed Mansaray, the film school’s founding director. But today “most of the stories are being told [through] the binoculars of the white man”...For many in the West, Sierra Leone remains the land of blood diamonds and drugged-up child soldiers...

In the context of the Arab Spring, India is promoting Islam as an important aspect of Indian history and culture. One way to examine it is to look at the way Indian mass media portrays Islam. This is important for public diplomacy because what India projects to the rest of the world has to accurately reflect what is happening internally to gain credibility.

APDS Blogger: Anna Dawson

...international news coverage plays an important role in establishing national soft power and said the press should take full advantage of the Internet and other forms of new media in their international news reporting. He said those technologies offer a fast means of communication and the ability to cover the news widely.

"It's been a tremendous experience to work in another country and be a part of the whole Bollywood process which is world famous. America and the rest of the world is fascinated with the whole Bollywood film industry and culture. I think it adds another layer of creative and cultural learning.

Voice of America rolled out a series of new programs at a briefing here this morning, highlighting “OMG!”, a new youth-oriented program aimed at China, where, according to its host, it is sometimes called “OMG: Oh My Lady Gaga.”