Before public diplomacy, there was propaganda, a term coined by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 when he founded a new college to train missionaries to be sent to Protestant Northern Europe, Asia, and the New World. In this context, it is often noted that the Pope’s intention in making his new congregation responsible for ‘propaganda fide’-literally, propagating the faith-was not to endorse a shared information policy based on deceitful practices. Rather, the connotation of this first use of the term ‘propaganda,’ and its meaning until the twentieth century, was a value-neutral one.

Voice of America’s Burmese Service is reporting a sharp increase in direct visits to its popular webpage since Burma’s government lifted firewall restrictions in September. Burmese Service Chief Than Lwin Htun says visits to VOA Burmese language social media sites, including Youtube and Twitter, have also increased.

Voice of America and other American international broadcasters now reach 187 million people every week, an increase of 22 million from 2010 and an all-time record number of listeners and viewers, according to data released yesterday.

Singapore, which has hosted film festivals from Israel and Germany in recent years, is opening its doors to France. “1st Rendezvous with French Cinema”...has been designed as a platform to allow French business and industry players to network with each other in the business-friendly island state.

U.S. government funded international broadcasters reached an estimated 187 million people every week in 2011...The BBG’s Performance and Accountability Report follows on the heels of BBG’s latest strategic plan which sets an over-arching objective of making BBG the world’s leading international news agency working to foster freedom and democracy with the goal of reaching 216 million people weekly by 2016.

This thumb-shaped spit of sand on the Persian Gulf has emerged as the most dynamic Arab country... Its clout is a lesson in what can be gained with some of the world’s largest gas reserves, the region’s most influential news network in Al Jazeera, an array of contacts, and policy-making in an absolute monarchy vested in the hands of one man, its emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

“Public Diplomacy” trophy, given by Moroccan French-speaking magazine “Diplomatica,” was awarded to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The award...represents a support to peace initiatives, coexistence and dialogue, with the aim of achieving independence in a climate of fair and comprehensive peace.

On Monday night the Federal Government killed off the tender process for the Australia Network contract. But debate continues over who should host the service...The Australia Network contract is part of Australia's suite of soft power public diplomacy.