As the diplomatic apparatus of the United States, the State Department is directly involved in putting a friendly face on empire, concealing its underlying mechanics. Every year, more than $1 billion is budgeted for “public diplomacy,” a circumlocutory term for outward-facing propaganda. Public diplomacy explicitly aims to influence journalists and civil society, so that they serve as conduits for State Department messaging.

“[G]lobal media plays a very important role in international relations. Media targeting a foreign audience are a vital part of a country’s public diplomacy infrastructure, since they contribute to showcasing the country’s culture and traditions and help to channel its policies with the outside world,” Idrissov said. 

The 2015 Milwaukee Film Festival is taking a trip to the other Great White North — Sweden. The Scandinavian cinema powerhouse will be the focus of the festival's fifth Passport program, the film festival announced Tuesday.

Neamin Ashenafi of The Reporter sat down with the ambassador [Mohammed Idris] at the Egyptian Embassy to discuss a range of issues including the Nile, his work here in Addis Ababa, the expansion of the New Suez Canal and other pertinent issues. 

"I can truly feel the world's growing interest in Korea whenever I go on a business trip, Yu said. "And I believe that now is the time to put more effort into public diplomacy. The result will be greater than expected."