“How to marry a jihadist.”
--Article in Al Quaeda's Shamikha, an online magazine for women; Shamikha cover image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Drone Attacks Monthly Report May 2011 - Abdullah Khan, Conflict Monitoring Center: "The drone campaign is eliminating apparently less significant targets with relatively very high political cost. U.S. has pledged $7.5 billion for Pakistan under Kerry-Lugar Act. One of the main purpose of this aid was to promote good image of U.S. in Pakistani public. During Last year’s floods, U.S. military and USAID did a great job to help Pakistani public. All this public diplomacy is severely damaged by drone attacks, which are considered by general public as attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Pakistani parliament in its recent resolution expressed its deepest anger against drone attacks by asking the government to stop NATO supply route if these attacks continue. US spends millions of dollars for its ‘assassination by drones’ campaign and pledged billions of dollars to make a good impact in the eyes of Pakistan. It is not understandable why it is just killing the unnamed foot soldiers or suspected militants with such a high cost." Image from article
Do Arab Media Stoke Anti-Americanism? - John Sides, The Monkey cage: [Comment on Communication Research published online 18 May 2011 Erik C. Nisbet and Teresa A. Myers, and Public Opinion in the Middle East Anti-American Sentiment as a Media Effect? Arab Media, Political Identity]. "Via email, Erik [Nesbit] writes: This study in combination with our previous study published in November in the journal Political Communication [JMS: see here] highlight how the structural changes to the information environment in the Middle East over the last decade have significant consequences for Arab public opinion and U.S. public diplomacy. Our study published in November detailed how the growth of Arab transnational media has increased the salience of Muslim nationalist, and to a lesser extent Arab nationalist, political identity at the expense of state-centric national identities, among Arab audiences. Our most recent study outlines the possible consequences of this identity shift, in conjunction with Arab media use, for anti-American sentiment in the region. For example, our study suggests there is a sizable percentage of the Arab public in the Middle East who are persuadable and open to some informational effects on their opinions about the United States – those who primarily identify as Arab nationalists or with their state (i.e. Egyptian, Saudi Arabian, etc). They are more likely to have opinions about the United States that vary depending on the valence of the information available to them. ... However, our Political Communication study suggests the information environment in the Middle East most favors an emerging Islamic political identity.
In contrast to Arab and state-centric nationalists, Islamic nationalists are the least likely to persuaded by any American public diplomacy efforts. They have highly unfavorable attitudes toward the United States that are rather resistant to any informational effects or persuasion attempts. Our study suggests that no matter what the United States does in the short-term, at least in terms of policy or outreach, their opinion of the United States is unlikely to change significantly. What channel Arab audiences rely on for news also matters when considering Arab public opinion about the United States. For example, reliance on al-Jazeera tends to amplify anti-American sentiment among Arab nationalists, while reliance on al-Arabiya tends to dampen anti-American sentiment among Arab nationalists. These differing patterns are consistent with the institutional and ideological orientations of these two popular channels– as well as the United States own mediated public diplomacy efforts specifically targeting information outlets like al-Arabiya. ... In terms of crafting both policy and communication that address anti-American sentiment and improve America’s image among Arab audiences, the Obama administration should focus on communication and policy efforts that specifically resonate with concerns and interests of Arab audiences who are most likely to identify as Arab nationalists or with their state (i.e. Egyptian, Jordanian, etc.). In addition, putting resources toward strengthening mediated public diplomacy efforts through channels like al-Arabiya, as well as al-Jazeera, is more likely to have a greater return on investment than direct public diplomacy like the U.S. funded al-Hurra news channel." Image from
White House: BBG will work with Poland's Belsat to develop content on "democracy education" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
31 May, 2011, Tues, SoS Clinton Schedule - rushlimbaughreport.blogspot.com: "US FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS JUDITH MCHALE 8:45 a.m. Under Secretary McHale makes remarks at the Opening Session of the U.S.-Colombia High-Level Partnership Dialogue and at the Culture and Education Working Group, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 10:00 a.m. Under Secretary McHale meets with Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 6:30 p.m. Under Secretary McHale attends Secretary Clinton’s dinner for the Partners for a New Beginning Summit, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)" Image from
Black Swan appoints Dr. Kenneth Chern to Board - Australian Stage Online: "Black Swan State Theatre Company has announced the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Chern, Professorial Research Fellow at Murdoch University, to the Board of Black Swan State Theatre Company. ... Dr. Chern served as United States Consul General in Perth from 2007 to 2010 and has a long and distinguished career in diplomacy ... and has been awarded three individual Superior Honour Awards by the US government for his work in counterterrorism, human rights and public diplomacy."
Dreaming of rock music in Kabul - press release, NATO HQ: "As the rock music blasts the dust off the speakers in one of Kabul’s growing number of music venues, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were somewhere other than Afghanistan’s capital city. But as the city has begun to get back on its feet, returnees like anthropology student Siddique Ahmed, his two band mates and their like, have brought an infusion of new and old musical influences to the city of their birth
and have begun forging a growing music scene. ... As a student at the American University of Afghanistan, Ahmed along with some 30 others, was invited to take part in the annual NATO international student forum. 'The forum for me was more than another Kabul Dreams gig', Ahmed says. 'I had a history with it [having attended the previous year] and I was amazed and thrilled to see how it had developed…Everyone got to express their opinions clearly, without fear.'The forum, the fifth of its kind to be sponsored by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, brought together students from all over the world to debate about, and share experiences, of Afghanistan." Image from article
South Korea and Qatar Lobby to Host 2012 #Climate Summit – NYTimes.com - Shiva, hendrawanm.wordpress.com: "The cost of accommodating a U.N. climate conference can be exorbitant. Both last year’s meeting in Cancun, Mexico, and the 2009 summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, cost the respective countries upward of
$100 million — not including security — for things like conference logistics, transportation, public diplomacy and extra staffing." Image from
Reports of Israeli PR Victory Greatly Exaggerated - Simon Plosker, honestreporting.com: Greg Philo’s article that claims to quantifiably prove that Israeli spin doctors have managed to get a hold of the message in the media is yet another piece of anti-Israel agitprop that has no basis in reality. ... Indeed, Philo is actually part of the problem. The reaction to recent events, including in the media, have led many Israelis to believe that they are on the receiving end of a campaign of delegitimization. Part of this involves such an extreme level of criticism of military operations as to revoke Israel’s very right to physical self-defense. Likewise, Philo’s agenda can also be seen as an attack on Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself through public diplomacy, a right exercised by every Western democracy with a free press. Why does Philo find the creation of an Israeli National Information Directorate to be so sinister? Such a body was only created in response to the multitude of uncoordinated and sometimes conflicting messages that so often failed to effectively counter the carefully controlled messaging emanating from the Arab and Palestinian side. If Philo were to spend some time in Israel, perhaps he would be surprised at the amount of hand wringing and anxiety over the country’s perceived failure to effectively present its case. And why, if Israel is, according to him, so effective in its PR, have polls consistently ranked Israel as one of the most negatively viewed countries in the world alongside such paragons of virtue as Iran, North Korea and Pakistan? Why is Israel the only country that is not allowed to defend itself in the court of public opinion and the media?"
Border Opening A Boon To Israel? Clean break from Gaza could be strategic benefit of Egyptian move - Joshua Mitnick, The Jewish Week: The initial Israeli
government response to Egypt’s decision last week to open its crossing with the Gaza Strip was to stress the danger that weapons and militants would freely pass in and out of the territory controlled by Hamas. ... But some Israeli officials and analysts argue that the border opening won’t necessarily hurt Israeli security and may even present an unexpected strategic benefit: allowing Israel to move beyond its 2005 military withdrawal from Gaza and make a definitive break with the impoverished enclave of 1.5 million Palestinians. ... Israeli officials are already trying to use the opening of the crossing for public diplomacy, arguing that a planned new flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists with supplies for Gaza is a political provocation rather than a humanitarian mission. 'This illustrates to the world that Gaza is not under an Israeli siege,' said cabinet minister Dan Meridor in an interview with Israel Radio. 'Gaza is not under closure, because it is open to Egypt. Precisely on the eve of the planned flotillas, which claim that Gaza is surrounded and besieged, it is important that the world hear that Gaza is not surrounded.'" Image from
Tell the world, “China is too big to fail” - shescorts.info: "China is vigorously carrying out public diplomacy. I believe that public diplomacy needs upgrading, 'China’s Public Diplomacy 2.0' or even 'Chinese Public Diplomacy 3.0' is necessary as soon as possible. And explain to the world that China is a long task,
but the way to achieve this task to change, not an exaggeration that China has found a solution to many global solutions to common challenges, models and road, but when we convincingly to China experiences, lessons learned introduced to the world, the world will naturally believe that China’s practice of inspiration to them. 'Convincing' is the most successful public diplomacy." Image: masthead from article
The public diplomacy of network has bright prospects - ROADMs and Optical Switches: "It is a product whose information network technique coupled to diplomatic system that the network is diplomatic, one kind that it is essentially public diplomacy realizes the means. Traditional government’s diplomacy if no meets the needs of information revolution and carries on the bold innovation, put up the new platform meeting the needs of network in public diplomacy, it is difficult to dissolve and come from the networked impact to diplomacy of a country effectively. At present, advance the diplomacy of network to already become the worldwide general trend, including numerous countries such as U.S.A., Canada, Britain, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, promoting the diplomacy of network in a more cost-effective manner."
RELATED ITEMS
Bin Laden raid gets little credence in conspiracy-minded Pakistan: The skepticism of many Pakistanis is rooted in deep distrust of the U.S., a desire to protect their nuclear program, impressions of world events and devotion to preachings of hard-line clerics - Alex Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times: In Abbottabad, some Pakistanis refuse to believe that their small military city, a tourist haven nestled in forested highlands far from Pakistan's militant-infested tribal badlands along the Afghan border,
could ever have become Bin Laden's last refuge. They're sure the U.S. staged the raid and fabricated its outcome so that it could carry out future incursions into Pakistan and eventually establish the same military footprint America has in Afghanistan. Image from article, with caption: Pakistani Ali Raza sits on the rooftop of his house as he views the city of Abbottabad, where U.S. commandos killed Osama bin Laden on May 2.
Mending relations with Pakistan - Editorial, Washington Post: The United States cannot afford to write off or abandon Pakistan as long as there is the chance of exercising influence over its leadership. Given the stakes, even a bad relationship is better than none.
Terror 2.0: Fighting the PR war - Gabriel Weimann, Metro.us: Welcome to al Qaeda 2.0. AQAP and other jihadist groups now create videos and online chat rooms; they make sleek media productions on the Internet. Last year, for example, AQAP launched Inspire, a glossy English-language publication. The online magazine features catchy headlines, lots of photos, quotes by American celebrities and articles such as “Mujaheddin for beginners” and “Make a bomb in your mom’s kitchen.” It’s edited by Samir Khan, a young former New Yorker. “He’s a very smooth, irreverent young guy, and a good graphic designer,” notes Scott Stewart, a vice president at intelligence
Taliban Propaganda Watch (RC South) – 010935UTC Jun 11 [sic] - MILNEWS.ca Blog
Libya rebels set up makeshift satellite TV station to fight propaganda war - thejournal.ie: Rebels fighting again Colonel Gaddafi in Libya have launched their own home-made satellite TV station in an attempt to battle the regime propaganda still being broadcast via official state television and radio. Flag-waving crowds gathered at a big screen in the centre of rebel stronghold Benghazi last night to watch the first dispatches from Libya Alhurra TV,
whose name means Free Libya. The station grew out of an internet streaming site of the same name founded to spread the word about the country’s revolution and represents a new front in the information war against Gaddafi, whose own TV station depicts the rebels as terrorists. Image from article, with caption: A big screen shows Libya Alhurra TV in the centre of Benghazi last night. See also.
Russia - Response by Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich to a Question from ITAR-TASS News Agency about the Fate of Muammar Qaddafi’s Relatives - isria.com: Question: Denials have appeared in the media about the known report that one of Muammar Qaddafi’s sons and three grandchildren were killed in the recent bombing of Tripoli. How could you comment upon this? Answer: We know about these media reports.
If there is a need in practical terms to double-check the reliability of the data on the deaths of these civilians, the Libyan authorities can invite independent specialists for the expert evaluation necessary in such cases. If so requested, the Russian side would be willing to send qualified experts to Tripoli. It is important to clarify the truth, because the issues related to the life and death of people should not be used for informational propaganda purposes.
People Strike Back: Syrian Activists Take Up Arms -
mideastposts.com: Activists who have been very careful to paint a picture of a peaceful Syrian uprising, have finally
The Israeli right's refusal to accept other versions of Zionism: Israel’s right is not confident enough to accept the truth of the country's history, and instead propagates stories that no historian on earth would support - Carlo Strenger, Ha'aretz: There is an old saying that when an orator hits a weak point, he generally tries to shout. Noise is always an attempt to cover up the weakness of one's position. Israel’s right-wing has lately been stepping up its attempts to cover up the fact that it has no vision for Israel's future - that all it has in store for its citizens is further isolation and misery. One way of doing so is Ronen Shuval’s recent op-ed arguing that the Nakba is basically nothing but Arab propaganda. Shuval simply distorts the history of the 1948 war by claiming,
for example, that most Arabs living in Palestine in 1948 had moved here to profit from the Yishuv’s economic activity; he continues the myth that Arab leaders had called for Palestinians to move away to allow for an Arab military victory. Shlomo Avineri severely criticized Shuval’s faulty claims. Avineri, one of Israel’s leading historians of Zionism and political scientists, points out that Zionism doesn’t need propaganda efforts to distort the facts. The same has been argued by Tel Aviv University Law Professor Meni Mauthner: Zionism can accommodate the truth about history, and can integrate the story of the Nakba. Image from article, with caption: A boy marking Nakba Day in Ramallah with a symbolic “key” to his home.
A Situation Emerges in Florence, as TV Brings an Altered Reality: 'Jersey Shore' Cast Finds Culture Clash in Italy; Will 'Snooki' Be Swept Up Like Stendhal? - Stacy Meichtry, Wall Street Journal: Since Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and other cast members of MTV's "Jersey Shore" reality-TV show set foot inside the cradle of the Italian Renaissance last month, the cast's vans have been met with fines.
On Monday, there was another one, after a van—which Italian police say was driven by Ms. Polizzi—crashed into a police car. One of the town's chic eateries has posted a "No Grazie, Jersey Shore" sign outside its door, instructing cast members to stay away. The cultural superintendent has barred the entire cast from being filmed in the city's hallowed museums. Via MA on Twitter. Image from article, with caption: While in Italy, Jersey Shore's 'Snooki' was involved in an accident Monday.
Right-wing Unleashes Campaign Against Democracy in Latin America - Chuck Kaufman, upsidedownworld.org: "US Latin Americanist Cold Warriors and their far-right allies in the region kicked off a propaganda campaign in May to influence Congress and US citizens against Venezuela
and fellow ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas) countries. With declining attention being paid to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, neoconservatives and neoliberals want to turn our attention to rolling back social and economic advances in Latin America." Image from article
North Korea Warns South on Relations - Global Security Newswire: North Korea on warned it would switch off a military crisis hotline and curb communication with the South, an about face from Pyongyang's earlier calls for renewed inter-Korean contact, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, May 27). Pyongyang's National Defense Commission in a statement distributed by state-controlled media blamed Seoul for undermining stability on the Korean Peninsula by carrying out live artillery exercises close to a disputed border and for sending propaganda into North Korea.
Toward a New World Media Order: We need a mechanism to coordinate the global communications industry, something like a 'media U.N.' - Li Congjun, Wall street Journal: The theories of "checking superpower" and "maintaining equilibrium" also apply to the media. It is time to reverse the marginalization of developing nations in the media, change their underdeveloped status, and enhance their rights of expression in the international media market. To that end, a mechanism for international cooperation, exchange and coordination is needed, as well as an increase in funds and technical support for media from developing countries. Mr. Li is president of China's Xinhua News Agency.
Noel Coward: From Establishment Propagandist to Underworld Promoter 1942-1969 - Public and Cultural Diplomacy B: A reflective group blog by students on the Public and Cultural Diplomacy module at London Metropolitan University: During the Second World War star names were used to promote the armed forces and to help folks at home feel at ease and patriotic about the war. In this respect one of the most famous names involved was Noel Coward, the famous English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer. He was a good choice to star in a piece of wartime propaganda co-directed with the talented David Lean (who made Ghandi, Laurence of Arabia, Passage to India). It was financed by the Ministry of Information in 1942. It is a tour de force of propaganda. The film succeeds in presenting an image of national unity and social cohesion during wartime. At one point during filming Coward invited the Royal family onto the film set whilst it was in production. This visit was also filmed and used in patriotic news reels of the time. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture but lost out to that other wartime classic Casablanca. Noel Coward plays the navy captain, in a story based on the life and times of Lord Louis Mountbatten father of Prince Philip, in charge of a British destroyer which is involved in battles and is then sunk. While the crew are in the water clinging to the wreckage they reminisce about their lives at home. This acts as a device to remind the crew who and what they are fighting for. It is a genuinely morale boosting film.
Forgotten Chaplin film could fetch fortune - Reuters, abc.net.au: A forgotten short film featuring footage of comic legend Charlie Chaplin is expected to fetch more than 100,000 pounds ($154,000) when it goes under the hammer next month, auctioneers Bonhams said. Charlie Chaplin in Zepped, believed to be a propaganda film made in Britain during World War One, was discovered inside a battered old film reel tin which collector Morace Park bought for 3.20 pounds on online auction site eBay. According to the auctioneer,
the seven-minute film, which shows Chaplin taking on a German Zeppelin aircraft, features some of the earliest animation in cinema history. German Zeppelin airships attacked Britain during World War I, and Zepped was probably designed to defuse the unease caused by the raids. The film was never widely distributed, however, possibly reflecting the sensitivity of the attacks at the time of its release in 1916. Although Chaplin played no part in the production of Zepped, he famously satirised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the 1940 movie The Great Dictator. Image from article
AMERICANA
DC Comics ready for a risky yet relevant publishing change - Brian Truitt, USA TODAY:
1 comment:
Actually my partner and i take pleasure in the trouble you've made to share with you the data.The niche here i found was actually successful to the subject which i was looking into for some time
Post a Comment