Washington's Arabic TV Effort Gets Mixed Reviews

[kskiska]

CAIRO, Feb. 19 — An American-sponsored satellite television station broadcasting in Arabic, probably Washington's biggest propaganda effort since the attempts to undermine the Soviet bloc and the Castro government, is drawing mixed reviews in the Middle East, ranging from praise for slick packaging to criticism for trying to improve the image of "Satan."

Those watching the station, which started over the weekend with an interview with President Bush, find some appeal in the mix of news and pop culture. But many remain wary of the underlying political message.

(snip)

Some differences in tone between Al Hurra and the Arab broadcasters were immediately apparent, like references to the "coalition forces" in Iraq rather than the "occupation forces." Instead of referring to Palestinians trying to free themselves from the Israeli occupation, one anchor asked an analyst whether the Palestinians were ready to abandon their "historical dispute" for the economic prosperity surely to follow.

The station is being pilloried in the Arab press as a propaganda arm of the United States government, trying to gloss over America's anti-Arab bias. Analysts have labeled it "Fox News in Arabic" and a spiritual descendant of TV Martí, the American government's anti-Castro broadcasts in Cuba.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/international/middleeast/20ARAB.html

[teryang]

1. What part of the reviews were mixed?

I didn't hear any approving voices.

<Al Jazeera's critics in the Arab world find its news analysis or talk shows overly influenced by old Arab nationalist ideas or those of Islamic movements>

Old Arab nationalist ideas. Are those like old Anglo-American imperialist ideas?

[pinniped]

2. How kind of Goebbels to prop up on Arabic TV.

:puke: