The Middle East Television Network: An Overview (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 17, 2005 |
| Report Number |
RS21565 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jeremy M. Sharp, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
With the United States engaged in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terrorism, Congress and the
Bush Administration have created a U.S. government-sponsored Arabic-language television station
to bolster U.S. public diplomacy efforts in the Middle East. Supporters of this initiative have
asserted that there is a receptive audience for U.S. television, which could counterbalance negative
perceptions of U.S. policy that are commonly found in the Arab media. Critics maintain that the
Arab media market is already saturated with Western stations and that U.S. public diplomacy funds
would be more effectively used in other programs. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, "the
government has begun some promising initiatives in television and radio broadcasting to the Arab
world, Iran, and Afghanistan. These efforts are beginning to reach large audiences. The Broadcasting
Board of Governors has asked for much larger resources. It should get them." The Administration
has requested $79 million for FY2006, a figure that incorporates operations for the satellite television
network Al-Hurra (Arabic for "the free one"), which began broadcasting in February
2004. For more
information on U.S. public diplomacy in the Middle East, see CRS Report RL31889 , The
Al-Jazeera
News Network: Opportunity or Challenge for U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East? This
report
will be updated periodically.
