Right Thinking From The Left Coast
"To what purpose are powers limited, and to what purpose is that limitation committed to writing,
if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?"
-- Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, 1803

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

He Is Risen, and Losing Listeners
by Lee

It’s often stressed that the fight for hearts and minds in the Middle East is more a function of propaganda than anything else.  Much like the Voice of America and the BBC World Service have done since WWII, al-Hurrah (I’m not making that up) was supposed to do in the Middle East.  You’ll be shocked, shocked, to read this, but it’s been a huge failure.

Propaganda has become a primary front in the war against terrorism, with the United States and al-Qaeda each investing heavily to win over hearts and minds. This article examines one aspect of the U.S. effort to influence people through the airwaves. Tomorrow, another will look at al-Qaeda’s online propaganda campaign.

Since its inception, al-Hurra has been plagued by mediocre programming, congressional interference and a succession of executives who either had little experience in television or could not speak Arabic, according to interviews with former staffers, other Arab journalists and viewers in the Middle East.

It has also been embarrassed by journalistic blunders. One news anchor greeted the station’s predominantly Muslim audience on Easter by declaring, “Jesus is risen today!”

Ann Coulter once wrote, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.” Thanks to the Bush administration, and the fundamentalist Christian lunatics it packs in everything it ever undertakes, it’s official government policy.

I mean, seriously.  This would be like NBC saying, “We need to attract more affluent African-American viewers” and someone pitching an idea called “The Dope-Ass Nigga Comedy House Party.”

Update: Actually, it should have been “The Dope-Ass Nigga Comedy House Party, Hosted By Merle Haggard.”

Posted by Lee on 06/25/08 at 10:00 AM in Right Wing Assholes  • (9) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink • Discuss this in the forums
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