November 19

"Incumbent manages the office’s petty cash supply."

--Part of the job description for Job Opportunity: Public Diplomacy Grants/Management Assistant; image: "A First World War card. Cologne Propaganda Exhibition"

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 11/18/09 - Office of the Press Secretary, The White House: "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 11/18/09: President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to the Broadcasting Board of Governors: ... . Walter Isaacson, Chair, Broadcasting Board of Governors [:] Walter Isaacson is President of the Aspen Institute and serves as chair of the board of Teach for America.


He is the former Chairman and CEO of CNN and former editor of Time Magazine. Mr. Isaacson is the author of 'Einstein: His Life and Universe' and 'Benjamin Franklin: An American Life', and the co-author of 'The Wise Men'. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Mr. Isaacson is a graduate of Harvard College and Pembroke College of Oxford University. Michael Lynton, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors [:]

Michael Lynton is the Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. He is the former CEO of AOL Europe and Chairman and CEO of Pearson plc's Penguin Group. Mr. Lynton is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Rand Corporation. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School and is proficient in French, German and Dutch. Susan McCue, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors [:] Susan McCue is President of Message Global, a strategic advocacy firm she founded in 2008 for social action campaigns. She was the founding President and CEO of The ONE Campaign to combat extreme global poverty, and before that was Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from 1999 to 2006. She also is currently Vice Chair of Humanity United. A New Jersey native, Ms. McCue is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., with degrees in economics and journalism. Michael P. Meehan, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors [:] Michael P. Meehan currently serves as President of Blue Line Strategic Communications, Inc. and as Senior Vice President at Virilion, a digital media company. For over two decades, Meehan served in senior roles for U.S. Senators John Kerry, Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, two presidential campaigns, two U.S. House offices and congressional campaigns in 25 states. Mr. Meehan earned a B.A. in political science from Bates College." Isaacson image from; Lynton image from; on Broadcasting Board of Governors, see.

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 11/18/09 - Office of the Press Secretary, The White House: "11/18/09 ... Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to the Broadcasting Board of Governors: ·Victor H. Ashe, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors

· Dennis Mulhaupt, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors · Dana Perino,

Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors · S. Enders Wimbush, Member, Broadcasting Board of Governors ... . "



Ashe image from; Perino image from; Wimbush image from

Global conflicts become interactive - Maureen Landsverk, Minnesota Daily‎: "PeaceMaker, a game developed by ImpactGames for children ages 14 and up, challenges its players to find a way to settle the ongoing conflict in the Middle East through peaceful methods. Released in 2007, the game has been featured on G4C.org as well as other distributor Web sites. It has won several awards, including the University of South Carolina’s Public Diplomacy Games Contest and the Games for Change Annual Contest."

Royal Caribbean International Appoints Seven Godmothers for Oasis of the Seas - FOXBusiness: "When Royal Caribbean International officially names its newest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, on Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, the global cruise line will continue its tradition of innovation by putting a new twist on one of maritime's longest standing traditions. While normally bestowing the honor of godmother on one special person, Royal Caribbean has chosen seven extraordinary godmothers to represent the seven signature neighborhoods onboard Oasis of the Seas. Each of the seven godmothers was chosen because they personify strength of character, exemplify the spirit of giving, and are role models for men, women and children alike. The godmothers include: … -- Michelle Kwan,

the Olympic Games medalist is an all-time great and the most decorated figure skater in United States history, and is also an American Public Diplomacy envoy promoting education, positive health practices and respect for diversity." Kwan image from

Promoting a cause through youtube - Jeff Mascott, The Hill: "The State Department has operated for some time under the principle that Facebook, Twitter and YouTube influence the everyday lives of many around the world. In an effort started under the previous administration and continued by the current, social media has quietly become a powerful diplomacy tool in the United States’ arsenal. For the State Department, social media is the message of American diplomacy. ... The best example of State’s use of social media is its Democracy Video Challenge. Launched at the beginning of last year to promote democratic ideals, the Video Challenge invites citizens from around the globe to submit videos that complete the phrase “Democracy is … ” As a measure of its success, over 900 entrants submitted original videos demonstrating what democracy means to them. ... Most Americans have never heard of the Democracy Video Challenge — or of other cutting-edge initiatives by the State Department. That’s because of an obscure piece of legislation, the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948, which prohibits the U.S. government from distributing information intended for foreign audiences through domestic channels. For decades, the State Department has produced publications designed for consumption overseas, specifically publications that most Americans have never seen. The Smith-Mundt Act may not be as relevant as it once was. That’s because the State Department’s approach to public diplomacy is changing. Rather than simply distributing one-directional magazines and e-journals, the agency is using modern technology and social media tools to engage in a back-and-forth dialogue with the public. This new online approach cannot be contained by geographical boundaries."

W&M named top public institution in study abroad participation - Erin Zagursky, William and Mary News:

"According to an IIE press release on the 2009 report, a record number of U.S. students are now participating in study abroad programs. The number of American students studying abroad increased by 8.5 percent to 262,416 in the 2007/08 academic year. 'Today more than ever before, study abroad can help our students to understand our interconnected world and to participate productively in the global economy,' said Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. 'The State Department strongly supports study abroad through such programs as the Fulbright Program, which is sending its largest number ever of U.S. students abroad this year, and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program -- which in two years has doubled the number of U.S. undergraduates with financial need whom we support for study abroad. I congratulate all the U.S. students who are taking advantage of these and other opportunities to study abroad.'" Image: William and Mary Tribe Primary Logo: William and Mary Tribe primary logo in use from 1974-2006

Americans flocking to India - Express Buzz: "Indian students may be flocking in large numbers to American universities, but a new report by the Washington-based Institute of International Education (IIE) reveals that India and China are among the new destinations of choice for American students. The IIE’s ‘Open Doors 2009’ report says 'a record number of US students are now studying abroad, reflecting the value of an international academic experience as preparation to live and work in a global society'.
The number of Americans studying abroad increased by 8.5 percent to 262,416 in the 2007-08 academic year, it says."

Pulling Torn Pictures of W out of Arab Trashcans – Developing Lebanon:

"And who can honestly say his public diplomacy approach to international relations is a bad idea?" Image from

The Omri Ceren Show - 2pm PST Today - Bowing And Scraping The US Into Decline - Mere Rhetoric: "One Jerusalem Radio's Omri Ceren Show goes on the air in a little under an hour ... . Dan Diker is still dropping in for 15 minutes of updates and analysis ... . Scheduled topics Dan will be discussing: (1) the renewed diplomatic push on Syria and why - if everything works out perfectly - it'll merely end up being a huge waste of time and (2) the train wreck that is zero Israeli public diplomacy plus the Goldstone Report

plus a global anti-Israel delegitimization campaign of unprecedented venom." Image from

Public Diplomacy and the Legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority - Abeer Al-Najjar, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "[T]he Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) made a public statement accepting the call of the French president Nicolas Sarkozy for a Middle East peace conference and his offer to host this conference. In his statement, Abbas emphasized that a condition for holding the conference must be a total freeze of settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories. This reflects clarity in the political rhetoric and an attempt to set the negotiations and the conflict agenda that is rare in the history of the Palestinian public diplomacy."

Days of Brussels to be held in Yerevan - Panorama.am: "On November 18 Armenia’s Ambassador to Belgium and the Netherlands Avet Adonts had a meeting with the Burgomaster of Brussels Freddy Thielemans.

Ambassador Adonts and the Mayor of Brussels exchanged views on public diplomacy, direct and immediate contacts between nations, viewing the organization of cultural events as the best means for that.The parties agreed to imitate joint events, including the Days of Brussels in Yerevan." Image from article

Volleys on the subject of BBC World Service funding - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "Incidentally, can someone now explain why it is that the BBC World Service continues to be funded out of the Foreign Office Budget – isn't £3.5bn enough?" Baroness Buscombe's Society of Editors Lecture, via HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk, 15 November 2009. [Elliott comment:] Her ladyship is referring to revenues from the BBC license fee for television sets. And I can explain: The thinking is that the license fee should go towards programming that payers of that fee can view or listen to themselves. BBC World Service content is directed towards people who do not pay the license fee, hence funding by the FCO. Poland (see previous post) is now having a similar discussion. 'Was it just me or was that swipe at the cost to the taxpayer of running the BBC World Service a little bit off message?' Jane Martinson, Organ Grinder blog, The Guardian, 17 November 2009. 'Journalists at the BBC are to hold a referendum on the salary of Mark Thompson, the Corporation's Director General. Members of the National Union of Journalists at the BBC World Service and the current affairs department will be asked to back calls for Mr Thompson to reduce his salary to around £200,000.' The Telegraph, 14 November 2009."

New Iranian news agency, in Farsi, English and Arabic, in the works - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Success in the Global Marketplace - www.events.wayne.edu: "International Visitors Council of Detroit in partnership with TechTown will sponsor a Corporate Roundtable event featuring Cari Guittard, former Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs."

Job Opportunity: Public Diplomacy Grants/Management Assistant - israemploy.net: "We [unclear who 'we' is] are seeking an individual for the position of Public Diplomacy Grants/Management Assistant in the Public Diplomacy Office. Working under the supervision of the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), incumbent provides a wide range of administrative, program, grant and secretarial support functions for the Public Affairs Section. The incumbent monitors the consulate website for grants-related correspondence; responds via e-mail, phone and fax to queries about PD grants. Incumbent manages the office’s petty cash supply."

Image from

RELATED ITEMS

White House tries to put positive spin on Asia trip - John M. Glionna and Peter Nicholas, latimes.com

Obama Said To Have Accomplished Little In China And Japan [no link] - Bulletin News, LLC:

This morning, some media analyses of the President's Asia trip take a markedly critical tone when it comes to assessing his accomplishments in Japan and China. The New York Times says that Obama "quickly discovered that popularity on the Asian streets did not necessarily translate into policy successes behind closed doors in the Kantei, the Japanese White House, let alone in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing." The Washington Post reports, "Obama does not fly home with any big breakthroughs or any evidence that he has forged stronger personal ties with regional leaders. ... At home, critics have accused him of being self-indulgent by viewing the world through such a personal lens." The New York Times reports, "With China's micro-management of Mr. Obama's appearances in the country, the trip did more to showcase China's ability to push back against outside pressure than it did to advance the main issues on Mr. Obama's agenda, analysts said." The Washington Post reports, "White House officials say the payoff" from Obama's approach to diplomacy "is evident." David Axelrod tells the Post, "One of his strengths on the world stage is that he is breaking down the sense that America and America's leaders don't have any understanding of or identification with the rest of the world. ... And that's an important value." On its website, the Washington Post reports that the trip "may have bought" Obama "some space for reflection before he returns home and again faces frequent questions about why the troop decision is taking so long. With many hours in the air and far-off hotel suites, huddled with national security and political aides -- in addition to [Secretary of State] Clinton, there was National Security Adviser James L. Jones and senior advisers...Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett -- Obama has been shielded from public view and U.S. time zones, and somewhat buffered from the day-to-day headaches of his other top policy priority, reforming the health-care system." Image from

In China, Obama leaves more questions than he takes - Dana Milbank, Washington Post: Listening to President Obama and his Chinese counterpart this week, it was hard to tell who was Hu. One is the leader of a great democracy. The other is the head of a repressive regime. But as the two men faced reporters in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Obama deferred to the wishes of President Hu Jintao: They would not take questions. In lieu of this rite of freedom, the two leaders exchanged platitudes.

To succeed in Afghanistan, we must fail: The Afghan government must take responsibility for its own survival - Gerard Russell, latimes.com:

The struggle in Afghanistan is all about Afghans sizing each other up; foreigners are mainly just bystanders. Image from

Chicago, Afghan-style:Corruption is one of many problems facing President Karzai – Editorial, Washington Times: Mr. Karzai should take a cue from the Obama administration, institutionalize a massive nationwide system of payouts to cronies and call it "stimulus." He could rename the Afghan capital Chicago for good measure.

Vision for victory -- Part II - Michael O'Hanlon, Washington Times: If Mr. Obama approves most or all of Gen. McChrystal's recommendation for more NATO troops, and we build on other promising new initiatives, the chances of achieving our core strategic goals appear much better than even.

Afghans want Obama to hold Karzai's feet to the fire Additional troops and resources should be conditional on the cleaning up of Afghanistan's government - Pashtoon Atif, latimes.com:

The U.S. must demand compliance by making the additional troops and foreign aid necessary to defeat the Taliban and build a legitimately sovereign Afghan state conditional on Karzai's prioritization of accountable governance, protection of civilians and removal of the worst abusers of political power. Otherwise, even 100,000 additional troops won't help to repair the damage. Image from

Mr. Obama’s Task - Editorial, New York Times: If Mr. Obama no longer believes that a counterinsurgency is necessary or feasible, or if he wants to set less-ambitious goals (there has been talk of securing a smaller number of cities while speeding up training of the Afghan Army), then the American people need to hear why he changed his mind and how he intends to move forward.

A carbon target for Copenhagen: It's time for the Obama administration to make a commitment on emissions reductions - Editorial, Washington Post

IAEA report proved propaganda over new plant were baseless - Tehran Times

Zimbabwe: The Media 'Propaganda Model' - Reason Wafawarova - africa.com:

The model of how the media ought to function is what the American journalistic schools refer to as "the Jeffersonian role" of the media where the media is a counterweight to government. There is the alternative conception; that media will present a picture of the world which defends and inculcates the economic, social and political agendas of society's privileged groups -- groups that dominate the domestic economy of nation states and which, therefore, also largely control government. This is the "Propaganda Model" that Chomsky described as leading to the media serving their societal purpose through such things as the way they select topics, distribute their concerns, frame issues, filter information, focus their analysis, employ emphasis, tone or the timing of reports and so on. Image from

Germany’s Christmas offensive - David Crossland, The National: A new historical exhibition displaying Christmas decorations in the shape of submarines, and cannons has shed light on how the festival was exploited for political propaganda in Germany for much of the 20th century.The remarkable collection went on show this month in Cologne. It includes a Season’s Greetings card from the First World War bearing a 42cm artillery shell adorned with fir sprigs. It also shows how Cold War propaganda influenced Christmas in East and West Germany. The communist authorities frowned on religion and religious symbols and the world-famous wooden Christmas angels hand-carved in the eastern region of Saxony were officially referred to as “winged year-end figures”. The exhibition, called “Not Exactly a Holy Night”, was devised by Judith Breuer, 45, and her mother Rita Breuer, 71, authors of a book that has illuminated a subject until now ignored by historians.

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY


"The only reason to vote is that if we don’t, someone else will vote for us.”

--Vladimir Zuyenko, 44, a Ukrainian security guard who said he had gone three months without pay, regarding his country’s presidential elections. Image from