I have always favored cyclic recurrences: be they in fine literature or real-life routine. I started 2011 in Bonn, Germany, interning for the Ukrainian Bureau of Deutsche Welle, Germany`s foreign radio service (which now widely utilizes Internet and online TV providing coverage in 30 languages). Now, when the year has almost flown by, I am looking forward to learning more about International Broadcasting from the public diplomacy perspective at the second annual symposium “Building Bridges: The Tools of Public Diplomacy,” organized by the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars of Syracuse University.
This year the symposium will have a separate International Media Panel, which will be focusing on the role Internet, TV, radio and print plays in establishing mutually beneficial relationships between multiple foreign stakeholders. The panel speakers include: Mr. Edward Dunn, Public Affairs Officer and New Media Advisor for the U.S. Department of State`s Office of International Media Engagement, Mr. Osamah Khalil, Assistant Professor of history with concentration on U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East at the Maxwell School, Ms. Charlotte Grimes, Visiting Professor at the Newhouse School specializing on political reporting and the role of press in democracy-building processes.
Although I am not yet aware which specific issues speakers will be concentrating on in their speeches, I am assuming that there might be two broad themes discussed, in line with current world news. The first topic might revolve around governments` and activists` use of social media. There is no denying the fact that if it had not been for Twitter and YouTube, the outer world could have not found out what was happening in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria…The second theme might outline U.S.` public diplomacy efforts in the Middle East that, some scholars argue, must include alternative voice to local Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. No matter how much hard power you possess, communication is key. And it`d better convey U.S. values and explanation of U.S. policies to the peoples of this strategically important region.
As a freelance reporter for two major International Broadcasters, I cannot wait but ask speakers what impact in terms of exercising soft power this year`s media policies of British and German governments will have on specific regions (e.g. India, East Europe). By these, I imply shutdown of numerous local radio programs and bureaus of BBC and Deutsche Welle, which was explained by ongoing decrease in popularity of the conventional radio formats. As a substitute, the above mentioned media corporations promise to offer more extensive online news coverage. I am curious how the speakers are going to address such a shift in a production paradigm and its potential impact on public opinion in selected countries. No wonder, for decades it was BBC and DW that provided broad strata of population (not always literate and online technologically savvy) with objective and balanced information.
Maybe U.S. public diplomats have to seize upon this kind of opportunities to fill the information vacuum with American media products? Look forward to hearing what real life practitioners have to say!
