Layalina Productions, Inc. | The Layalina Review: Volume V No. 16

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	The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media. Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors. Published 26 times per year, the review is FREE to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats. The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation.
Statistic of the Week Cell phone access is more common in MENA countries than the internet, according to a July Gallup pole. Even poor areas have "ubiquitous" cell phone use, while internet access is common only in "oil-rich Gulf countries." Download VOL. V NO.16 RSS The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media Vol. V No.15: 07/04-07/16, 2009 Vol. V No.14: 06/19-07/02, 2009 Vol. V No.13: 06/05-06/18, 2009 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Our Twitter Feed: follow us on Twitter! Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian, Senior Editor Anne Hagood, Managing Editor Heather Stephenson, Contributor Youmna Sakr, Contributor Lyzz Schwegler, Contributor Omar Tanamly, Contributor Michaella Hart-Seaman, Contributor Daniel Englander, Contributor *The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. V NO. 16, July 17-July 30, 2009 Social Media Taking the Lead in Public Diplomacy In a White House briefing on July 15, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Judith McHale praised the State Department’s initiatives highlighting the way social media have become a creative tool for public diplomacy in the 21st century. DoD Focuses on Greater Outreach The Undersecretary of Defense for Policy at Pentagon, Michele Flournoy, is currently gathering a small team composed of about five existing policy shop employees to improve overall coordination of Department of Defense (DoD) public diplomacy and strategic communication efforts. Israel Rewrites History The Israeli government will soon remove references to what Palestinians call the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation from textbooks for Arab schoolchildren, a move that is compared by some critics as similar to holocaust denial. China Launches Arabic Speaking Channel In an effort to combat distorted views of China abroad, Chinese state television has launched an Arabic-language channel targeting the Middle East and North Africa. The move is part of a program to promote the image of China by reaching close to 300 million people in order to strengthen ties with the Arab world. Al-Jazeera Detainee Sues Bush Al-Jazeera reporter, Sami al-Haj was illegally detained and tortured by US authorities for seven years. Al-Haj now plans to launch a joint-court case, with other Guantanamo detainees, to sue former president George W. Bush. Al-Jazeera's New Venture in the US Al-Jazeera English started to air in Washington, DC, July 2009. While the broadcast in Washington, DC is a big step for Al-Jazeera English in the US, many question if whether the network will be able to overcome its reputation of anti-Americanism. Cellcom is the Only One who "Wants to Have Fun;" Israel's PR Problem Israeli company Cellcom launches and ad generating controversy as it uses the wall in a humorous manner; In the meantime, Israel is struggling with a negative image among the young Jewish Diaspora. Dirty Talk Leads to Saudi Man in Handcuffs, and Not in the Good Way After his appearance on a Lebanese talk show, a Saudi man was arrested for speaking openly about his sexual exploits, according to The Media Line. Sharia law prohibits speaking publicly about vice and admitting to pre-marital sex, and has been used by officials to justify his arrest. Saudi Clerics Defeat Movie Reformers Saudi Arabia's top religious clerics pressured government officials to cancel this week's Jeddah Film Festival, endorsed by Jeddah city officials as part of their summer tourist offering. Al-Jazeera Re-Opened in West Bank The Palestinian Authority allowed Al-Jazeera to resume operations in the West Bank after banning the Arab satellite station for four days, following a controversial coverage of plotting against former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. Obama and the Muslim World: A Long Way to Go A new Pew Research Center Poll shows that US global standing has improved since the years of the Bush administration. The resurgence of the US image reflects international confidence in Obama’s foreign policy; however, opinions of the US among Muslims in the Middle East still remain largely unfavorable. Everyone Loves Twitter A recent study shows Twitter has grown by almost 300% in the Middle East in recent months, possibly due to its highlighted role during the Iranian presidential election, when traditional news media was denied access. Bloggers Under Attack A series of arrests specifically targeting bloggers in Egypt have spurred international outcry form human rights organizations. Human Rights and Development in the Arab World A report by Amnesty International criticizes Saudi Arabia’s handling of counter-terrorism policy being used to justify gross misconducts and human rights abuses, while the international community seemingly remains apathetic.

The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media.

Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors.

Published 26 times per year, the review is FREE to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats.

The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation.

Statistic of the Week
Cell phone access is more common in MENA countries than the internet, according to a July Gallup pole. Even poor areas have "ubiquitous" cell phone use, while internet access is common only in "oil-rich Gulf countries."

Download VOL. V NO.16

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The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

Vol. V No.15: 07/04-07/16, 2009

Vol. V No.14: 06/19-07/02, 2009

Vol. V No.13: 06/05-06/18, 2009

Archives

Subscribe to our Publications

Our Twitter Feed:

Layalina Review Staff
Leon Shahabian, Senior Editor
Anne Hagood, Managing Editor
Heather Stephenson, Contributor
Youmna Sakr, Contributor
Lyzz Schwegler, Contributor
Omar Tanamly, Contributor
Michaella Hart-Seaman, Contributor
Daniel Englander, Contributor

*The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.

VOL. V NO. 16, July 17-July 30, 2009

Social Media Taking the Lead in Public Diplomacy
In a White House briefing on July 15, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Judith McHale praised the State Department’s initiatives highlighting the way social media have become a creative tool for public diplomacy in the 21st century.

DoD Focuses on Greater Outreach
The Undersecretary of Defense for Policy at Pentagon, Michele Flournoy, is currently gathering a small team composed of about five existing policy shop employees to improve overall coordination of Department of Defense (DoD) public diplomacy and strategic communication efforts.

Israel Rewrites History
The Israeli government will soon remove references to what Palestinians call the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation from textbooks for Arab schoolchildren, a move that is compared by some critics as similar to holocaust denial.

China Launches Arabic Speaking Channel
In an effort to combat distorted views of China abroad, Chinese state television has launched an Arabic-language channel targeting the Middle East and North Africa. The move is part of a program to promote the image of China by reaching close to 300 million people in order to strengthen ties with the Arab world.

Al-Jazeera Detainee Sues Bush
Al-Jazeera reporter, Sami al-Haj was illegally detained and tortured by US authorities for seven years. Al-Haj now plans to launch a joint-court case, with other Guantanamo detainees, to sue former president George W. Bush.

Al-Jazeera's New Venture in the US
Al-Jazeera English started to air in Washington, DC, July 2009. While the broadcast in Washington, DC is a big step for Al-Jazeera English in the US, many question if whether the network will be able to overcome its reputation of anti-Americanism.

Cellcom is the Only One who "Wants to Have Fun;" Israel's PR Problem
Israeli company Cellcom launches and ad generating controversy as it uses the wall in a humorous manner; In the meantime, Israel is struggling with a negative image among the young Jewish Diaspora.

Dirty Talk Leads to Saudi Man in Handcuffs, and Not in the Good Way
After his appearance on a Lebanese talk show, a Saudi man was arrested for speaking openly about his sexual exploits, according to The Media Line. Sharia law prohibits speaking publicly about vice and admitting to pre-marital sex, and has been used by officials to justify his arrest.

Saudi Clerics Defeat Movie Reformers
Saudi Arabia's top religious clerics pressured government officials to cancel this week's Jeddah Film Festival, endorsed by Jeddah city officials as part of their summer tourist offering.

Al-Jazeera Re-Opened in West Bank
The Palestinian Authority allowed Al-Jazeera to resume operations in the West Bank after banning the Arab satellite station for four days, following a controversial coverage of plotting against former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Obama and the Muslim World: A Long Way to Go
A new Pew Research Center Poll shows that US global standing has improved since the years of the Bush administration. The resurgence of the US image reflects international confidence in Obama’s foreign policy; however, opinions of the US among Muslims in the Middle East still remain largely unfavorable.

Everyone Loves Twitter
A recent study shows Twitter has grown by almost 300% in the Middle East in recent months, possibly due to its highlighted role during the Iranian presidential election, when traditional news media was denied access.

Bloggers Under Attack
A series of arrests specifically targeting bloggers in Egypt have spurred international outcry form human rights organizations.

Human Rights and Development in the Arab World
A report by Amnesty International criticizes Saudi Arabia’s handling of counter-terrorism policy being used to justify gross misconducts and human rights abuses, while the international community seemingly remains apathetic.