Layalina Productions, Inc. | The Layalina Review: Volume V No. 17

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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.17 RSS Twitter Facebook The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media Vol. V No.16: 07/17-07/30, 2009 Vol. V No.15: 07/04-07/16, 2009 Vol. V No.14: 06/19-07/02, 2009 Archives Subscribe to our Publications 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. 17, July 31-August 13, 2009 Pentagon Puts a Halt to Facebook and Twitter Following an order on August 3, the US Marine Corps banned the use of social media sites on its computer network, prohibiting Marines from accessing sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace for one year. If He Twitters, They Will Come; Obama's Public Diplomacy 2.0 The White House’s strategic communication campaign in Israel and Arab countries seeks to reframe policy and push towards peace, and has recently stressed using forms of social media in order to relate to both American citizens and followers worldwide. Some analysts are skeptical of its impact worldwide while others point out that social networking is bypassing the media filter in order to create an exact image of what the administration wants to project. Saudi Man May Have Dirty-Talked Himself to Death; Saudis Shut Dirty Talk TV Offices A man who appeared on LBC detailing his sexual exploits and how he picks up women in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has created an uproar that may result in a death sentence. Saudi officials have now closed several LBC bureaus in the country as a response to the public outcry. TV Show Host Evades Authorities In Beirut, the host of a NewTV program escapes an arrest attempt in which authorities surrounded the channel’s studios. Ghada Eid riled officials when she made accusations on her show regarding the assassination of her cousin and alleged vote-buying during the recent parliamentary elections. This Movie Brought to You by Hamas "Imad Aqel," which recently premiered in the Gaza strip, is the first feature film produced by the Islamist Hamas movement. The film portrays Hamas’ founding in the 1980s and its political and militant development. Hezbollah TV Makes a Comeback in Australia, Sparking Protests Al-Manar TV, which has been banned twice from broadcasting in Australia, has now been given permission to broadcast after an investigation found it did not breach the national anti-terrorism standard. New Laws Aim to "Protect" Journalists in Iraq Iraqi PM Nouri Al-Maliki is trying to push a series of laws he claims are aimed at protecting journalists, but the media fears the legislation will actually be used to silence and censor them. New Degree of Interactivity through Satellite Channels ShooFeeTV, the premier provider of TV-related entertainment in the Arab World, recently launched its free-to-air satellite channel on ArabSat. Abu Dhabi Goes Gaming The Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) is branching out into online gaming through a joint venture with Gazillion Entertainment, a California-based specialist in massively multiplayer online games, to eventually develop content in Arabic for the Arab gaming market. Young Entrepreneurs Use Internet to Explain Society Several different youths in the Middle East have recently begun online networks to help combat the negative way they feel Arab society is portrayed in the Western media. Their efforts will be aided by the advent of Arabic-language URLs, which should become available next year. Mitchell is Trying, Israel's Tiring George Mitchell, US Special Envoy to the Middle East, has yet to achieve a breakthrough in his push for a comprehensive peace plan. US pressure is alienating Israelis and has yet to influence Arab opinion. Dog Days for Daughter of Sadat  The daughter of legendary assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat is outraged at a scene in the goofy American summer comedy "I Love You, Man" which features a pet dog jokingly named after her father. The scene was cut from the Egyptian release of the film, but it surfaced online nonetheless.

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."

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The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

Vol. V No.16: 07/17-07/30, 2009

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

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

Archives

Subscribe to our Publications

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. 17, July 31-August 13, 2009

Pentagon Puts a Halt to Facebook and Twitter
Following an order on August 3, the US Marine Corps banned the use of social media sites on its computer network, prohibiting Marines from accessing sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace for one year.

If He Twitters, They Will Come;
Obama's Public Diplomacy 2.0
The White House’s strategic communication campaign in Israel and Arab countries seeks to reframe policy and push towards peace, and has recently stressed using forms of social media in order to relate to both American citizens and followers worldwide. Some analysts are skeptical of its impact worldwide while others point out that social networking is bypassing the media filter in order to create an exact image of what the administration wants to project.

Saudi Man May Have Dirty-Talked Himself to Death;
Saudis Shut Dirty Talk TV Offices
A man who appeared on LBC detailing his sexual exploits and how he picks up women in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has created an uproar that may result in a death sentence. Saudi officials have now closed several LBC bureaus in the country as a response to the public outcry.

TV Show Host Evades Authorities
In Beirut, the host of a NewTV program escapes an arrest attempt in which authorities surrounded the channel’s studios. Ghada Eid riled officials when she made accusations on her show regarding the assassination of her cousin and alleged vote-buying during the recent parliamentary elections.

This Movie Brought to You by Hamas
"Imad Aqel," which recently premiered in the Gaza strip, is the first feature film produced by the Islamist Hamas movement. The film portrays Hamas’ founding in the 1980s and its political and militant development.

Hezbollah TV Makes a Comeback in Australia, Sparking Protests
Al-Manar TV, which has been banned twice from broadcasting in Australia, has now been given permission to broadcast after an investigation found it did not breach the national anti-terrorism standard.

New Laws Aim to "Protect" Journalists in Iraq
Iraqi PM Nouri Al-Maliki is trying to push a series of laws he claims are aimed at protecting journalists, but the media fears the legislation will actually be used to silence and censor them.

New Degree of Interactivity through Satellite Channels
ShooFeeTV, the premier provider of TV-related entertainment in the Arab World, recently launched its free-to-air satellite channel on ArabSat.

Abu Dhabi Goes Gaming
The Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) is branching out into online gaming through a joint venture with Gazillion Entertainment, a California-based specialist in massively multiplayer online games, to eventually develop content in Arabic for the Arab gaming market.

Young Entrepreneurs Use Internet to Explain Society
Several different youths in the Middle East have recently begun online networks to help combat the negative way they feel Arab society is portrayed in the Western media. Their efforts will be aided by the advent of Arabic-language URLs, which should become available next year.

Mitchell is Trying, Israel's Tiring
George Mitchell, US Special Envoy to the Middle East, has yet to achieve a breakthrough in his push for a comprehensive peace plan. US pressure is alienating Israelis and has yet to influence Arab opinion.

Dog Days for Daughter of Sadat
 The daughter of legendary assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat is outraged at a scene in the goofy American summer comedy "I Love You, Man" which features a pet dog jokingly named after her father. The scene was cut from the Egyptian release of the film, but it surfaced online nonetheless.