The Layalina Review: Volume VI No. 8 | Layalina Productions, Inc.

The Layalina Review

	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 in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.
Statistic of the Week The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study. PDF RSS Twitter Facebook Recent Issues Vol. VI No. 7: 3/26-4/8, 2010 Vol. VI No. 6: 3/12-3/25, 2010 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian Senior Editor Anne Hagood Managing Editor Lyzz Schwegler Contributor Mirna Oud Contributor Lorraine Jablonsky Contributor The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. VI NO. 8, April 9-April 22, 2010 Turkey Builds Media Empire in the Arab World Turkey is launching a new Arabic-language channel denoting its growing influence in the region and its attempt to win the hearts and minds of Arab populations by stressing their common past and culture through television programming. Looking Up for Al-Hurra A new inspector’s general review recently revealed that the government-funded channel Al-Hurra made some positive organizational changes but remained contentious when it came to management and measuring effectiveness. The Voice of Anti-America? Voice of America’s Iranian news service, the Persian News Network, has come under fire recently for airing what critics allege are pro-Iranian sentiments, but VOA and its supporters detracted the accusation claiming that they are simply adhering to good journalistic standards. Print Media Industry Uneasy about Social Media Popularity The economic downturn is affecting news outlets that are struggling to sell newspapers, while the internet is proving to be a cheaper and more popular alternative, promoting the use of social media. Global Warming...to US Influence The 2010 BBC World Service poll indicates that international public opinion of the US is on the rise. Although President Barack Obama campaigned on a platform of change, his new foreign policy approach signals a return to traditional diplomacy, which some believe will improve his chances of successfully engaging the international community. Media Bridging Differences A new translation website, Meedan, provides English and Arabic speakers a public platform to translate, read and debate Middle Eastern news, aiming to bridge the communication gap exists between them. Professionalizing Journalism and Challenging Freedom of the Press in the Middle East Recent surveys indicate that the digital media revolution is perceived by traditional journalists as a threat to the quality and standards of the profession. Providing high quality training to “empower” and “professionalize” is crucial in a time when freedom of the press is constantly challenged in the region. Cartoon College Comes to UAE Cartoon Network recently announced plans for a partnership with Abu Dhabi-based TwoFour54 to build new production and training facilities in the UAE capital. The venture will focus on developing an indigenous Arabic-language animation industry. News in Israel The media situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories remains hectic as the political conflict continues. Israel gets a second shot at an Arabic-language TV channel, and Palestinian TV stations subvert Al-Jazeera to air a football match.

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 in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.

Statistic of the Week
The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study.

Recent Issues

Vol. VI No. 7: 3/26-4/8, 2010

Vol. VI No. 6: 3/12-3/25, 2010

Archives

Layalina Review Staff

Leon Shahabian
Senior Editor

Anne Hagood
Managing Editor

Lyzz Schwegler
Contributor

Mirna Oud
Contributor

Lorraine Jablonsky
Contributor

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

VOL. VI NO. 8, April 9-April 22, 2010

Turkey Builds Media Empire in the Arab World
Turkey is launching a new Arabic-language channel denoting its growing influence in the region and its attempt to win the hearts and minds of Arab populations by stressing their common past and culture through television programming.

Looking Up for Al-Hurra
A new inspector’s general review recently revealed that the government-funded channel Al-Hurra made some positive organizational changes but remained contentious when it came to management and measuring effectiveness.

The Voice of Anti-America?
Voice of America’s Iranian news service, the Persian News Network, has come under fire recently for airing what critics allege are pro-Iranian sentiments, but VOA and its supporters detracted the accusation claiming that they are simply adhering to good journalistic standards.

Print Media Industry Uneasy about Social Media Popularity
The economic downturn is affecting news outlets that are struggling to sell newspapers, while the internet is proving to be a cheaper and more popular alternative, promoting the use of social media.

Global Warming...to US Influence
The 2010 BBC World Service poll indicates that international public opinion of the US is on the rise. Although President Barack Obama campaigned on a platform of change, his new foreign policy approach signals a return to traditional diplomacy, which some believe will improve his chances of successfully engaging the international community.

Media Bridging Differences
A new translation website, Meedan, provides English and Arabic speakers a public platform to translate, read and debate Middle Eastern news, aiming to bridge the communication gap exists between them.

Professionalizing Journalism and Challenging Freedom of the Press in the Middle East
Recent surveys indicate that the digital media revolution is perceived by traditional journalists as a threat to the quality and standards of the profession. Providing high quality training to “empower” and “professionalize” is crucial in a time when freedom of the press is constantly challenged in the region.

Cartoon College Comes to UAE
Cartoon Network recently announced plans for a partnership with Abu Dhabi-based TwoFour54 to build new production and training facilities in the UAE capital. The venture will focus on developing an indigenous Arabic-language animation industry.

News in Israel
The media situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories remains hectic as the political conflict continues. Israel gets a second shot at an Arabic-language TV channel, and Palestinian TV stations subvert Al-Jazeera to air a football match.