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Published on Center for Media and Democracy (http://www.prwatch.org)

Different Shade of Lipstick, Same Pigheaded Policies

A new report [1] from the Council on Foreign Relations [2] suggests that better U.S. communications with Muslim countries [3] require "listening more, a humbler tone, and focusing on bilateral aid and partnership, while tolerating disagreement on controversial policy issues [4]." The report, which was based on focus group [5]s held in Morocco, Egypt and Indonesia, says U.S. tsunami [6] relief, the Iraqi election [7] and new Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts provide "a window of opportunity to change Muslim attitudes." Specific recommendations include engaging "local and regional media via press releases, interviews, Op-Eds, press conferences, and site visits," and launching "an advertising campaign [8] on U.S. aid and support [9] for reform in local and regional media, and acknowledge the U.S. government as the source." Focus group members "do not take seriously U.S. government media [10], such as Radio Sawa, al-Hurra TV [11], and Hi magazine, as information sources [12]."

Source URL:
http://www.prwatch.org/node/3720