Propaganda is an arm of the modern warfare. With the invention of the radio at the turn of the last century, even people in remote corners of the world became susceptible to the political, ideological and cultural seduction from the West.
Lenin was, presumably, the first to identify the enormous propaganda potential of the radio broadcast. He exploited the electronic media to export revolutionary ideas to the masses the world over.
Most colonial powers have used radio as a means to influence the people in their colonies. Thus, media played a key role in the colonial wars. It invaded the minds and hearts of the people and paved the way for the political and geographical domination by colonial authorities .
The United States launched Voice of America, which served as an important instrument of propaganda, in 1942 in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack. It also served as a strategic weapon in the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union to defend and project the US policies. The Voice of America also served as a reliable and objective source of international news apart from taking the lead role to popularize the American culture throughout the world.
The Americans were prompted to launch the broadcast in Arabic in 1951 with an increasing American interest in the Arab world. The US also had to defend the existence of Israel.
In the aftermath of the 11/9 attacks, the American administration discovered that its image has been vastly damaged in the Arab world and its voice was no more listened to. The administration also realized that the dazzling American lifestyle was no more attractive to the Arab youth.
Instead of identifying the real cause of the intense hatred for the US, some of their thinkers including mediamen and politicians said the Arab hatred sprang from their envy toward the American wealth, democracy and the refined lifestyle. They said Arabs and Muslims are a “backward” people who want to destroy the American civilization and to take people back to a primitive system of life.
How is it possible for the “backward” Arabs and Muslims to deny the great achievements and brilliant image of the Americans?
Being influenced by such wrong notions, the congressmen have decided to exploit the potential of the electronic media more vigorously to promote the US interests in the Middle East and lead back the Arab people to the American fold.
With an initial budget of $245 million a new Arabic TV channel will be launched shortly. The SAWA in FM channel targeting at the Arab youth under 30 has already been launched. President George Bush said the new broadcast would present music, reliable news and information in Arabic to create a better understanding of the American values and actions. The TV channel in Arabic will be available shortly on a round-the-clock basis. It will feature lessons in English language, news and critical review of the Arab media. The station will highlight the American viewpoints and counter the media attempts in the Arab world to spread hatred against America.
The congressmen want to rush with their scheme of expanding American influence in the Arab world. They are annoyed because their previous attempts to break the “coarse” Arabs did not bear fruit.
Will their new weapon of radio and satellite TV succeed?
