U.S. urged to rethink PR efforts
- - - - - - - - - - - - By Harry Dunphy
Sept. 18, 2002 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- To counter a deep misunderstanding of the United States and its policies abroad, the government has to rethink and redirect efforts to inform and influence audiences overseas, a presidential commission said Wednesday.
The cause of the misunderstanding is negative messages broadcast and disseminated by rogue states, terrorist groups and even U.S. and international commercial news and entertainment outlets, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy said in a report.
"This report puts forth realistic and tangible approaches to improve the government's communications efforts" in foreign countries, the bipartisan commission's chairman, Harold C. Pachios, said at a State Department news conference.
The report said it was regrettable that it took the Sept. 11 attacks to get the media, Congress and U.S. think tanks to again recognize the power of public diplomacy, which declined in importance after the end of the Cold War.
"Elected officials of both parties -- through neglect and misplaced priorities -- have permitted the nation's public diplomacy instrument to rust," the report said. "Now as we face a complex emergency, we expect this instrument to be razor sharp. It is not."
The five-member panel urged President Bush to immediately issue a directive to make clear that public diplomacy is a strategic component of American foreign policy and that significant reform is needed.
In addition, the commission said the White House Office of Global Communications, established in July, should provide presidential leadership to the departments and agencies that carry out public diplomacy along with U.S. allies and private sector partners.
The group recommended including lawmakers in public diplomacy planning and integration because members of Congress communicate directly or indirectly with foreign audiences and can reinforce or undermine what the government is trying to say.
Although the White House and the State Department have taken steps to involve private sector communications experts, the commission said the government should do more to engage and contract with America's advertising, public relations and entertainment industries "for insight, creative concept and critical judgment."
Earlier this month, a group of Hollywood producers and studio executives released the first in a series of public service announcements aimed at reaching out to the Arab community.
The 90-second spot with Arabic and English voiceovers, distributed to international television networks, is a general message urging tolerance in a world that changed after Sept. 11. It doesn't mention the United States or terrorism.
The commission said the Bush administration is off to a good start at translating American principles and compassion into the languages of Muslim countries.
It said a Middle East radio network, Arabic language Web sites and print publications and citizen and journalist exchanges have been established to help set the record straight on the United States.
"But more must be done to ensure that America maintains an effective public diplomacy machine to continue communicating with the entire world over the long term, not just hot spots," the commission said.
It said public diplomacy must be strengthened by reforming its structures and building its resources.
In July the House approved $244 million for an image-building program overseas that includes among other things exchange programs and an expansion of broadcasting in Muslim countries. The Senate has yet to act on the measure.