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Arab youths wooed with US magazine [US launches an Arabic-language lifestyle magazine in Mid-East]
BBC ^ | Friday, 18 July, 2003, 19:38 GMT 20:38 UK

Posted on 07/19/2003 1:46:06 PM PDT by yonif

The United States has launched an Arabic-language lifestyle magazine for young men and women across the Middle East.

The government hopes the publication, called Hi, will change America's image among 18 to 35 year olds in the Arab world.

The monthly magazine is designed to be a "window on American culture" covering topics such as education, technology, music, health and sports.

The US is launching a media offensive in the Middle East to counter rising anti-American sentiment following its military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives gave its support to a huge funding bill for foreign projects that include a new radio and television network for the region.

24-hour news network

Hi Magazine is being produced by a private Washington-based company, the Magazine Group - employing a team of Arabs and Arab-Americans from both the United States and the Middle East.

The magazine is sponsored by the US state department, and has gone on news-stands in several countries.

Announcing its creation in March, the company said the magazine was aimed at promoting an understanding of American values.

"It will fill a niche between political news publications and glossy beauty and fashion by offering cultural information about the United States not readily available in the Middle East," said president Jane Ottenberg.

"With its vibrant editorial and eye-catching format, we hope the magazine can serve as a springboard for greater dialogue and understanding between young Arab readers and young Americans".

The US House of Representatives earlier this week agreed to fund the creation of a 24-hour radio and television news network aimed at promoting American values in the Middle East.

"This new network will... greatly contribute to an enhancement of our efforts to combat the misinformation and propaganda that contribute to the rising anti-American sentiment in the region," said Representative Henry Hyde, International Relations Committee Chairman.

But some correspondents say it is Washington's response to the popular Qatar-based Arabic television news station al-Jazeera.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arabs; generationy; hi; iraq; magazine; rebuildingiraq; youth
The website of this magazine (In Arabic) is at: this location


1 posted on 07/19/2003 1:46:06 PM PDT by yonif
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To: yonif
Give'em something to do, some work of some kind, so they can be drawing a paycheck. That'll do more good than a magazine.
2 posted on 07/19/2003 1:50:01 PM PDT by mewzilla
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To: yonif
The magazine certainly seems to have some good 'bait' :-).
3 posted on 07/19/2003 1:50:42 PM PDT by toomuchcoffee
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To: mewzilla
FMM: "For Mohammed Magazine"
4 posted on 07/19/2003 1:51:26 PM PDT by xm177e2 (Stalinists, Maoists, Ba'athists, Pacifists: Why are they always on the same side?)
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To: yonif
I think this is a great idea. They need to get a better idea of what the world outside is really like.
5 posted on 07/19/2003 1:52:28 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: yonif
These magazines will be banned before you know it. And that, in turn, will make them all the more sought after, and the "life style" shown all the more sought after.

Someone ought to remind the Saudi government that the more you forbid something, the more people are determined to get it.

6 posted on 07/19/2003 1:56:46 PM PDT by yankeedame ("Born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.")
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To: FairOpinion
I think this is a great idea. They need to get a better idea of what the world outside is really like.

I don't know, maybe they could get something more truly representative of America out? Like maybe getting Jerry Springer rebroadcasts on the local TV?

7 posted on 07/19/2003 1:58:36 PM PDT by templar
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To: yonif
If all Islamic women looked as cute as this, I can see why they have the Burqua. Also covers up the hags who don't.

(Sexist,Lookist,Ageist, white, male, misogynistic, Judean/Christain/Abramhaic, Capitialist, pig! alert)

I still dig Eliza Dushku, that hot little Mormon...

8 posted on 07/19/2003 1:59:34 PM PDT by BiffWondercat
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To: yankeedame
These magazines will be banned before you know it

I am not sure they will be banned. Guess who is in charge of its content? The State Dept.

9 posted on 07/19/2003 2:01:18 PM PDT by yonif
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To: yonif
The beginnings of a mass media blitz that Iraq and the ME is about to experience.
10 posted on 07/19/2003 2:03:48 PM PDT by demlosers
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To: FairOpinion
Agree.
11 posted on 07/19/2003 2:04:37 PM PDT by BenLurkin (Socialism is slavery.)
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To: yonif
Get them thinking about babes instead of bombs
12 posted on 07/19/2003 2:11:09 PM PDT by dennisw (G-d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
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To: yonif
They need to be distributed throughout Iraq as soon as possible. No doubt these people are wondering what their lives are going to look like, they need something to model it on other then what they've seen on Al Jeezera. It can rapidly spread from Iraq.
13 posted on 07/19/2003 2:15:07 PM PDT by McGavin999 (Just because we met our fundraising goals doesn't mean you can't still contribute.)
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To: yonif
They should also translate it to Farsi and distribute it in Iran. How about some air drops? (obviously the Mullahs wouldn't allow them to be sold or given away, if they had a say in it)
14 posted on 07/19/2003 2:18:54 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: yonif
I guess I'm really getting old but I hope we don't spread the word on too many of our American "values".

Do you think the mag will talk about gay marriage,multiple births to single mothers,sex change operations,nipple rings,etc.
15 posted on 07/19/2003 3:04:26 PM PDT by Mears
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To: yonif
Sounds great...I just hope they're very, very careful about who they let on staff.
16 posted on 07/19/2003 3:57:55 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (I'm so glad to no longer be associated with the Party of Dependence on Government!)
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To: yonif
About flippin' time!!!
17 posted on 07/19/2003 4:39:19 PM PDT by Carthago delenda est (Leftism is hypocrisy cubed.)
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To: Carthago delenda est
>About flippin' time!!!

Exactly. We need to fight the anti-American propaganda which is so typical in the arab media. We need to properly recognize the battle taking place in the middle eastern media and we need to fight that battle as effectively as any other.

18 posted on 07/19/2003 4:44:25 PM PDT by Dialup Llama
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