More American misunderstanding of international broadcasting.

"Some years ago Radio Sawa was ridiculed for being the Britney Spears answer to the war on terror. The program format is mostly Western pop music, some indigenous pop, and a little public affairs, a soft sell to get others to support US interests in the region." Nancy Snow, Huffington Post, 29 January 2009. Radio Sawa is not, or at least should not be, "sell," soft or otherwise. In the Arab World, people are generally using television for news, radio for entertainment. Radio Sawa provides a youth-oriented entertainment that draws in audiences, who are there to hear brief but reliable newscasts that provide an antidote to the anti-American propaganda coming from other sources. Reliable news in larger doses would be the job of Alhurra.
     "Al-Hurra, and its sister radio station Radio Sawa, were meant to showcase US foreign policy in the Middle East and compete with Al-Jazeera and other networks including Al-Arabiya." Daya Gamage, Asian Tribune, 30 January 2009. Not "showcase," either. Posted: 30 Jan 2009 Permalink Print