Recent tensions between the Arab world and the United States raise again the issue of the effectiveness of American public diplomacy. Karen Hughes has brought new life and attention to this function of the State Department, and Condoleezza Rice’s transformation of the department appears headed in the right direction. But these are basically just throat clearings for what needs to happen.
“Public diplomacy” has been used to describe so many different programs relating to improving America’s standing in the world that the phrase is becoming trite. But its importance is greater than ever.
At one level, the United States needs the cooperation of the people of other countries in order to achieve our own interests, however defined, whether it is the war on terrorism, economic prosperity or success in international negotiations. At a higher level, though, Americans have always championed our core values abroad, including economic opportunity, democracy and equality.
There are certain strategies that apply to each approach. The first goal requires quick and specific responses to stories aimed at the populations of other countries, and will most readily be delivered on the mainstream media of radio, television, satellite and newsprint. We need our high officials to appear on al-Jazeera more, not suggest bombing it.
Furthermore, most American public diplomacy initiatives in the past few years have unsuccessfully tried to sell America’s interests and values for the short term, using an advertising analogy. For whatever reason, these approaches have not proved successful. America is as unpopular in the Arab region as it has ever been.
Innovative media efforts such as short-form programs and call-in shows on the government’s Radio Sawa are improvements over the past, and Sawa has become very popular with Arab youth. But, as an Aspen Institute forum recently concluded, the U.S. needs to employ additional efforts to appear on indigenous media and interact with international audiences.
Looking further ahead, promoting American values requires a set of narratives aimed at the youth of the world. These are delivered over a wider variety of media, and include interpersonal cultural exchanges, international forums and training programs.
The Western movie narrative, where America is the cowboy in the white hat called in to help those in distress, shoots the gun out of the bad guy’s hand (only after the other draws first), and leaves before the saved get to say thank you, may be a story of the past. New narratives will need to emerge, showing this country as a trustworthy partner, a listener and a helper. Our nation’s tsunami and earthquake relief responses, which highlight this new approach, were probably the most successful public diplomacy efforts by this country in the last few years – with dramatic improvements in our public standing in Indonesia, for example.
Even so, rapid changes in the communications media require a bold new approach to public diplomacy for the longer term: a move from using “push” mass media techniques to embracing the “pull” interactive media.
With broadband Internet becoming a multimedia platform, audiences are changing from being passive viewers of push technologies like broadcasting and newspapers to becoming active seekers of the information and entertainment that they’re willing to pull from the vast array of different opinions on the net. This transformation is rapidly changing mass media industries and the way that individuals shop, work, play and relate to their broader communities.
The United States rightfully defended openness and freedom of expression on the Internet at the World Summit on the Information Society. By holding to those values, the Internet can remain an instrument of individual empowerment. And it is these same values that should frame American public diplomacy for the long range.
America must get ahead of the curve in its messages and narratives to young people around the world. Today, the medium really is the message. The messages are self development and personal empowerment, values inherent in the new world of pull communications.
As the United States under Karen Hughes rethinks its future public diplomacy strategies, it should encourage connection of the world’s people to interactive media, not only to hear America’s message, but to interact with Americans. The United States has to stop lecturing and start listening.
We are living in an interactive world, where individuals learn to pull for their entertainment, information and news using everything from the web to cellphones, from reading blogs to sending instant messages.
Being able to do that is inherent in a free society. U.S. public diplomacy should encourage future generations to seek all messages and judge for themselves which ones are relevant to their future peace and prosperity. We are confident America’s values will prevail.
Charles Firestone is executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Communications and Society Program. Marc Nathanson is chairman of Mapleton Communications and former chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
