S. Enders Wimbush is a foreign policy analyst and expert on international broadcasting and strategic communications. He formerly served as a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and has been affiliated with the Hudson Institute. He contributed articles to The Weekly Standard on topics including U.S. international broadcasting policy, deterrence strategy, and media outreach to Iran.
What return on investment do American taxpayers receive for the money we pay for international broadcasting in 61 languages from the Voice of America and five other USG-funded media organizations? And is that investment effective? The answer to each question is, we believe, not nearly enough.
HOW REVEALING THAT President Obama, in his first post-election interview, chose the powerhouse Arab world network al-Arabiya to deliver America's new message to Muslims. He did not enlist America's own Arab-language TV station, Alhurra, which was created precisely to compete with al-Arabiya and…
IF PRESIDENT BUSH is persuaded by the Iraq Study Group to speak directly with Iran, he will be under strong pressure to cut a deal that makes Iran a significant partner in salvaging, at least temporarily, the mess in Iraq. For its quid pro quo in aiding America to come up with a face saving exit…
Iran looms intractable on America's radar, while the Bush administration casts about for nonmilitary weapons to use against it. Although President Bush insists that we are in a war of ideas with Iran, he has yet to unlimber some of America's most potent instruments to fight it. Chief among these…