Tuesday, March 1, 2005
This strikes me as a good use of money. We've heard a lot of complaints about the Administration not doing enough to get the American point of view out - and not just the American POV, but the point of view of Iraqis and others who are desperate to get the truth out about what's happening in their lives that doesn't appear in the Arab press or the Leftist-strangle-held European press. Two million dollars is short money to add another choice to stir into the meme-battle pot.
Alhurra, which means "the free one," began beaming programming to the Middle East about a year ago.
Home to an estimated 15 million-20 million Muslims, many of Arab descent, Europe is a "significant location for Arabic-speaking people," a U.S. official said.
Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the U.S. agency in charge of Alhurra, said Sunday that the channel's goal is to "foster and support debate" and to give Arabic speakers the chance to hear the "Western side of arguments on women's rights, economic opportunity and freedom and democracy."
Officials said Alhurra is intended to provide competition to the Arabic-language channel Al-Jazeera, which they contend is biased against the United States.
Tomlinson said $2 million for Alhurra's expansion would come from President Bush's $81 billion supplemental budget request for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Congress is expected to approve that supplemental budget request in the coming weeks.
Tomlinson said U.S. officials hope to begin beaming Alhurra programming into Europe this fall...
An English-language version might not hurt, either.
