Comments on: The More They Know the Less They Like http://comops.org/journal/2009/04/19/the-more-they-know-the-less-they-like/ A Journal of the Consortium for Strategic Communication Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:02:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: C Martel http://comops.org/journal/2009/04/19/the-more-they-know-the-less-they-like/comment-page-1/#comment-216 C Martel Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:39:27 +0000 http://comops.org/journal/?p=1217#comment-216 I wonder if the correlation might be due to the clearly one-sided coverage that English-language, international news coverage? To take just one example that I was asked about repeatedly when I lived in India, the US-based international satellite channels carried sensational statements by Jack Murtha denouncing our Marines without evidence as murderers. There was never a mention that he had no evidence and could produce none; that investigations were on-going by the Marine Corps; and that Murtha was trying to increase his standing in his party so was willing to play to their worst fears. After many months of a fair and open investigation, when a Marine was brought to justice and others were exonerated, the story was barely mentioned. If I didn't know the story, I'd hate America too. Our international news organizations project much the same stories oversees without any adjustment to provide the context that foreign audiences often lack because they have not grown up in our country. A basic assumption we seem to make is that Americans are culturally ignorant, but people in other countries understand our culture. Just reading bin Laden's attempts to influence US audiences reinforces the fact that many around the world do not understand us. Absolutely true that Department of State has failed to provide cultural context through their pitiful Public Diplomacy programs, but our news channels are equally bad. I wonder if the correlation might be due to the clearly one-sided coverage that English-language, international news coverage? To take just one example that I was asked about repeatedly when I lived in India, the US-based international satellite channels carried sensational statements by Jack Murtha denouncing our Marines without evidence as murderers. There was never a mention that he had no evidence and could produce none; that investigations were on-going by the Marine Corps; and that Murtha was trying to increase his standing in his party so was willing to play to their worst fears. After many months of a fair and open investigation, when a Marine was brought to justice and others were exonerated, the story was barely mentioned. If I didn’t know the story, I’d hate America too.

Our international news organizations project much the same stories oversees without any adjustment to provide the context that foreign audiences often lack because they have not grown up in our country.

A basic assumption we seem to make is that Americans are culturally ignorant, but people in other countries understand our culture. Just reading bin Laden’s attempts to influence US audiences reinforces the fact that many around the world do not understand us. Absolutely true that Department of State has failed to provide cultural context through their pitiful Public Diplomacy programs, but our news channels are equally bad.

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