In recent times there has been much concern in the US about the wave of anti-Americanism which has swept the Muslim world.
One method of countering this ‘menace’, the sages in Washington DC decided, was to broadcast television programmes presenting a softer and more benign image of the US.
And so about six months ago Voice of America (VOA) began telecasting a 30-minute TV programme "Beyond the Headlines" (Khabron se Aage) on GEO television with the intention of persuading young, urban Pakistanis that most Americans were nice people - i.e. not all of them were raving nutters like Bush jr, Rumsfeld and Cheney.
Now, journalist circles suggest, all this fascinated a well known newspaper editor from Lahore. Insisting that he could come up with a better and more subtle way of Pak-USA communication, he approached the US State Department with his own eighty-page proposal.
And what was his pitch?
That he set up a television channel which would purely broadcast a US/Western-orientated viewpoint to counter the increasing extremism found in Pakistan.
And the setting-up cost? Just a cool $ 25 million.
Apparently, so far the US State Department has remained mum and it looks like the proposal will die a quiet death. However, as seen from the editor’s perspective, there was no harm at all in trying to scrounge a completely cost-free TV channel for himself.
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Perhaps it's time I submitted my own proposal:
Yo, State Department readers!
I know there are one or two of you out there (or at least that is what my website tracker tells me).
So how about funding this Blogger as well? Okay, I’ll promise not to rubbish Condi in future. Here is my email address: EverHopeful@GreedyPakistani.Com
Pakistan
State Department
VOA
4 comments:
ROTFL!
It would have been better if the identity of the Lahore newspaper editor had been made clear. I mean, if you can't give his name outright, maybe some clue would be good.
After all, there are so many newspaper editors from Lahore and so many of them are well known. Don't we readers have the right to know the one who is thus compromised?
Americans are using Hollywood to promote their softer image for long time. Does some remember movie called ‘Rules of Engagement’?
Now this is the time for Americans to build a big complex in ‘Bazzar Hussan’ (near Badshahi Mosque Lahore) so that Lahoriya can enjoy the softer image of America. Young Britney and old Medona are requested to extend their services. I am a liberal and do not discriminate so people from other cities are welcome to suggest venues.
They can organize all sorts of shows for straights along with a special show in which Bush and Blair can perform together for not too straights. May be they can change the venue of this special show. Kandahar may be more suitable venue for this.
HonestDesi
I'm sure you already know who the editor is supposed to be, you just want others to know as well.
Okay. The supposed editor is a self-proclaimed 'liberal' but is said to be able to flow with the Times...
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