Monday, July 7, 2008

The June 23 front-page story about al- Hurra television, "U.S. Network Falters in Mideast Mission," failed to acknowledge the significant successes of the U.S.-funded Arabic-language broadcast and reflected a fundamental misunderstanding of U.S. international broadcasting.

By law, the mission of U.S. international broadcasting is journalistic -- not propagandistic. Pairing al-Hurra with al-Qaeda information operations, as The Post did, grossly distorts the channel's purpose.

Al-Hurra's journalistic work entails extensive coverage and responsible discussion of U.S. news, culture and institutions, and international and regional affairs. It also reflects a diversity of views -- essential for balance -- that includes voices critical of the United States and its allies.

Credibility is paramount: As U.S. international broadcasting has learned through more than six decades of experience, if broadcasts cannot be trusted to tell the whole story, they will be ignored.

The key to measuring al-Hurra's impact is credible, systematic audience research. That's why the Broadcasting Board of Governors turns to global research leader ACNielsen and other professional research firms to conduct studies of al-Hurra's reach. These are not "internal surveys," as The Post said, nor are they opinion surveys.

Al-Hurra's audience has increased from 21 million in 2006 to nearly 26 million today. The vast majority finds its news and information to be reliable. And, increasingly, al-Hurra's audience indicates that the network has enhanced its understanding of local events and of American society and policies.

JOAQUIN F. BLAYA

Governor

Broadcasting Board of Governors

Washington