The Foreign Service Journal, October 2009

O C T O B E R 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 57 close to official U.S. doctrine, as well as charges that its zeal for editorial independence — notably its pro- gramming related to Hamas and Hezbollah — directly undermines U.S. policy in the Middle East. There also continue to be debates about whether or not it is truly build- ing an audience. The May release of the annual viewer survey by the University of Maryland and Zogby International indicated Alhurra was the least- watched station in the region and that viewership was de- clining. The poll found that its audience share had dropped from 2 percent in 2008 to 0.5 percent in 2009. It also found that Al-Jazeera is still the number-one news source for 55 percent of the Arab world. In response, the BBG stressed that its own research showed Alhurra was reaching a growing audience. In late spring, the board said the station was reaching 26.7 million people weekly across the Middle East, up almost one mil- lion from the previous year. Meanwhile, questions persist about the quality of Alhurra’s pro- gramming. A 2008 study commis- sioned by the BBG and conducted by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy found that Alhurra failed to meet basic journalistic standards, suffered from poor programming and was plagued by perceived bias. But the BBG stands by the station as a purveyor of balanced news and current affairs programming, with an emphasis on human rights, religious freedom and “insight into the policies and people of the United States.” Restore Independence, Clarify the Mission Some critics have called on U.S. policymakers to phase out international broadcasting efforts altogether, surren- dering the field to credible Western sources like the BBC. However, U.S. broadcasters provide a vital service for a F O C U S Concerns about a lack of quality control have arisen in connection with stations like Alhurra.