Since September 11, 2001, Americans have begun to face up to the growing problem of anti-Americanism throughout the Arab and Muslim world. Polls consistently indicate high levels of hostility to the United States, and the problem has only intensified since the Iraq war began. One answer to the problem has been to improve U.S. communication with the Arab and Muslim world through U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting. Television is used to send the U.S. message to millions, as well as to counter the institutional hostility of regionally-owned networks such as al Jazeera and al Arabiya. But does it work? Can the United States replay the success of broadcasting during the Cold War? And is the Middle East really fertile ground for the American message?

To debate these and other questions, AEI is pleased to host a keynote speech by Representative Frank Wolf (R-Va.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies. The speech will follow two panel discussions on the role of broadcasting in public diplomacy and how we measure the success of these efforts.