US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4441

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/P - ANNE CASPER, IIP/G/NEA - RAPHAEL 
CALLIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KPAO, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN ARTICLE ON "HI" MAGAZINE 
 
1. The following is an Embassy translation of a 
commentary on "Hi", the IIP-funded Arabic language 
magazine now on the stands in Jordan, that appeared in 
the independent, mass appeal Arabic language daily, 
"Al Arab Al Yawm.". 
 
Begin Embassy Translation: 
 
. 
"HI: Connection or Communication?  The First American 
Magazine aimed at Arab Youth 
Report by: Mohammad Hisham Abiyyah, Al Arab Al Yawm 
Daily Newspaper. 
 
Since the events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. 
Administration has decided to turn to the Arab world 
with the huge media arsenal at its disposal, believing 
it could change the impression of the new Arab 
generation, whose fathers remain the main defendants 
in the attack that strongly shook America and 
practically made it realize that there are those who 
truly hate it. 
 
The first of those steps was Radio Sawa, which went on 
the air about a year ago and was devoted to 
broadcasting modern Arabic and English songs in an 
attempt to attract Arab youth to it. Later, it 
intentionally began to mix songs with news from a U.S. 
perspective. Hence, Palestinian resistance operations 
were referred to as "suicide attacks" and Israeli 
assassinations of resistance men were called "targeted 
killings" and the occupation of  Iraq was referred to 
as the liberation of it. 
 
The second step was taken this month, when "Hi" - the 
first U.S. Magazine in Arabic, which is distributed in 
the Middle East, and mainly targets Arab youth - was 
published.  This monthly magazine is edited by a 
number of U.S. and Arab journalists who reside in the 
United States. It also relies on some of those from 
the Arab world who love to write. The magazine 
receives direct support from the State Department, as 
openly stated by the editors in the magazine's 
preface. The editors candidly note that the magazine's 
main objective is to highlight true stories and U.S. 
values and traditions and to familiarize the Arab 
reader with them, and make him or her realize that 
there are many things that bring humanity closer 
together. The editors also explain why they chose "Hi" 
as the name of the magazine because it is an 
expression that is commonly used when exchanging 
greetings and, hence, becomes a prelude to a dialogue. 
They also note that they focus on Americans - other 
than those famous ones like Michael Jordan, Keanu 
Reeves, Shakira, and Madonna - who live a simple 
normal life away from stardom and Hollywood's 
spotlights, space exploration, world stock markets, 
new music, or sports stadiums crowded with spectators. 
 
It is strange that the magazine did not really do what 
it set out to do.  Its first issue is full of reports 
and news about "Michael Jordan", rising Jazz composer 
"Ben Ellison," and "Tony Shalhoub," the actor with 
Lebanese roots who recently received a Golden Globe 
award. This is as if the magazine could not free 
itself from the American lights and appetizers that 
have attracted so many people. 
 
The magazine tries to focus on the experience of Arabs 
in the United States. It sheds light on a number of 
examples such as "Hisham Shami," a Moroccan who 
studies Business Administration and at the same time, 
is considered one of the best Oud players. The 
magazine also sheds light on  "Salima Abdul Ghaffar," 
a brunette journalist who works as an editor for an 
Islamic newspaper published in Atlanta. There is also 
"Suhair Hammad," a poet of Palestinian origin, the 
most famous amongst those who recite poetry on 
Broadway. The magazine also gives lots of room for 
Arab youth to tell the story of their educational 
experience at various American universities. It 
deliberately makes extensive use of photos that show 
many Muslim women that wear the hijab (veil) as an 
indication of the freedom that the Muslims enjoy in 
the United States. It also created a photos section 
titled "American Moments," in which the camera has 
captured snapshots of mountain climbers, moments that 
precede a wedding, and a day at an amusement park, in 
such an attractive way that dazzles the Arab reader. 
 
The first issue of  "Hi" magazine features an 
investigative report on smoking and nargilas (water 
pipe), which were recently introduced in the United 
States and have become quite popular. The reporter is 
dismayed that the price of a nargila in the United 
States reaches $10, while in Egypt one can get it for 
not more than 25 cents.  The magazine also features a 
brief report about Yoga, that says that this sport is 
becoming widespread in Egypt and attributes that to 
American movies, which, according to the report, have 
attracted Egyptian youth to this mental sport! 
 
The magazine invites the Arab reader to write to it 
through its website on numerous topics dealing with 
culture and the Arab environment. It so seems that 
this is one of the main reasons behind publishing this 
magazine. Besides organizing a poetry competition for 
the readers, it also asks them to write about 
important rising figures in the Arab world and about 
differences and similarities between Arab and American 
poetry. The magazine also invites them to write about 
Arabic television programs that discuss marital 
relations and popular exercises and sports in the Arab 
homeland as well as the experience of studying at 
universities in Arab countries and the readers' most 
favorite Arab celebrities. 
 
On its last page, under the headline "My Story," an 
Arab woman writes about her experience in the Untied 
States, which seems so rosy. She had met in San Diego 
with famous actor Richard Gere, who treated her very 
nicely just because she is an Arab! She also rode in a 
police car in New York just because she wanted to. She 
also tried her luck at the slot machines that are 
widespread in Las Vegas and was very nicely treated by 
the citizens of Virginia! 
 
The Arab reader will surely be overwhelmed by a 
feeling of discomfort when he or she reads the 
magazine, which was printed and produced in an elegant 
and dazzling manner. Even though it seems like a 
bridge extended for communication between Arabs and 
Americans, the magazine avoids reference to any old 
or current political event or issue. It does not 
mention that there is an unbalanced conflict in the 
Middle East between the Palestinians and Israelis. 
Indeed, it does not mention Palestine on its price 
list on the cover and replaces it with Israel. 
Moreover, it did not refer to the presence of a U.S. 
occupation in Iraq. 
 
In doing so, the magazine deliberately focused on 
entertainment in its first issue and, like Radio Sawa, 
might include meaningful political signals in its 
future issues. It also avoided running stories or 
photos that would contradict Arab and Islamic 
traditions. In the mean time, it deliberately focused 
- in an exaggerated manner - on the prosperous life 
that Arabs live in the United States and that such a 
life is so flawless.  The magazine appeared eager to 
hear what Arab readers will tell them about Arab life 
and traditions. The accomplishment of such a thing is 
impossible, however, due to the fact that it is so 
hard for any Arab to tell the Americans in a 
comfortable and simple way about their dreams, 
aspirations, ambitions, problems, the educational 
system in their country, and the actors he or she 
likes in their homeland. 
 
The U.S. forces continue to occupy Iraq, have no 
intention of getting out anytime soon, and are killing 
many Iraqis everyday.  Moreover, U.S. support for 
Israel continues endlessly and, according to the U.S. 
point of view, the Palestinian resistance is blemished 
as terrorism. 
 
All of that, in addition to the exorbitant price of 
the magazine - 9 Egyptian Pounds and 20 Saudi Riyals - 
may stand in the way of getting it across to the Arab 
reader in the first place!" 
 
End Embassy Translation. 
 
NOTE: THIS FULL PAGE REPORT FEATURES A COLOR IMAGE OF 
THE MAGAZINE'S WEB PAGE. 
HALE