US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 004700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PA/PR/FPC (ASILAS); NEA/PPD (DMACINNES); NEA/ARN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL JO 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN PRESS CENTER'S REPORTING TOUR FOR NEAR EAST 
AFFAIRS JOURNALISTS - CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT AND INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY: GRASSROOTS LOBBYING VIA THE INTERNET 
 
 
1.  THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION NOMINATES MR. PHILIP MADANAT, 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMMANNET RADIO FOR SUBJECT TOUR:  FULL 
BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOLLOWS: 
 
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT): 
: THE FOLLOWING DATA IS IN A FIXED FORMAT WHICH ENABLES 
: AUTOMATED PROCESSING IN WASHINGTON AND SHOULD NOT BE 
: EDITED EXCEPT BY MEANS OF THE POST-EVDB SOFTWARE. 
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB 
VERSION: 3.0.5 
POST-EMAIL: BAMAWI@PD.STATE.GOV 
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS AMMAN 
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2887 
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA 
START NOMINATION: 
ECA-OFFICE: E/VP 
PROG-AGENCY-NAME: 
POST-PROJ-ID: 146 
ECA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: FPC: CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT AND INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY: GRASSROOTS LOBBING VIA THE INTERNET IN THE U.S. 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: INDIVIDUALS TRAVELING TOGETHER 
PROG-TYPE: IV GROUP PROJECTS 
FY: 2003 
DEPART-POST: 09/13/2003 
SESSION-DATE: 09/14/2003 
RETURN-POST: 09/27/2003 
NO-OF-PART: 1 
RANK-ORDER: 1 
START MEMO POST-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO POST-RCMD: 
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1027 
PROG-AGENCY-ID: 
PROJ-TYPE-ID: ITT 
PROG-TYPE-ID: 31 
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2887 
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 2887 
STATUS: N 
ORIGINATOR: P 
SUBJ-DISC: PRINT JOURNALISM 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: MR. 
F-NAME: PHILIP 
M-NAME: ODEH 
L-NAME: MADANAT 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 622 
PRINCIPAL?: YES 
M-ADDR1: P. O. BOX 20513 
M-ADDR2: 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: AMMAN 11118 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: JORDAN 
M-ZONE: 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: (962-6) 5853857 
M-FAX: 
M-EMAIL: PMADANAT@TERRA.ES 
M-CNTRY-ID: JO 
M-ADDRTYPE: B 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 08/19/1962 
MAR-STAT: M 
BIRTH-CITY: JERUSALEM 
BIRTH-CNTRY: WEST BANK 
CITIZ-CNTRY: JORDAN 
RES-CNTRY: JORDAN 
START MEMO POSITION: 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMMANNET RADIO, JULY 2002- PRESENT 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
PROGRAM MANAGER, EDITING, AL-ANDALUS TELEVISIN 
INTERNACINAL MARBELLA, FEBRUARY 1999- JUNE 2002; 
ARAB BANK PLC., SUCURSAL EN ESPAA, AUGUST 1998- JANUARY 
1999;  TRAINING AS A CUSTOMS AND SERVICE OFFICER, AUGUST 
1996- APRIL 1997;  VOLUNTEER: COORDINATOR OF WORK AMONG 
MINORITIES; PRIVATE BUSINESS, PHILIP MADANAT EST.,  AMMAN, 
JORDAN, 1992-1996; IMPORT, MARKETING AND SELLING OF JAPANESE 
PRODUCTS IN JORDAN IN COOPERATION WITH  FUJIWARA INDUSTRIAL 
CO., LTD. - OSAKA; EXPORT OF JORDANIAN PRODUCTS TO JAPAN 
(HELD THREE "JORDAN TRADE FAIRS" IN JAPAN  IN COOPERATION 
WITH THE SEIYU LTD. & THE SEIBU DEPARTMENT STORES, LTD.); 
REPRESENTING SEVERAL JORDANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES AT THE 
"JAPAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR" FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE FAIRS 
IN TOKYO AND OSAKA;  LINKING A JAPANESE WRITER WITH A 
 A 
JORDANIAN WRITER IN ORDER TO TRANSLATE AND PUBLISH JAPANESE 
LITERATURE IN JORDAN;  INTERNATIONAL MARKETING FOR INCOMING 
TOURS, LINKING INTERNATIONAL TOURIST AGENCIES AND 
PARTICIPATING IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS IN COOPERATION 
WITH QANTAS AIRWAYS, 1994-1995; 
FREELANCE WORK IN JAPAN, OCTOBER 1989- JUNE 1992; 
TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION FROM AND TO JAPANESE TO ASIAN 
TECHNICIANS IN THE JAPAN RAILWAY CORPORATION, OSAKA; 
TRAINING ASIAN WORKERS AT A JAPANESE AUTO-PARTS FACTORY IN 
OSAKA: KOKUSAN BUHIN KABUSHKI GAISHA; SHIPPING CANVASSER- 
MARKETING DEPARTMENT, AMIN KAWAR & SONS CO., 1987-1989; 
PROMOTING SHIPPING LINES (MAINLY CONTAINER LINERS) TO 
MERCHANTS; JORDAN - GULF INSURANCE CO.,  1985-1986; TRAINEE: 
MARKETING LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES, 1983-1985. 
 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
BACHELOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, YARMOUK UNIVERSITY, 
1983; UNIVERSAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTITUTE   JAPANESE 
LANGUAGE INTERMEDIATE COURSE, OSAKA - JAPAN, JULY 1991- 
MARCH 1992; OSAKA UNIVERSITY  RESEARCH STUDENT OF ECONOMICS 
(FINANCE), FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, APRIL 1990 - JUNE 1991; 
OSAKA UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES     JAPANESE LANGUAGE 
ELEMENTARY COURSE, OSAKA - JAPAN, OCTOBER 1989- MARCH 1990 
(SCHOLARSHIP FROM GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN); ESCUELA DE VERANO 
ESPAOLA, SPANISH LANGUAGE SUPERIOR COURSE, MADRID - SPAIN, 
JULY 1-30, 1986 (SCHOLARSHIP FROM GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN) 
SPANISH CULTURAL CENTER,  SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERMEDIATE, 
1984 -1987 
 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
OTHER COURSES & SEMINARS 
ESSAY WRITING (VETERAN JOUNALIST GIL BUTLER, USA EMBASSY- 
AMMAN) FEBRUARY 2003,  CURSO DE CONTABILIDAD (ACCOUNTING), 
OCTOBER 98- FEB. 1999; CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS CONTABLE, 
MARBELLA; OPERACIONES BANCARIAS 1 & OPERACIONES BANCARIAS 2, 
OCTOBER- DEC. 1998; CURSO POR CORRESPONDENCIA, EPISE- 
BARCELONA;  MS - WINWORD, NOVEMBER 26-30, 1994; 
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS AND MS - WINDOWS, 1993; 
ELECTRONIC SPREADSHEETS USING MS - EXCEL; PREPARING 
SALESMEN, JULY 1-5, 1989; ARAB CENTRE FOR TRAINING, RESEARCH 
& CONSULTATION- JORDAN;  MANAGEMENT OF SEA, LAND & AIR 
FREIGHT OPERATIONS, SEPT. 26- OCT. 14, 1987, JORDAN 
MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE   AMMAN, JORDAN. 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
NONE 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: ARABIC 
ENGL-READ: 4 
ENGL-SPEAK: 4 
ENGL-COMP: 4 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: SPANISH 
OTHER-LANG-ID: QB 
READ: 2 
SPEAK: 2 
COMP: 2 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: JAPANESE 
OTHER-LANG-ID: JA 
READ: 1 
SPEAK: 1 
COMP: 1 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: HEBREW 
OTHER-LANG-ID: HE 
READ: 1 
SPEAK: 1 
COMP: 1 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
PHILIP MADANAT IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMMANNET RADIO, 
THE FIRST INTERNET RADIO IN THE ARAB WORLD AND THE ONLY ONE 
IN JORDAN.  AMMANNET WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999 WITH THE HELP 
OF UNESCO, BUT HAS SINCE GONE INDEPENDENT AND HAS 
COOPERATIVE RELATIONS WITH A NUMBER OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS 
IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS IN JORDAN.  AMMANNET 
COVERS VARIOUS POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES BOTH 
LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY.  THE CONCEPT OF INTERNET RADIO 
REMAINS NOVEL IN JORDAN, BUT ITS POTENTIAL IN EXPANDING THE 
LIMITS IMPOSED ON PRESS FREEDOMS IN THE COUNTRY IS GRADUALLY 
BEING NOTICED AND RECOGNIZED.  MADANAT, A BUSINESSMAN 
RUNNING A MEDIA ORGANIZATION, EXPRESSED AN UNDERSTANDING FOR 
THE POSSIBILITY OF STRETCHING THE LIMITS OF FREEDOM OF 
EXPRESSION AND PRESS FREEDOMS IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING ISSUES 
OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.  THIS IS 
PARTICULARLY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING IN A REGION 
WHERE CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENTS AND REGIMES IS NOT WELL- 
APPRECIATED.  MADANAT IS SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING 
AMMANNET A CONDUIT FOR RAISING THE CEILING OF ACCOUNTABILITY 
AND TRANSPARENCY, SPECIALLY IN THE FIELDS OF GOVERNMENT AND 
BUSINESS IN JORDAN.  WE BELIEVE THAT BY TAKING PART IN THIS 
PROGRAM, MADANAT WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF 
INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC GRASS-ROOTS ORGANIZING TECHNIQUES TO 
WIDEN THE SCOPE AND IMPACT OF AMMANNET'S WORK IN JORDAN. 
 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
START MEMO VIS-REC: 
 
END MEMO VIS-REC: 
NOMINATING-OFFICER: IO 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 
SPEAKER?: NO 
NOTIFY-EMB: YES 
MEDIA?: YES 
HOME-STAY: NO 
HOME-HOSP?: YES 
E-I-TYPE: NONE 
NOMINEE-ID: 275 
PERSON-ID: 268 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: WB 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: JO 
RES-CNTRY-ID: JO 
FIRST-LANG-ID: AR 
E-I-TYPE-ID: N 
NOM-POST-ID: 2887 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 2887 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 38.0103 
SPONS-FUNDS: 7600 
SPONS-AGENCY1: DOS 
USGOVT-AGENCY1: DOS 
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 7600 
USGOVT-AGENCY2: 
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0 
INTL-ORG1: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0 
INTL-ORG2: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0 
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0 
COMMISSION: 0 
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-CAT: 5 
END BIO: 
END NOMINATION: 
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT: 
 
2.  PLEASE ADVISE ACCEPTANCE. 
HALE