JORDANIAN ARTICLE ON "HI" MAGAZINE

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