The Fletcher School Online Journal for issues related to Southwest Asia and Islamic Civilization Spring 2005, Article 5 Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting: Public Diplomacy or Propaganda? Anna Tiedeman ʺThe best propaganda and lies are the Broadcasting (IRIB), in order to determine worst. To be persuasive we must be whether the organization is a tool of public believable; to be believable we must be diplomacy or propaganda. credible; to be credible we must be truthful. It is as simple as that.” Public Diplomacy Defined – Edward R. Murrow Textbooks define traditional diplomacy as the “putting of foreign policies into practice” via Introduction “political contact between governments of 1 Public diplomacy is heralded as the solution different nations.” The roots of diplomacy trace for winning hearts and minds around the world, back to the word diploma, a Greek word meaning but it is a rather vague and all encompassing a folded piece of paper. This folded paper implies term. Its goal is to educate, inform and engage a level of secrecy between the holder of the paper 2 foreign publics in an attempt to win their favor. and the recipient. The contents of the paper States conduct public diplomacy in an attempt to would be closely guarded and only shared with a sway foreign publics, who in turn could exert small number of people. This traditional form of influence on their government’s foreign policy diplomacy was practiced by high level decisions. Public diplomacy activities often government ministers behind closed doors and include exchange programs, educational only the results were made available to the public. campaigns, and strategic messaging aimed at Royce Ammon refers to traditional diplomacy as foreign publics. International broadcasting in “old diplomacy” and says this form was practiced particular is often an integral part of overall from the Renaissance period until World War I. public diplomacy efforts, as it provides a media Following the war, “new diplomacy” emerged, platform for one party to reach various large relying on newsprint and global television rather 3 audiences simultaneously. Such large scale efforts than on handwritten correspondence. at strategic messaging, or mass education, The communications revolution that began at however, are often called propaganda. Many do that time has steadily shifted, and continues to not distinguish between public diplomacy and shift, the paradigm of diplomacy. Ammon argues propaganda, saying that the former is simply a that advances in communications have affected euphemism for the latter. This paper will the way diplomacy is conducted in three ways: examine this contention, and seek to define those “first, by displacing traditional methods; second, characteristics that differentiate one activity from by increasing the diplomatic influence of non‐ the other. It will then analyze Iran’s international traditional sectors; and third, by accelerating 4 broadcasting arm, the Islamic Republic of Iran diplomacy’s pace.” Today’s version of © The Fletcher School – Al Nakhlah – Tufts University 160 Packard Avenue – Medford, MA 02155-7082 USA – Tel: +1.617.627.3700 2 Al Nakhlah diplomacy—what Ammon calls ‘telediplomacy’— limited to U.S. governmental activities, is characterized by its reliance on real time but examine public diplomacy as it television. International broadcasting of radio pertains to a wide range of institutions 7 and television has transformed diplomacy and and governments around the globe. world affairs. Global broadcasting not only defines the method of diplomacy, it also plays a Political scientist Joseph Nye describes public 5 significant role in shaping policy outcomes. diplomacy as a policy expression of what he terms 8 Public diplomacy was created out of ‘soft power.’ Soft power, he states, “is the power necessity in this new diplomacy context. No of getting others to want the outcomes you want; longer able to keep the public out of foreign it is the power of attraction. Instead of resorting affairs, world leaders tried instead to control or to threats or physical force, soft power rests on the manage information available to foreign publics. ability to seduce people into creating certain 9 The founding definition of outcomes.” Nye also points to a variety of Global broadcasting public diplomacy comes factors in addition to government policy that may not only defines the from Edmund Gullion, contribute to soft power, including prevailing Dean of the Fletcher School culture, attitudes, and values. method of diplomacy, it of Law and Diplomacy, Mark Leonard, who directs the Foreign also plays a significant upon the establishment of Policy Centre in London, breaks down public 10 role in shaping policy the Edward R. Murrow diplomacy into three dimensions. The first outcomes. Center of Public Diplomacy dimension is daily communication. At a basic in 1965. The Fletcher level, this involves being present to offer a catalogue described public diplomacy as: country’s point of view to journalists, diplomats, and the country as a whole. This ability to offer …the role of the press and other media ‘our side of the story’ is essential because without in international affairs, cultivation by it the audience is only hearing what their own governments of public opinion, the non‐ government or media is telling them. If the goal is government interaction of private to influence or change minds of the publics, first groups and interests in one country one has to have access. In addition, the messages with those of another, and the impact of conveyed must be seen as credible by the these transnational processes on the audience and must be consistent with the formulation of policy and the conduct of prevailing national position. Messages that 6 foreign affairs. contradict peoples’ personal experiences will lead to confusion and ultimately distrust of the The University of Southern California’s message sender. Perception is crucial in public Center on Public Diplomacy offers an even diplomacy. Without the trust of the audience, the broader definition of public diplomacy, extending messages will fall on deaf ears. its reach to include all government, NGO and Strategic communications is the second level private sector and cultural influencers of a foreign of public diplomacy, according to Leonard. In public. The Center: order to ensure consistency, a single theme or strategic message must be projected by all official …studies the impact of private activities outlets. Strategic messages are usually conveyed ‐ from popular culture to fashion to and reinforced through a series of events and sports to news to the Internet ‐ that messages. In this phase, it is crucial that the inevitably, if not purposefully, have an message is constant and consistent. impact on foreign policy and national Finally, at the heart of public diplomacy lies security as well as on trade, tourism and the third dimension, the development of long other national interests. Moreover, the term human relationships. These relationships Centerʹs points of inquiry are not are built over long periods of time through © The Fletcher School – Al Nakhlah – Tufts University Spring 2005, Article 5 3 exchanges, training exercises, conferences, foreign groups of students, sports teams, and scholarships, and access to media channels, artists to come to Iran and learn about its culture. among other activities. In addition, the IRIB website provides a In addition to direct government public significant amount of material about Iran’s culture diplomacy efforts, there is also indirect public and history. diplomacy. The brands and representatives of a The IRIB also fits with the explanation of country’s companies often are more available to public diplomacy offered by Monroe Price, co‐ people around the world than are government director of Oxford University’s Program in 11 officials. American culture as conveyed by Comparative Media Law and Policy. Price argues Hollywood, McDonald’s, or Tiger Woods, for that states have an interest in political stability example, often has a significant impact on the and require citizens to ‘buy in’ to their messages way foreign publics view America. Real time in order to maintain control. Public diplomacy, television can also exert an indirect effect on he explains, is the crucial tool by which states policy; global television can first shape public compete in a ‘market of loyalties’ for the hearts opinion, which may subsequently influence and minds of citizens. This interchange occurs in 12 foreign policy. what Price describes as a market as divided between ‘sellers’ and ‘buyers’ of information. The Iran’s Public Diplomacy sellers control the means of communication and Iran is actively involved in public diplomacy, are able to convert myths, attempting to win hearts and minds abroad. dreams, and history into Unlike in the United However, unlike in the United States, where the power by crafting an States, where the government is expressly forbidden from using identity that includes a government is public diplomacy tactics on its own domestic loyalty to the state as a key residents, no such distinction exists in Iran. element. Meanwhile, expressly forbidden .Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the market buyers receive this from using public broadcasting arm of the Iranian regime, information and adopt, or diplomacy tactics on its broadcasts both domestically on television and ‘pay,’ for this identity with own domestic radio channels, as well as internationally on ‘loyalty’ or patriotism that residents, no such several radio channels and on the internet in over creates stability and allows 24 different languages. According to the IRIB the buyer to maintain distinction exists in 14 official website, the network pursues the goal of control. Iran. “familiarizing different world nations with Iran’s This market is all the history and culture as well as its different regions more essential in a dictatorship or closed society. and historical sites.” In addition, the Voice of Leaders rely on selling their messages Justice program is a “campaign against the U.S.