Message from Deirdre Kline Communications Director, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. re Lugar USIB report

From: Deirdre Kline (dkline@alhurra.com)
Sent: Fri 6/11/10 10:15 PM
To: johnhbrown30@hotmail.com (johnhbrown30@hotmail.com)

John,

I saw that you picked up a couple of the mentions to Lugar’s report. I wanted to forward you MBN’s response to the ForeignPolicy.com article[at http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/06/11/lugar_takes_on_bbg_and_coburn_in_new_report].

Regards,

Deirdre

We appreciate Senator Lugar’s report pointing out the success of Alhurra in Iraq where research shows it has a weekly reach of 64 percent and is the third most trusted TV news station in the country. However, it is equally important to highlight the success Alhurra has had throughout the Middle East. As the chart on page 31 of Sen. Lugar’s report shows, Alhurra’s audience has consistently averaged more than 25 million weekly viewers for the last three years – a significant audience by any standard - and an unprecedented audience by international broadcasting standards. The network is the leading international non-indigenous news television channel broadcasting to the Middle East.

Surveys conducted by international research firms such as ACNielsen also show that a majority of Alhurra’s audience finds the news to be credible. Respondents also said that Alhurra contributes to their understanding of current events including 85 percent in the UAE, 80 percent in Syria and 70 percent in Morocco. Additionally, Alhurra is regularly cited as a source of news for other Arab media outlets.

In a region filled with anti-American sentiment and with the local media regularly distorting U.S. policy; Alhurra’s steady inroads into the competitive Middle East marketplace are noteworthy.

Deirdre Kline
Communications Director
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.

[note: Lugar report at