Fostering Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting

The Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) face significant challenges in implementing public diplomacy programs designed to engage, inform, and influence audiences overseas, particularly as polling data have generally shown that anti-Americanism has spread and intensified since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Though State and the BBG have taken actions to develop a more strategic and integrated approach to public diplomacy and measure the effectiveness of their programs, challenges remain.

• State continues to face program implementation challenges, such as shortages in staffing and language capabilities, and security issues hamper its overseas efforts to reach foreign audiences.
  
  Highlights of GAO-06-535 (PDF)
• State also lacks a strategic, coordinated approach in its use of audience research to develop public diplomacy messages.
  
  Highlights of GAO-07-904 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

State needs to take several actions, including the following:

• Improve the delivery of public diplomacy messages to Muslim audiences around the world by developing written guidance detailing how the department intends to implement its public diplomacy goals as they apply to the Muslim world, as well as a strategy to guide department efforts to engage the private sector in pursuit of common public diplomacy objectives;
  
  Highlights of GAO-06-535 (PDF)
• Assess the impact of U.S. marking and publicity programs and activities on public awareness and establish interagency agreements for marking and publicizing all U.S. foreign assistance; and
  
  Highlights of GAO-07-277 (PDF)
• Endorse and adopt a research-based approach to thematic communications, and take actions to improve the coordination and sharing of audience research across agencies, such as by establishing a forum that would bring audience research staff together on a regular basis to discuss topics of interest.
  Highlights of GAO-07-904 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

U.S. Public Diplomacy: Actions Needed to Improve Strategic Use and Coordination of Research

GAO-07-904, July 18, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 56 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

Foreign Assistance: Actions Needed to Better Assess the Impact of Agencies' Marking and Publicizing Efforts

GAO-07-277, March 12, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 52 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department Efforts to Engage Muslim Audiences Lack Certain Communication Elements and Face Significant Challenges

GAO-06-535, May 3, 2006

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 65 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

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