EU/BRUSSELS SERIES: Adapting to an everchanging media market; How The Hub came to be

Susan Elbow has seen change in how the U.S. handles public diplomacy. As the director of the European Media Center in Brussels, having served with the U.S. State Department for the past 22 years, her foreign service job focuses on outreach, working with the media and general communication efforts. But how her role has been played since the beginning of her career is an evolving story.

“After the Cold War, the government decided we didn’t need a big army anymore, so there were huge military cuts,” Elbow said.

The government then turned its attention and funding to improving the image of the U.S. around the world. Once Hollywood began producing films that made the U.S. look good, the government decided it didn’t need to fund this type of action anymore, so they cut support for image management.

“After 9/11, we realized that was a huge mistake,” she said.

Finally came the liberation of the European broadcast media in the east, in places such as Poland and Hungry, which liberated media markets, Elbow said.

When the media liberation began, there was an explosion of broadcasters who needed content for their newfound viewers. They made sure they had a story to tell, and inevitably, there were discrepancies in the accuracy of these articles.

“Then there was this feeling of don’t talk to the press,” Elbow said. “But if you need to, talk to print. Never live.”

A new addition to the team changed the way the group addressed the challenge of getting information to the European public.

Karen Hughes was named undersecretary of state for public diplomacy with the rank of ambassador in 2005.

“Karen Hughes came on board and said we need to do better; get them on air and train them to be (on air),” Elbow said. “Al Jazeera was off limits at that time. She disagreed with that and wanted to put spots on air (rather) than to have someone else saying negative things about the U.S. (in those time slots).”

Hughes also developed The Hub. The Brussels-based European media center was officially opened May 29. It includes radio and television studios aimed “to encourage and facilitate dialogue between the U.S. and overseas audiences by connecting U.S. policymakers with European television and radio broadcasters and print media, according to a U.S. Department of State press release.

In The Hub, live-studio interviews can be created, as well as pre-taped interviews with U.S. officials. The goal is to keep up with the international news market and provide accurate information to the European public to establish a dialog about foreign policy.

With the change came increased presence of U.S. officials on European airtime. The official in Dubai goes on air nearly three times a day and he does some shows in Arabic, Elbow said.

The Brussels Hub monitors the European media and works with seven embassies daily, she said. In the morning, Hub employees identify stories of key interest to the U.S. or those of high interest to Europeans. They look at two newspapers of record for each country for information. In London, those sources are The Times and The Guardian. Then, Hub employees put together a report with numerous sources and send it to Washington.

“Also, we try to head off negative stories or come out at the same time with the other side,” she said.

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