This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

190416Z Oct 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PPD CWHITTLESEY, NEA/ARPI JJOHNSTONE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL PGOV BA
SUBJECT: Bahrain Broadcasting Builds Independence from 
Within, Sees Future in PBS/BBC Models 
 
REF:  Johnstone/Hornbuckle emails/telecom 10/11) 
 
¶1. This is an action cable.  See paragraph 13. 
 
¶2. Summary:  The Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation 
(BRTC) has begun a major overhaul of its state-run media 
enterprise, and has embraced a reform strategy that has 
potential to enhance its independence by making major 
structural changes to the organization.  The goal is to 
increase editorial and financial independence, including 
creation of a PBS-style board of directors and a separate 
BBC-style commercial service.  This initiative, generated by 
a personal request from the Minister of Information and 
supported by a MEPI-funded assessment, has already resulted 
in changes to editorial content, with more attention to 
local news, business and health programs.  The long-term 
strategy calls for more structural changes in the 
organization, consolidating staff, and paying greater 
attention to its financial viability and long-term 
sustainability and independence.  If successful, this 
initiative will constitute a substantial shift away from 
government-run media to government-owned and increasingly 
independent media. 
 
¶3. The Ministry of Information has asked for more support 
from the USG to implement the recommendations in the MEPI 
assessment.   We believe the energy behind this project is 
genuine and will advance our democratic reform goals in the 
region.  The Embassy urges further USG support for this 
endeavor.  End Summary. 
 
¶4. In July 2005, CHUM Television International began its 
assessment of BRTC and took a hard and realistic look at the 
organization, its bloated state-bureaucracy, its 
preoccupation with royal "Court" coverage, and its 
increasing irrelevance against a backdrop of an explosion of 
Arab satellite television networks.  With support and buy-in 
from the Bahraini Minister of Information Abdul Ghaffar, 
eager to modernize and "brand" Bahrain as a financial 
services center to the region, BRTC quickly adopted changes 
in news content.  These changes included granting editorial 
control of Royal Court News to the News Department, which 
quickly acted to shorten Court news items, and devoting a 
team of five reporters to local news coverage instead.  BRTC 
has created a digital newsroom, laying the groundwork for 
greater efficiencies throughout the organization.  The local 
program "Bab Al Bahrain" has begun airing real local Arabic 
language news, but continues to be severely under-resourced. 
 
¶5. On October 16, PAO met with Fawzi Tolefat who, as advisor 
to the Minister of Information, is charged with implementing 
the strategies recommended by CHUM Television International. 
CHUM's recommendations for BRTC include substantial 
organizational and management changes, enhanced commercial 
production, and the development of quality news content and 
channels. 
 
¶6. According to Tolefat, BRTC would like to move forward 
with what he referred to as "radical changes."  He said the 
ultimate objective of this reform is a broadcaster that is 
customer-oriented and driven by the needs of the audience 
for news, information, and entertainment.  To accomplish 
these changes and overcome the entrenched resistance to 
change among its aged and atrophied civil service, BRTC is 
convinced it needs a foreign expert to assist in the 
implementation stage, which they forecast will take two 
years.  The Ministry has requested USG assistance to at 
least partially fund this project, preferably the CHUM 
advisors with whom they have already worked.  These two 
consultants would work with the Chief Executive Officer 
(CEO) and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to oversee and 
implement the recommendations.  COMMENT:  From mission 
perspective, CHUM has created real momentum and a dynamic 
working relationship with BRTC management. 
 
BRTC Genesis 
------------ 
 
¶7. CHUM's recommendations for organizational changes are 
aimed at improving BRTC's commercial viability and editorial 
independence, including the recruitment of a CEO with 
experience in market and customer-driven organizations, and 
a COO.  Other recommendations include: introduce job 
descriptions for corporate officers and department heads; 
develop a mission statement for BRTC as a domestic public 
broadcaster and as an international broadcasting service; 
clarify lines of authority and responsibility; simplify 
management structure and consolidate operating units; 
evaluate BRTC's opting out of the civil service system in 
order to reorganize departments for operational efficiency 
with a merit system for performance; initiate 12-month 
program planning cycles and budget; improve planning 
process; acquire financial software and systems to support 
BRTC's budget; and develop a centralized Information 
Technology Department. 
¶8. Recommendations for commercial production changes include 
creating an independent commercial production unit to serve 
both radio and television.  This unit would be a profit- 
center for BRTC.  A promotions department would serve to 
brand and promote BRTC on and off the air, and would produce 
a marketing plan in conjunction with the sales and marketing 
department. 
 
¶9. CHUM's recommendations also include changes to BRTC news 
content and channels that would foster competitive domestic 
channels that inform, educate and entertain.  The assessment 
found that due to a lack of audience research, current 
programming priorities are driven by subjective preferences 
rather than objective market information.  Objectives also 
include the development of quality international channels 
that resonate beyond Bahrain. 
 
¶10. The heart of the CHUM recommendations are in the area of 
News Programming and include the following: develop news 
programming that is relevant to the people of Bahrain; 
increase local news coverage of events and issues inside 
Bahrain, to improve and diversify international coverage, 
and localize and personalize news content and presentation. 
Since the assessment began, the news department has gained 
editorial control of Royal Court coverage, and has begun to 
address the deficit of local news that has resonance for 
everyday Bahrainis, such as education, housing, spot news 
reporting, traffic, health, environment, or other relevant 
topics. 
 
¶11. In contrast to Bahrain print media, which does devote 
substantial print to local events and community news 
reporting, BTV has been largely void in this area.  CHUM 
recommends the appointment of a full-time News Director as 
soon as possible, and the establishment of an independent 
News Advisory Board to define editorial content and 
standards, thus contributing to a (Corporation for Public 
Broadcasting) CPB/PBS-style editorial independence.  The 
board would work on issues such as elections coverage, 
ethical standards, government news and advertising content. 
BRTC also plans to re-launch the successful Arabic local 
news program "Bab Al Bahrain" as a sophisticated local news 
program, with a professionally trained news team and studio 
set, and its own independent editorial policy. Both the news 
department and Bab Al Bahrain should be free of interference 
from the marketing department, and would develop a policy on 
how to handle requests for coverage from government agencies 
and the private sector. 
 
¶12. COMMENT:  Backing from the Bahraini government for 
increasing the editorial independence of BRTC is an 
important development in the course of Bahrain's democratic 
reform process, and reflects an attitude of enlightened self- 
interest that has major potential benefits for the country 
and its media freedoms.  According to Tolefat, the CHUM 
report has provided a "spark" in an environment where the 
organization's younger members ("new blood") are already 
eager for change, greater openness, and to make Bahrain 
television competitive, relevant, and valuable to the 
Bahraini public and the Gulf region. 
 
¶13. ACTION REQUEST:  Bahrain has requested support for the 
hiring of two consultants for two years (total cost: 
$500,000).  The Ministry has indicated it might be able to 
fund about one-half of the costs, but wants USG support for 
the remainder, both for financial reasons and for the 
symbolic impact of USG commitment and backing of this reform 
project.  The Embassy strongly recommends participation in 
this project, which supports the democratic reform process 
in Bahrain by encouraging development of independent media. 
By contributing to this project, we show our support for 
reforms, and retain our ability to influence implementation 
to ensure the Ministry holds to its commitment to 
independence of its News Advisory Board. 
 
MONROE