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STATE FOR R, NEA/PPD, NEA/MAG, IIP/G/NEA/SA, ECA/PE/V, ECA/PE/C AND 
PA/OBS/BS&P (SANTULLI) 
LONDON FOR MOC 
DUBAI FOR MEDIA HUB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL KISL KPAO OIIP KIRC PHUM KMPI PGOV MO
SUBJECT: "ISLAM IN AMERICA" DOCUMENTARY ON MOROCCAN TV 
 
------------------- 
Summary and Comment 
------------------- 
 
¶1.  Morocco's semi-private television network "2m" produced a 
28-minute documentary on Islam in the U.S., which aired in early 
October on the popular monthly news magazine "Grand Angle" ("Wide 
Angle").  It also aired on Al Maghribiya satellite channel, which is 
widely watched by the Moroccan community abroad, particularly in 
Europe.  An estimated 3.5 million viewers saw the first airing; an 
unknown - but probably larger - number saw the satellite network 
broadcast.  The feature, entitled "Islam in the United States: 
Another War?" presented a hard-hitting but balanced look at American 
attitudes towards Islam, as well as Muslim-American views on life in 
the U.S.  Through interviews and footage of a wide range of 
Americans - Muslim rights activists, a radical anti-Islamic 
reverend, Muslim politicians and comedians, and ordinary citizens - 
"2m" presented a complex portrait of Islam in America, while 
underscoring that the values of religious freedom and tolerance 
predominate.  "2m"'s decision to present a few extremist voices 
increased the program's credibility and thus strengthened the 
reporter's ultimate conclusion that Muslim-Americans are free to 
practice their faith peacefully.  This project was funded out of 
post's FY08 PD supplemental allotment in cooperation with the State 
Department's TV cooperative program.  End summary and comment. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Media and Public Opinion on Islam 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  "Seven years after the attacks of 9/11, America is still the 
land of opportunity, [with] the freedom to practice one's personal 
faith," opined reporter Salma Mhaoud in her opening voice-over.  She 
also noted, however, that Islam represented a special case worthy of 
attention, as it divides Americans, be they men (or women) on the 
street, politicians or journalists. 
 
¶3.  Mhaoud opened by citing the results of recent polls conducted by 
the Pew Research Institute indicating that  35% of Americans had a 
negative view of Islam in 2007, as opposed to 22% in 2002.  45% of 
Americans thought that Islam encouraged violence more than other 
religions.  Providing context for these figures, Mhaoud interviewed 
students of communications at American University, who told her that 
the media played a critical role in fostering the image that 
Americans have of Islam.  Many Americans, the students argued, 
understood that this image did not necessarily reflect reality. 
 
¶4.  Mhaoud observed that some radical voices in the media, such as 
radio talk-show host Bill Handle, had been accused of encouraging 
Islamophobia by the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR). 
His sarcastic comments following a deadly stampede during a Hajj 
pilgrimage several years ago triggered an uproar among 
Muslim-Americans.  In an interview with "2m," Handle justified his 
comments by saying that he did not make any distinction between 
Jews, Christians and Muslims, that all were objects of his sarcasm 
and humor. 
 
--------------------------- 
Islam and American Politics 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5.  The reporter discussed the case of Reverend Rod Parsley, using 
stock footage of him making anti-Islamic comments, and how his 
friendship with Republican presidential candidate John McCain could 
have stained the latter's reputation had McCain not publicly 
disavowed relations with Parsley's church.  She observed in this 
regard that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has long 
been suspected of being a secret Muslim.  She noted that he had been 
described as the favorite candidate of Hamas by his opponent, and 
reported on the controversy surrounding The New Yorker magazine 
cover portraying Obama as a radical Muslim.  She noted that many 
Americans viewed this cartoon as exaggerated and po 
litically 
motivated, and not a representation of reality. 
 
¶6.  Mhaoud interviewed Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison (a 
Muslim), who explained that ignorance was among the reasons 
Americans associated Islam with violence.  According to him, the 
media's influence is all the more dangerous when it operates in an 
environment of ignorance, adding, "it is not true that America hates 
Islam."  Imam Abdul Alim Moussa preaches an opposing point of view; 
in a speech "2m" picked up from YouTube, the controversial imam 
claimed that the U.S. is in war against Islam.  Leonard Steinhorn, 
an expert in communications, expressed the view to "2m" that Muslims 
themselves had to take responsibility for managing Islam's image 
problem in the U.S. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Integration and Muslim-American Public Opinion 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  Mhaoud turned to questions about Muslim-American attitudes, 
citing polls indicating that 15% are in favor of terrorist attacks, 
while 72% are happy with their life in the United States.  She 
interviewed a Muslim restaurant owner and a businessman, who told 
her that Muslims did not experience discrimination in the U.S, 
except occasionally at airports. 
 
¶8.  Since 9/11, and especially after an imam was convicted for 
having being in contact with the hijackers of the airplane that hit 
the Pentagon, mosques have faced greater monitoring than previously, 
"2m" reported.  Mhaoud interviewed Muslim-Americans who reported 
that preachers are more moderate in tone since 9/11, but the 
substance of their messages had not changed dramatically. 
 
-------------- 
Everyday Islam 
-------------- 
 
¶9. "2m" concluded its documentary by interviewing Bryant Moss, a 
Muslim-American who founded the comedy group "Allah made me funny." 
He asserted that American Islam was no different from Islam in other 
parts of the world.  Taking the reporter on a tour of his 
neighborhood, he asked the audience to see his home and his 
community as representative of every day Islam in America: "This is 
the real Islam, it is natural, it is not what you see on 
television."  Mhaoud concluded her feature by observing that, 
despite all the controversy surrounding Islam in the Unites States, 
Moss practiced his religion peacefully, which - she said - is what 
was great about "this country of the free, home of the brave." 
 
--------------------- 
Background on Project 
 
--------------------- 
 
¶10.  This project was funded by the State Department through the 
FY08 PD supplemental and managed by the Foreign Press Center's TV 
Coop program.  The Moroccan crew - a journalist, cameraman and sound 
engineer - conducted filming in July 2008, working with a producer 
contracted by the State Department.  They visited Washington, DC, 
New York and Los Angeles over the course of two weeks.  2m broadcast 
the feature story during prime-time on September 25 as part of its 
award-winning monthly news magazine program "Grand Angle" ("Wide 
Angle").  "Grand Angle" has a 14.2% market share, which translates 
into about 3.5 million viewers.  The same program was aired on Al 
Maghribiya satellite channel, which is widely watched by the 
Moroccan community abroad, particularly in Europe.  2m has no 
mechanism for measuring overseas viewership, but believes it is 
larger than the domestic audience. 
 
JACKSON