U.S. Broadcasting Industry Fights Prejudice Against Arab and Muslim Americans

By Laura J. Brown
Washington File Staff Writer

Television public service ads carry message of tolerance

Washington -- The U.S. broadcasting industry has stepped forward with two television ads discouraging discrimination and violence toward Arab and Muslim Americans in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

One ad, produced by Starz Encore Group, features several images of Arab and Muslim Americans. "If we vent our anger toward them just because of how they look, we are actually attacking individual freedom, a founding principle of this great nation," it says.

The other ad, produced by Brokaw Inc. of Cleveland in association with the Arab American Institute, prints a message of tolerance across the screen, the words forming the outlines of the twin towers of the World Trade Center as they once stood in the Manhattan skyline.

The Arab American Institute, Starz Encore Group, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and the Brokaw Inc. advertising agency unveiled the ads December 20, which are expected to air in up to 64 million U.S. households.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who were on hand for the viewing, applauded the broadcasting industry for its contribution to the nationwide campaign of tolerance in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

"These public service announcements are the latest part of a serious campaign which the president launched himself virtually immediately after the attacks of September 11th to impress upon all Americans that tolerance and acceptance of Muslim and Arab Americans isn't just our duty in these trying times, but it's a hallmark of American freedom," said Abraham.

The secretary, who is Lebanese-American, said he was "particularly touched by the commitment" of the ad producers.

"Please remember, each of us is an Arab-American or a Japanese-American, Irish-American, African-American or perhaps some other heritage. Heritage is important, but it's that second word, American that is the most important of all," Abraham added.

Starz Encore Group and Brokaw Inc. produced the ads at their own expense, and other cable and satellite operators have agreed to donate commercial airtime to run the ads on their systems.

"Those of us at the helms of these companies have a very important duty and obligation to do our part in moving our country in the right direction, accentuating our country's core values of tolerance, freedom and diversity," said John Sie, chairman and CEO of the nation's largest provider of cable and satellite broadcasting, Starz Encore Group.

The entertainment industry has also pledged support in the campaign to promote tolerance and discourage ethnic stereotyping. Jack Valenti, president and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, said that since September 11th, film studios, television networks, actors and writers guilds as well as theaters have looked for opportunities to contribute to the campaign.

"As far as I'm concerned -- and I've been in this business over 30 years in the movie industry -- I've never seen this kind of passionate conviction, enthusiastic joining in, to offer their persuasion, skills, their creative knowledge and their money, to produce the kind of messages that we're going to send all over the world."

James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, said these messages "come at an important time" as all Americans process the fear and tensions resulting from the September 11 attacks.

"The ads that are here in the presence of leaders of the administration and leaders in the entertainment industry, is an example of that outpouring of support for our community that says terrorism doesn't win, America will not be divided, Arab Americans and Muslim Americans are truly part of the fabric of this country, and we will send this message to the rest of America."

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said he knows "first-hand about being judged by one's looks and by one's skin color" as a Japanese-American. The ads, he said, were a testament to America's commitment to individual freedoms and rights.

"We have built a nation on the idea that all men and women are created equally, that they are of equal worth, and that each of us, wherever we come from, whatever language we speak, whatever religion we practice or whatever nation our parents called home, are equally entitled to call ourselves American," he said.

The terrorists, he added, "believe that they can use the force of terror and fear to make us fail our most basic principles and to break our most sacred promises to each other. With Americans joining together, like all of you here today, and across our great nation, I am convinced and feel very confident that they will not succeed."