*EPF314 09/15/2004
"Hi" Youth Magazine Not Just For Arabic Speakers
(New English-language website seeks to build global understanding) (800)

By Stephen Kaufman
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- "Hi," a monthly Arabic youth-oriented magazine, has recently launched a website containing English-language versions of its articles and features in an effort to reach out to 18 to 35 year olds all over the world.

The articles, covering issues such as careers, sports, entertainment, education, social relationships and other topics typically of interest to younger audiences, can be found at Hi International (http://www.hiinternational.com/).

According to the new website, Hi focuses on the shared interests of youth in the United States and beyond "with the hope of building bridges of greater understanding among our cultures."

Published by The Magazine Group (TMG), a private-sector company based in Washington, D.C., and funded by the U.S. Department of State, Hi International and its Arabic counterpart Hi Magazine (http://www.himag.com/) seek to inform their audiences about life and culture in the United States.

Whereas the Arabic-language Hi Magazine is targeted specifically for youth in Arab countries, Hi International translates many of the magazine's articles into English to make them accessible far beyond the Middle East.

"We realized that most of the articles in Hi were suitable for youth anywhere in the world," said Christopher Datta, the director of special projects at the State Department's International Information Programs (IIP), "and so we thought why not do a site in English and reach a much broader audience."

"This is now everybody's world," explained Robert La Franco, a contributor to Hi Magazine and Hi International, as well as a freelance writer for various publications including Rolling Stone Magazine.

"You know, people can access this from Indonesia if they want, or South America, Argentina, wherever. So, for sure, it opens up the market completely for what we've written and what they're doing," he said.

One of the features on Hi International is "Ask America," where readers are invited to ask questions about the United States and American culture, which TMG then arranges for college professors or other private sector experts to answer. In the spirit of dialogue, American youth are also given an opportunity to ask questions about other countries.

Hi readers are also encouraged to send feedback on the articles and other materials being offered to them.

"We welcome youth sending in questions and sending us letters, e-mails, letting us know what they think, and letting us know what they would like to see on the website. And we take that into account," said Datta.

Freelance writer La Franco said he anticipated such feedback generating new story ideas or assignments. "If something comes up that they feel it's good for me to do, then I'd do it," he said.

The publication is also seeking to overcome prevalent, but often distorted images of Americans as presented in popular motion pictures or in the mass media, including outlets from within the United States.

"There is a lot of disinformation about the United States," Datta said. "It's often said that people understand American culture because of CNN or because they go to the movies. In fact, that's not the case at all. I think that people don't understand American culture very well."

"What we want to do is create ... real understanding because there's a story about the United States that needs to be told. Youth in the United States and abroad have a lot in common," he said.

Hi is a magazine that focuses on cultural issues, Datta explained, because polls have shown that youth around the world rate issues such as family, relationships, and earning a living as the most important ones affecting their lives.

"When you ask youth what are the things that they are most interested in, those are the things that Hi is all about," he said. The publication is designed to meet their desire to keep abreast of topics such as the current job market, hot careers, or how to get a visa to study in the United States. "These are things that we cover all the time in this magazine. So, Hi is there to help them realize their potential that way, in terms of how do they find their way as youth," he said.

All newspapers and magazines are allowed to reprint the articles, so long as they credit Hi International as the source, said Datta. Many Hi Magazine stories in Arabic have already been reprinted in Middle Eastern newspapers or have provided source material for similar articles. "I'd like to see that with Hi International as well," Datta said.

IIP's Washington File (http://usinfo.state.gov) has also begun using the English language articles for translation into other languages, such as Persian or Spanish.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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