BRITAIN’S COUNTER BROADCAST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20931, 10 January 1938, Page 7

BRITAIN’S COUNTER BROADCAST

REPLY TO HOSTILE NEWS IMMENSE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ITALIANS’ ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 9, 7.30 p.m.) JERUSALEM, January 8. Arabs seem still to prefer to listen in to the Bari bradcast. The difficulties confronting the British attempts to counteract the Italian propaganda are enormous. An Arab educationist states that the average resident in Palestine believes the exaggerated versions of events announced last night. The Bari broadcast left no doubt that Italy, continuing her propaganda items, referred to Britain’s militaristic Gvernment. Anti-British propaganda has become a favourite pastime in the cafes which are crowded during the Bari broadcasts. The irony of the situation is that the Italian broadcasts are picked up on wireless sets that Britain supplies to the Arabs free in order to popularise the local Palestine station. Bari’s presentation of news is extremely clever. The announcer speaks in the colloquial Arabic used by the mass of illiterate villagers, contrasting with the British announcer’s over-educated style. The Bari always refers to the Arab renaissance movement as a magnificent national revolt and similar phrases. The station describes terrorists as heroes, casualties as martyrs, and speaks frequently of British oppression.

FRENCH COUNTER-STROKE

ITALIAN NEWSPAPERS BANNED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph -Copyright (Received January 9, 7.30 p.m.) PARIS, January 8. The French Ministery of the Interior has banned two Italian newspapers, presumably as a reprisal for the embargo on the circulation of French newspapers in Italy. The action is noteworthy as the first attempt to pay the Dictatorship in its own coin.