While diplomacy is a means to apply a state’s foreign policy, media is the means to present this policy internally and externally.
That’s why we have to realize that there is political discourse to address the outside world other than the one used internally and mixing both is counterproductive.
Many of contemporary political regimes fabricate and present a good image of their achievements to bolster internal public opinion or, in other words, for local consumption. But if those regimes try to export such fabricated images to foreign countries, their discourse will sound pale and feeble and will not have its intended effect.
The media is frequently blamed for not presenting the real depiction of a country. The media is significantly guilty because one can’t complain about what is on the table if the kitchen’s contents are substandard.
Fortunately, Egyptian diplomacy is one of the oldest diplomacies in the so-called “third world.” That’s why Egyptian political discourse must focus on having a foreign policy that reflects the internal vision and be a harmonious extension of internal policies.
We finally must say that part of the weakness of Egyptian media in addressing foreign countries is mainly due to the lack of experienced staff in dealing with foreign mentalities, resorting instead to boring repetition, incapable of drawing attention towards the foreign interests.
Egyptians have the impression that Egypt is the center of the world, like most Arab countries do. This has lead to the emergence of media companies whose main task is to market countries’ policies outside and enhance their image abroad.
