How America’s State-Funded Media Can Be a Powerful Tool Against Adversaries: Michael Pack
Feb 5, 2025
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Michael Pack, a documentary filmmaker and former head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, dives into the world of state-funded media as a powerful tool for public diplomacy. He discusses the staggering impact of a $900 million budget and its reach across 70 languages. Pack advocates for promoting American values globally, particularly emphasizing how breaking down China's internet firewall could transform public discourse there. Additionally, he shares insights on the evolving media landscape, censorship, and the importance of balanced storytelling in documentaries.
Michael Pack emphasizes the crucial role of the U.S. Agency for Global Media in promoting diverse American values abroad, particularly against authoritarian regimes.
He advocates for breaking down China's internet firewall to enhance access to a variety of ideas, envisioning significant societal change through open discourse.
Deep dives
Investment in Culture and Public Diplomacy
The left has made significant investments in cultural initiatives since the 1960s, with every American university featuring a film school that typically promotes a woke perspective. This coverage highlights the importance of utilizing public diplomacy to counter authoritarian narratives, particularly from adversarial nations like China and Russia. The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), presided over by Michael Pack, oversees several important broadcasters with a dedicated budget of around $900 million to promote American values globally. It emphasizes the need for American ideas to be shared widely, suggesting that if the Chinese populace could access diverse viewpoints, it may lead to transformative changes within the country.
Media Bias and the Role of USAGM
Michael Pack discusses ongoing challenges with media bias in the U.S., particularly within broadcast organizations that fall under USAGM. He notes that these institutions have, at times, reflected a left-leaning agenda, failing to adhere to their charter, which is meant to provide balanced information. A notable example highlighted is the Voice of America’s reluctance to label Hamas unequivocally as a terrorist organization, contrasting with mainstream media's depiction. Pack asserts that for USAGM to fulfill its mission effectively, it must represent a broader scope of opinions that truly reflect American diversity.
Firewall Circumvention and Public Diplomacy Strategies
The discussion emphasizes the critical need for the United States to invest in technologies that can bypass China's internet firewall, allowing for a free exchange of ideas. Pack believes that a concerted U.S. government effort should be launched, unifying resources across agencies to effectively challenge the censorship imposed by the Chinese regime. He argues for priorities to be restructured, positioning the fight against authoritarian communication barriers as pivotal to promoting democratic values. This strategy is viewed not as aggressive but as an essential act of public diplomacy aimed at enhancing global discourse.
Producing Diverse Documentary Films
Michael Pack, a seasoned filmmaker, continues to develop his production company, Palladium Pictures, focusing on contrasting narratives in documentary filmmaking. Alongside traditional long-form documentaries, he is producing short-form films that delve into underreported historical events with an aim of reaching centrist and undecided audiences. His recent works include a piece on the first interracial basketball game in America, highlighting cultural intersections, and a poignant examination of anti-Semitic violence through historical context. Pack underscores the urgency of fostering a new generation of filmmakers who can present diverse viewpoints and generate thoughtful storytelling to challenge existing media narratives.
Michael Pack is a documentary filmmaker and the president of Palladium Pictures. During Donald Trump’s first presidency, he led the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees America’s state-funded news networks, including Voice of America.
“The budget is something like $900 million,” he says. “It’s only a mid-sized government agency, but it’s one of the largest broadcasters in the world. They’re broadcasting over 70 languages to hundreds of millions of people a week. So it’s really a potent tool, and it’s designed to promote American ideas and values abroad.”
In this episode, we discuss his recent films, the future of media, and how the U.S. government can better leverage public diplomacy as a tool against its adversaries.
“We could do nothing better, really, than to knock [China’s internet] firewall down. I think if people in China had a chance to hear the range of ideas out there, it would change the country more than almost anything else. And it’s not expensive,” he says.
Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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