Group Donates TV Equipment to Promote Balanced News Coverage (in Iraq)

[Robbien]

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2004 — A shipment of television equipment is on its way to Iraq to help Iraqi broadcasters offer more balanced news coverage than what is currently available in the region.

Members of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq's Anbar province expressed concerned that extremely negative news coverage by the local media was stoking resentment toward the U.S. military and encouraging conflict.

They turned to Spirit of America, a nonprofit group committed to helping Americans serving abroad improve people's lives, to request television equipment to be used to offer more balanced news.

On April 29 — just three weeks after Spirit of America received the Marines' request — Spirit of America founder Jim Hake delivered $82,687 in television studio equipment to Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Marines packed the donated equipment and prepared it for shipment, and on May 1, the U.S. military flew it from March Air Force Base, Calif., to Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2004/n05032004_200405033.html