LOS ANGELES: Susan and her gang of 'Desperate Housewives' along with the various other shows aired on American televisions have proved to be a hugely successful diplomatic tool, according to a latest report from Wikileaks.
The reports reveal that these sitcoms are watched widely in the Middle East.
According to the contents of the secret Government cable, which has been released by Wikileaks, these programs have actually influenced and won over a large number of people from the nations, which are known to harbour Jihadi sentiments against the US.
In fact, a source from Saudi Arabia has reported to the US Embassy that shows like 'Desperate Housewives', ‘Late Night Show With David Letterman' and 'Friends' actually have a greater impact on the people of those regions than the Middle East broadcast channel created by the US government.
The channel, ‘Al Hurra’, on which $650 million of the US taxpayer’s money has been spent until now, is watched only in Iraq and viewership is negligible in other parts of the region.
Popular American shows, on the other hand, have generated among the Saudis a genuine interest about the culture of United States, and now a large number of them are enthusiastic about pursuing education in the country.
The Saudi government controls the media with a strict hand, but it has allowed these American shows to air on channels with Arabic subtitles. They regard George Clooney’s film ‘Michael Clayton’ as a heroic example of honesty.
