ALUMNI SNAPSHOTS
Publishing For Peace
In the 22 years Richard Creighton '73 has been publishing custom
magazines, not one has caused such a buzz in Washington as his
company's latest project—and most folks can't read a single
word of it. Well, they can read the title. Hi is written
in Arabic. Funded by the State Department, Hi is a consumer
magazine reflecting American lifestyle and culture, but steering
clear of politics and religion. Aimed at young Arabs who are
curious about the  United
States, Hi was conceived as a way to foster better understanding
of America among Arab nations and to build a relationship with
the people who may one day be leading the Arab world.
Creighton is principal of The Magazine Group, a company he started
with his wife, Jane, in 1981 that now produces 68 magazines.
A political science and French major at Washington College,
Creighton went on Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International
Studies before getting into the magazine business. Thirty years
later, he's tickled, finally, to be putting those lessons in
political science to work.
"When Jane and I were asked
to bid on this project, we thought, 'wouldn't it be amazing
to contribute in some small way to a greater understanding among
our countries and a more peaceful world,'" Creighton says. "By
producing a magazine and building a web site where visitors
can find useful information, respond to magazine content and
take part in topical discussion areas, we're opening the lines
of communication. If we can relate on a cultural level, maybe
we can find a way to live more peaceably. People are formed
by culture, not by politics."
Since the monthly magazine launched in July 2003, Hi
has been the subject of much debate. Some have called it American
propaganda. Others recognize the wisdom of countering the rise
in anti-American sentiment in Arab countries by relating to
young people culturally. Political and news magazines abound,
but this is the only magazine of its kind that speaks to young
Muslims about issues—beyond politics —that matter to them. Creighton
has found himself in the spotlight as the media debate the value
of the State Department's newest offensive in the Middle East,
appearing on CNN and NPR, in the Washington Post and elsewhere.
"In some respects this magazine is no different from
the other magazines we produce," Creighton says. "We specialize
in doing magazines for targeted audiences. The goal here was
to reach a specific demographic in the Middle East in order
to start a dialogue and to build a relationship. There's an
overriding purposefulness that's similar to other custom magazines.
Yet it's also very different because it's controversial and
there are many more sensitivities and sensibilities involved.
We're also dealing with audiences in 20 countries with their
own subtleties."
The Magazine Group hired an Arab staff and has stringers filing
stories from the Middle East. While the State Department's intent
is certainly to portray America in a positive light, Creighton
says the magazine is a valuable resource that is finding its
way into the hands of students and educators.
"In
the last issue, we followed several people in the Middle East
who were applying for visas to study in the States," Creighton
says. "Since 9/ 11, that's become more difficult, so we navigated
the process for them. There's a huge interest in technology,
and we've offered articles on distance learning. We talk about
impact of Arabic music in America. People in the Middle East
don't really know us, or how we do things. Hi focuses
on the points we have in common and offers serious discussions
about how we live in our society. This is a new idea—to focus
on young people in order to generate better understanding. It
will be a longterm effort, but I believe in this magazine."
Richard Creighton '73 is traveling to the Middle East in January
to conduct focus groups for Hi , the Arabic magazine
his company produces for the State Department. |
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