Radio Propaganda Battles Intensify Across Middle East This Summer

Radio propaganda blasted across the Middle East’s airwaves during the decades leading up to the 1967 Six-Day War, creating an often-overlooked battleground that helped shape regional conflicts that continue to this day, according to new historical research.

In an era before widespread television access, radio served as the dominant medium for news, entertainment, and—critically—political messaging throughout Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Israel. Hundreds of stations, both large and well-funded and small and scrappy, competed for listeners’ attention and loyalty across the fragmented region.

“Radio was the internet of its day,” explains Margaret Peacock, Professor of History at the University of Alabama and author of “Frequencies of Deceit: How Global Propaganda Wars Shaped the Middle East.” “It crossed borders effortlessly, making it the perfect vehicle for governments seeking to spread their narratives beyond their physical territories.”

While the BBC maintained a significant presence in the region due to Britain’s colonial influence, it was far from the only player. Various governments and political movements established their own broadcasting services, each with distinct agendas and targeted audiences.

Egypt’s Voice of the Arabs, launched in 1953 under Gamal Abdel Nasser, became particularly influential, broadcasting revolutionary pan-Arab messages throughout the region. The station combined entertainment programming with political content aimed at undermining Western-aligned governments and Israel.

“These weren’t subtle operations,” Peacock notes. “The programming explicitly sought to build solidarity among Arab listeners while demonizing perceived enemies. The effectiveness came from constant repetition and emotional appeals rather than factual reporting.”

Israel responded with its own broadcasts in multiple languages, including Arabic, to counter narratives from neighboring countries and present its perspective to both domestic and international audiences. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority aimed to portray the young nation as democratic, progressive, and constantly under threat.

Meanwhile, smaller factions and political movements established makeshift stations with limited range but intense local followings. These operations often operated clandestinely, broadcasting from hidden locations to avoid government suppression.

The propaganda war intensified in the months before the 1967 conflict, with inflammatory broadcasts contributing to regional tensions. Radio Cairo falsely reported Israeli troop movements near the Syrian border in May 1967, helping trigger the chain of events leading to war.

“These weren’t just words floating through the air,” Peacock emphasizes. “Radio propaganda directly influenced military decisions and public sentiment in ways that shaped the conflict’s trajectory.”

The medium’s power extended beyond just news and political commentary. Cultural programming, music, and entertainment became vehicles for nationalist messaging. Traditional songs were repurposed with political lyrics, and radio dramas incorporated themes that aligned with state narratives.

International powers recognized radio’s importance in the regional struggle. The United States, through Voice of America, and the Soviet Union, via Radio Moscow, both broadcast to Middle Eastern audiences, adding Cold War dimensions to the already complex propaganda landscape.

The information environment changed dramatically after the 1967 war, as television gradually replaced radio as the dominant medium in urban areas. However, the propaganda techniques refined during this period remained influential and were adapted for television and, decades later, social media.

Media historians point to this era as formative in establishing patterns of information warfare that persist in contemporary conflicts. The techniques pioneered during this period—emotional appeals, selective reporting, dehumanization of opponents, and appeals to historical grievances—remain evident in today’s media landscape.

“Understanding this history helps explain why misinformation spreads so effectively in the region today,” says Peacock. “These propaganda networks established deep roots in how people consume and process information about political conflicts.”

The legacy of this period extends beyond just media tactics. The narratives developed and disseminated through radio helped solidify competing national identities and historical interpretations that continue to complicate peace efforts.

As digital media transforms how information spreads in the contemporary Middle East, scholars suggest that examining this earlier propaganda war provides valuable context for understanding today’s information challenges and the enduring power of competing narratives in the region.