(Raoul Fernandez, Jean-Marie Fernandez, Bret and Amy Baier, Norma Ramsey, and Russ Ramsey in Abu Dhabi for the Formula One motor race.)
This is something to be researched. Prior to 1979, the Shah of Iran bought tremendously favorable coverage in the US by virtue of many factors including the showing of gifts and fancy trips for key US journalists who received Iranian caviars and Persian carpets in abundance. James Bill in his The Eagle and the Lion documents that. I think that Gulf regimes are doing the same these day. Any journalist who criticizes Saudi Arabia will be immediately rewarded with a free trip to Riyadh and interviews with Saudi officials. Let me predict: Thomas Friedman will soon visit Saudi Arabia. On the rare occasions when he criticizes Saudi regime, he will then visit the Kingdom and interviews the king and comes back with a favorable article. The UAE ambassador is now playing by the playbook of Bandar: he flies key US journalists to UAE on a private jet and hosts them for days to attend some function or the Formula One. Can you imagine the uproar if Iran or Russia were doing that? The journalists would be accused of treason and of aiding and betting a tyrannical regime. Wait: I forgot that Gulf regimes are moderate democracies by virtues of their support for US.