From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

When it comes to Middle East fighting, what's news and what's propaganda?

Hello again, I'm Mormon Al-Ni, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues issues Americans care about most.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah is being fought not just on the ground, but also in the media.

Both sides are adept at propaganda to persuade the other side is losing

and to influence the ideas and images reported in the rest of the world.

Israel bombards southern Lebanon with phone calls, emails, and leaflets, and Hezbollah provides escorts for Western reporters.

On to the point, how to mainstream newspapers, radio, and television stations sort it all out.

On reporters' notebook later on, the Federal Reserve's latest action on interest rates.

First up, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. McArthur

Foundation. Hello again, Mormon-Ali, back with To the Point. While Israel and Hezbollah make real war on each other,

they're also fighting a virtual war of ideas and images. On To the Point, we'll hear about

propaganda on both sides and ask how the mainstream media figure out what's true and what's

false.

On reporter's notebook, the latest on interest rates from the Federal Reserve.

First, this news update. It's been another day of Israeli bombs, Hezbollah rockets, and heavy

ground fighting in Lebanon. In the latest initiative aimed at a ceasefire, the Lebanese government

has promised 15,000 soldiers as a peacekeeping force in the southern part of the country.

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