In 1992, a communications researcher had the opportunity to spend seven months as a visiting professor at the University of Haifa in Israel. From the standpoint of an observer of media coverage, the timing and location of her stay was fortuitous. Israelis were conducting an election off schedule, and at the same time the United States was conducting its primaries. These activities were observed from an apartment on the top of Mt. Carmel, a point from which seven television channels could be picked up: two from Israel, two from Syria, two from Jordan, and one from Lebanon. All of the television organizations were tied into or completely governmentally sponsored. The news, in other words, appeared to be, regardless of language or place of origination, an instrument of propaganda traveling free of border restrictions. Several generalizations can be made about the stations: (1) all countries in the region broadcast some of their entertainment programming in English; (2) all countries broadcast news in their native language and in either Hebrew or Arabic; (3) news programs were set up in a counter programming pattern that allowed native speakers to watch news at a variety of times on different national systems. There was also television news coverage in English, usually via CNN. Descriptions of particular programs in the area brings home the conclusion that the entire area is a bevy of propaganda but that the rich flow of information across borders allows for glimpses of reality. (Contains three references.) (TB)