Can a country ever re-brand itself?

Austria’s reputation has suffered a battering over the past week because of the Josef Fritzl incest scandal. Now the Austrian Chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer, has said his government plans to launch a campaign to rectify the damage done to the country’s image.  But how can  a country re-brand itself? Denmark went on a PR drive after the Muslim cartoon scandal. In the past Belgium has had its image damaged by child sex scandals….but how can a country recover from such bad press?

Talking points for 28 April

Good morning, thanks to Katharina in Belgium and Agostinho in Jamaica for a sterling job in moderating the fourth blank page. We’ll be reading through your ideas for programmes with great interest. Turning to today’s programme, a report by the World Bank says the Israeli blockade on Gaza is having a crippling effect on it’s economy. Not all that surprising you may think, but Palestinian economic recovery is seen as crucial for U.S.-backed Mideast peace efforts.