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SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

BBGWatcher — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:44:49 +0000

Sign the Petition to Save Voice of America Spanish Broadcasts to Latin America - Click on the Image

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB), a former Voice of America (VOA) director, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers and representatives of other free media and human rights organizations have signed a petition to the United States Congress asking for Congressional support to continue Voice of America Spanish broadcasts to Latin America.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which controls VOA, wants to severely cut journalistic positions and broadcasts to this important part of the world for the United States. The BBG had earlier proposed and then canceled, in response to numerous public protests, elimination of Voice of America radio broadcasts to Tibet and VOA Cantonese radio, television and Internet news to China. Because of its even closer links to the United States, its fragile democracy, and anti-American propaganda coming from Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and China — Latin America must not be abandoned to hostile voices while the Voice of America is silenced by BBG bureaucrats.

The BBG proposal to cut broadcasts to Latin America is not about saving money. BBG officials do not plan to give this money back to the U.S. Treasury. Instead, they want to spend it on themselves.

American taxpayers should demand that this mismanaged agency must keep VOA broadcasts to Latin America rather than keep investing in its own bureaucracy.

Here is an introduction to the petition on change.org:

“Voice of America Spanish Service celebrated a milestone in its communications with the countries of Latin America last year, including its immensely popular Breakfast Show, Buenos Dias America, as well as other broadcasts throughout Central and South America on AM and FM affiliate stations and satellite and also available on podcasts, the VOA website and on mobile phones.

This legacy of communication, which impacts the people of an important part of the world strategic to our interests, will stop if the cuts are approved by Congress. The BBG is wrong in concentrating its resources only on the Middle East and Asia while ignoring the nations of Latin America, whose trade surpasses those of China, India and Russia all together.

Don’t let the Broadcasting Board of Governors deny essential and uncensored Voice of America news and hope to the people in Latin America while BBG executives divert U.S. taxpayers’ money to create new high-level bureaucratic positions, pay themselves bonuses and sign a $50 million multi-year contract with the Gallup Organization.

As U.S. taxpayers, you fund and support the Voice of America. Demand that your money be used to bring uncensored American news to Latin America and other regions of the world that do not have free media rather than being spent on the salaries of government officials at the Broadcasting Board of Governors.”

SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

Dear Member of Congress,

This letter is to request your strong support to restore the funding in the FY2013 Budget for Voice of America (VOA) Spanish Broadcasts to Latin America.

We adamantly oppose plans for FY2013 by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to enact a major Reduction-in-Force for the essential VOA Spanish Service which broadcasts to Latin America. Over 20 employees are scheduled to be fired or displaced. We believe that the cessation of U.S. broadcasts to an extremely important region, which is strategic to U.S. interests, is a major blunder for our foreign policy.

For over 50 years, the Voice of America has been broadcasting to this critical part of the world in our hemisphere. At its anniversary celebration last year, the VOA Spanish Service celebrated the milestones in its communications with the countries of Latin America including its immensely popular Breakfast Show, Buenos Dias America, which covers historic events, news about our country, and international events in a style accessible to both elites and working people. This show, as well as others are broadcast throughout Central and South America on AM and FM affiliate stations and satellite and are also available on podcasts, the VOA website and on mobile phones. This legacy of communication, which impacts the people of an important part of the world strategic to our interests, will stop if the cuts are approved by Congress. The BBG is wrong in concentrating its resources only on the Middle East and Asia while ignoring the nations of Latin America.

This region which had become synonymous with the words junta, banana republic and turmoil, is now emerging with a new level of political and economic maturity: exactly the audience that we want to reach. Democracy as well as economic upward mobility in many of the countries of Latin America is starting to grow which could be a definite stimulus for tourism to the United States.

However, the Hugo Chavez and Castro models of centralized control with their strong anti-Americanism and opposition to the free market are undermining the growth of democracy in Latin America especially with the constant anti-American diatribes of broadcasting agencies like TELESUR, a 24-hour TV network. The Chavez model in Venezuela is negatively affecting other countries in the region including Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and Nicaragua. Most important, if America stops its communication with the emerging democracies of Latin America, the results could be most serious for U.S. national security.

China and Iran have expanded their influence in Latin America. China has now replaced the U.S. as the major trading partner of Brazil. Both countries are opening new cultural centers throughout Latin American countries. At the beginning of the year, Iran launched a 24-hour TV network which is broadcasting an aggressive anti-American message. Most seriously for global security, Iran is getting uranium for its fuel rods from Brazil and has negotiated an agreement with Bolivia’s leftist leader, Evo Morales, to extract lithium in commercial quantities. Their political and economic ties are growing, while the U.S. does not seem to be paying attention, which could directly impact our national security. Cutting VOA Spanish broadcasts to Latin America at this critical time makes no sense.

There are 50 million people of Latino heritage in the United States and their individual success stories in politics, business, culture, medicine and entrepreneurship in our society are an important and inspiring factor in our communications with the people of Latin America and in forging alliances with those countries. Cutting U.S. broadcasts to Latin America sends the wrong message to the Hispanic-American community, alienates Latino voters, and destroys the possibilities of communicating U.S. ideas, ideals and institutions. This would be a blow to U.S. public diplomacy in the region.

In its budget submission for FY2013, the BBG states that its actions are part of a long-range consolidation of VOA Spanish and Radio/TV Marti. To our knowledge, there is no mechanism for consolidation of VOA Spanish and Radio Marti in the language of the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act (P.L. 98-111) where the mission of Radio Marti is specifically spelled out. We do not believe that there has been any directive from Congress to change the mission of Radio/TV Marti whose broadcasts are targeted to the Cuban people. The mission of the VOA Spanish Service is codified in the VOA charter contained in P.L. 94-350. Therefore, we do not understand how and why the BBG is undertaking these actions unilaterally without consultation with or approval from the U.S. Congress.

The most glaring example of how vital the VOA’s Spanish Service is for the United States was the recent Summit of the Americas in Colombia. As never before, the United States was isolated while nearly 30 regional Presidents refused to sign a joint Summit Final Declaration in protest against U.S. policies towards Cuba. In fact, there is growing support for the inclusion of Cuba at the next scheduled Summit. This highlights the steady decline of U.S. influence in a region whose economic growth rates are the envy of the developed world.

We urge you to require that the FY 2013 Budget funding for the Voice of America’s Spanish broadcasts be restored, and to undo the proposed cuts in other news and information services so that Voice of America can continue to fulfill its mandate to provide an accurate, balanced and comprehensive view of significant American thought and institutions and to clearly present the policies of the United States in news-restricted nations.

Respectfully,

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB)
Roberty Reilly, American Foreign Policy Council
Tim Shamble, President Local 1812, American Federation of Government Employees
Robert Senser, Human Rights for Workers
Manny Papir, Human Rights Advocate
Ted Lipien, Committee for US International Broadcasting
Ann Noonan, Committee for US International Broadcasting
Herb Stupp, Adjunct Lecturer at Baruch College
Marie Ciliberti, Retired VOA Broadcaster
Reggie Littejohn, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers

[Your name - CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION]

Association of Tibetan Journalists appeals to U.S. Congress to save Voice of America radio to Tibet

BBGWatcher — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:12:44 +0000

The Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) decision to end Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Tibet produced worldwide protests from independent journalists and human rights groups. In response to these protests, the BBG announced at its recent meeting in Miami that it will continue these broadcasts in the next fiscal year but has not yet identified specific funding.

One of the organizations protesting the BBG’s decision to terminate VOA Tibetan radio is the Association of Tibetan Journalists based in Dharamsala, India. These Tibetan journalists working in exile have appealed to the United States Congress “to continue its support for the Voice of America Tibetan Radio Service on the grounds of the principles of right to information and freedom of expression.” The appeal was addressed to the House Appropriations Committee.

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee

25 April 2012

Dear Members of Congress,

This is a letter of appeal requesting your support for the continuation of the Voice of America Tibetan Radio Service broadcast inside Tibet in the FY2013 Budget.

We, the Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) based in Dharamsala, India, appreciate all the efforts and support by the US Government towards the Voice of America Tibetan Section since 1991. However with the current spate of Self-Immolations by Tibetans against the repressive Chinese Government policies we believe that this is not the time or the place where free media and right to information for the Tibetans inside Tibet is cut-off on any grounds whatsoever. Not only that, as reported by Reporters without Borders, Tibetan Writers have been arbitrarily arrested and major blogs like sangdhor.com and rangdrol.net have been shut down. Such is the situation inside Tibet.

Especially in Tibetan Autonomous Areas (TAR), with the massive censorship, Voice of America Tibetan Radio service is one of the most important uncensored media, which is available. Dolma, a recent arrival from Lhasa, Tibet states that, “I and many like me used to listen secretly to VOA Tibetan service to get information not only about the International news but also about what is happening in other parts of Tibet. I feel that VOA Tibetan service not only gives me information but I also learned a lot about Tibetan culture and history”.

We on behalf of the voices from inside Tibet would like to urge the US congress to continue its support for the Voice of America Tibetan Radio Service on the grounds of the principles of right to information and freedom of expression.

The ATJ was established in 1997 and is an independent non-profit organization that aims to facilitate the free, fair and accurate delivery of news and information regarding Tibetan communities both inside and outside of Tibet. We have over 30 members in India and Nepal working for media organizations including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Voice of Tibet, Tibet Times and Tibet Express.

Yours Sincerely,

Ms. Lhakpa Kyizom
President, Association of Tibetan Journalists

Mr. Gurbum Gyal
Vice President, Association of Tibetan Journalists

Signed PDF version can be downloaded here: ATJ-Open-Letter

Buenos Dias or Buenos Noches for Voice of America Spanish Broadcasts

BBGWatcher — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:35:40 +0000

As Gabriel Garcia Marquez once said:

La sabiduría nos llega cuando ya no nos sirve de nada. Wisdom comes to us when it’s already too late.

APPEAL TO THE CONGRESS
SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

In its plans for FY2013, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has announced a major Reduction-in-Force for the essential VOA Spanish Service which broadcasts to Latin America. Over 20 employees are scheduled to be fired. We believe that the cessation of U.S. broadcasts to an extremely important region, which is strategic to U.S. interests, is a major blunder for our foreign policy.

• For over 50 years, the Voice of America has been broadcasting to this critical part of the world in our hemisphere. At its anniversary celebration last year, the VOA Spanish Service celebrated the milestones in its communications with the countries of Latin America including its immensely popular Breakfast Show, Buenos Dias America, which covers historic events, news about our country, and international events in a style accessible to both elites and working people. This show as well as others are broadcast throughout Central and South America on AM and FM affiliate stations and satellite and are also available on podcasts, the VOA website and on mobile phones. This legacy of communication, which impacts the people of an important part of the world strategic to our interests, will stop if the cuts are approved by Congress. The BBG is wrong in concentrating its resources only on the Middle East and Asia while ignoring the nations of Latin America, whose trade surpasses those of China, India and Russia all together.

• This region which had become synonymous with the words junta, banana republic and turmoil, is now emerging with a new level of political and economic maturity: exactly the audience that we want to reach. Democracy as well as economic upward mobility in many of the countries is starting to grow. However, the Hugo Chavez and Castro models of centralized control with their strong anti-Americanism and opposition to the free market are undermining the growth of democracy in Latin America especially with the constant anti-American diatribes of broadcasting agencies like TELESUR, a 24-hour TV network. The Chavez model in Venezuela is negatively affecting other countries in the region including Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and Nicaragua. If America stops its communication with the emerging democracies of Latin America, the results could be most serious for U.S. national security.

• China and Iran have expanded their influence in Latin America. China has now replaced the U.S. as the major trading partner of Brazil. Both countries are opening new cultural centers throughout Latin American countries. At the beginning of the year, Iran launched a 24-hour TV network which is broadcasting an aggressive anti-American message. Most seriously for global security, Iran is getting uranium for its fuel rods from Brazil and has negotiated an agreement with Bolivia’s leftist leader, Evo Morales, to extract lithium in commercial quantities. Their political and economic ties are growing, while the U.S. does not seem to be paying attention, which could directly impact our national security. Cutting VOA Spanish broadcasts to Latin America at this critical time makes no sense.

• There are 50 million people of Latino heritage in the United States and their individual success stories in politics, business, culture, medicine and entrepreneurship in our society are an important and inspiring factor in our communications with the people of Latin America and in forging alliances with those countries. Cutting U.S. broadcasts to Latin America sends the wrong message to the Hispanic-American community, alienates Latino voters, and destroys the possibilities of communicating U.S. ideas, ideals and institutions. This would be a blow to U.S. public diplomacy in the region.

• In its budget submission for FY2013, the BBG states that its actions are part of a long-range consolidation of VOA Spanish and Radio/TV Marti. To our knowledge, there is no mechanism for consolidation of VOA Spanish and Radio Marti in the language of the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act (P.L. 98-111) where the mission of Radio Marti is specifically spelled out. We do not believe that there has been any directive from Congress to change the mission of Radio/TV Marti whose broadcasts are targeted to the Cuban people. The mission of the VOA Spanish Service is codified in the VOA charter contained in P.L. 94-350. Therefore, we do not understand how and why the BBG is undertaking these actions unilaterally without consultation with or approval from the U.S. Congress.

• The most undeniable example of how vital the VOA’s Spanish Service is for the United States was the recent Summit of the Americas in Colombia. As never before, the United States was isolated while nearly 30 regional Presidents refused to sign a joint Summit Final Declaration in protest against U.S. policies towards Cuba. In fact, there is growing support for the inclusion of Cuba at the next scheduled Summit. This highlights the steady decline of U.S. influence in a region whose economic growth rates are the envy of the developed world.

VOA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE STRATEGIC INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CUSIB – Broadcasting Board of Governors Should Stay True to Their Mandate Not Only in China and Tibet

BBGWatcher — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:54:36 +0000

This press release was issued by the independent Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2012

Broadcasting Board of Governors Should Stay True to Their Mandate Not Only in China and Tibet

CUSIB/New York, NY — The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) has been vindicated by the action of Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) who approved a plan to restore funding in the FY 2013 budget request that the BBG proposed to cut earlier this year for U.S. international broadcasting to China and Tibet.

CUSIB applauds efforts by its members to bring this important issue to the attention of the American public. We are also deeply grateful to Mrs. Annette Lantos, a Holocaust survivor and human rights campaigner, who made a powerful plea to the Broadcasting Board of Governors in defense of Voice of America programs to China, Tibet, and Russia. CUSIB also thanks its Advisory Board members Reggie Littlejohn, founder and president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, and Jing Zhang, founder and president of Women’s Rights in China, for their efforts to show how VOA and Radio Free Asia (RFA) radio and television broadcasts help women in China who are victims of human rights abuses.

CUSIB Executive Director Ann Noonan stated: “Although we appreciate today’s decision by the BBG to restore Voice of America (VOA) Tibetan radio broadcasts and the Voice of America Cantonese Service, we remain concerned about how Voice of America English to Asia radio broadcasts and Voice of America Spanish and English radio, television and Internet to Latin America will be affected. We also remain concerned that the BBG executive staff ignored the message sent to them by Congress last year when they attempted to reallocate resources away from Voice of America broadcasting services and cut the jobs of their journalists committed to serving information needs of people living in countries without free media. The U.S. Congress had told the BBG in no uncertain terms that they were on the wrong course. This is not a battle we want to wage each year, and we would like to remain hopeful that the BBG will review its mission statement and use its resources wisely.”

“CUSIB would like to go on the record as opposing the proposed administrative merger of the surrogate broadcasters in its current form as undermining their independence, effectiveness and accountability to Congress and the American people,” stated CUSIB Director and co-founder Ted Lipien. “If the BBG is going to embrace internal administrative reform at its executive level, then CUSIB would strongly support increased funding from Congress for China, Middle East, Russia, Central Asia, Africa, and Latin America. If wisely managed, U.S. international broadcasting represents the best investment for U.S. national security interests. But we are concerned that the same officials who wanted to reduce broadcasts to Tibet and China using faulty research are also in charge of the proposed merger of the surrogate broadcasters and make unfounded claims about its benefits and presumed savings while pushing to limit public ownership and scrutiny over these and other operations,” Lipien said.

CUSIB supports the ongoing efforts of BBG member Ambassador Victor Ashe to protect the pro-media freedom and human rights mission of the Voice of America and the surrogate broadcasters and their journalists, especially his call for a continuation of U.S. radio broadcasting to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

CUSIB also concurs with the remarks by BBG member Michael Meehan as stated in the BBG’s official announcement: “China’s highly competitive media market and its government’s aggressive jamming of BBG content are long-standing challenges. Beijing blocks media of many kinds and aggressively stifles free expression, especially in regions where dissent continues to arise in the open, such as Tibet. While the Board understands the reality of the current budget environment, it also perceives a pressing need for the news and information that we provide to be seen and heard across China and Tibet.”

CUSIB awaits similar action from the BBG about the fate of other broadcasting services that also face unjustified cuts and reductions, including Voice of America Spanish, Georgian, Turkish, and Greek, among others, as well as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) broadcasts to the Russian Federation, and how a careful review of how the BBG and its International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) spend their resources might be able to save those programs and also save money for U.S. taxpayers.

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) is an independent, nongovernmental organization which supports free flow of uncensored news from the United States to countries without free media.

For further information, please contact:
The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB)
New York, New York

Ann Noonan, co-founder and Executive Director
Tel. 646-251-6069

Ted Lipien, co-founder and Director
Tel. 415-793-1642
Email: contact@cusib.org
www.cusib.org

BBG considers new strategy and reversal of planned broadcasting cuts to China and Tibet

BBGWatcher — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:25:47 +0000

In response to overwhelming criticism from human rights groups, journalists and one of its members, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) will consider a new China strategy and reversal of its planned cuts to Voice of America (VOA) Tibetan and Chinese broadcasts and online news content.

The BBG Strategy and Budget Committee has requested and received a new China strategy document from a working group composed of BBG and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) officials and the heads of the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia (RFA). One of the recommendations in the new strategy document is the restoration of all funding for China broadcasts, a major reversal of the executive staff’s earlier position. This includes VOA Tibetan radio and its online radio news content and all of VOA Cantonese radio, television and Internet news.

Echoing the warnings of their critics often expressed on the unofficial BBG Watch website, the BBG and IBB executive staff has now concluded that “As America’s focus on China’s role in the world sharpens, the BBG must develop a more global vision for China.” “Failure to reach out to China’s 1.3 billion people cannot be an option for the United States at this point in history,” the new BBG China strategy document states.

The new China strategy document also states that “VOA and RFA will maintain a robust radio presence, delivering programming via SW [shortwave] as well as via two separate satellite paths.” The content and the tone of the new document represent a drastic departure from previous strategy papers produced by the BBG and IBB executive staff.

Efforts to save VOA Tibetan radio broadcasts and the VOA Cantonese Service have been led by BBG Governor Ambassador Victor Ashe against the initial opposition from most of the other BBG members who had accepted the staff’s earlier programming cuts proposal. Ashe, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland and former mayor of Knoxville, TN, is the senior Republican member on the bipartisan Board which runs U.S. international broadcasting. He warned that members of Congress from both parties would never agree to silencing Voice of America Tibetan and Cantonese broadcasts. The BBG executive staff made a similar effort last year to eliminate VOA Mandarin and Cantonese radio and TV. The proposal was soundly rejected in bipartisan House and Senate committee votes.

The BBG has received numerous protests against the proposed cuts from outside groups and individuals, including a plea from a highly respected human rights activist Annette Lantos. She is the wife of the late Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos with whom she had worked on numerous human rights causes around the world. She was joined in her criticism of the BBG decisions by the independent Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB). Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, NGO defending women’s rights in China, also issued a plea in defense of Voice of America Tibetan and Cantonese broadcasts. The union representing BBG employees, AFGE Local 1812, has also issued strong warnings against the BBG and IBB executive staff’s plans to eliminate broadcasts to strategically important countries and regions while expanding bureaucratic positions and outside contracting.

BBG Governor Victor Ashe, right, and VOA Director David Ensor meeting with VOA China Branch employees - BBG photo

At the April 10 meeting of the BBG Strategy and Budget Committee, Ashe persuaded other committee members, Governors Michael Meehan and Enders Wimbush, to direct the staff to draft a new China strategy proposal. The document will be considered by the full Board at their meeting on Friday, April 20, at the Radio and TV Marti headquarters in Miami, FL.

The BBG executive staff is also responsible for other controversial decisions, including the proposal to slash Voice of America English and Spanish broadcasts and positions. Their FY 2013 budget proposal also includes cuts in Voice of America and Radio Free Asia broadcasts to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and numerous other reductions in VOA broadcasting and news operations. The FY 2013 BBG budget proposal would effectively remove the BBG as an international broadcaster in Latin America where Iran is introducing a 24/7 Spanish language satellite television channel.

Critics posting on the BBG Watch website have charged that the proposed cuts in Latin America and in radio broadcasts to Tibet, China and other countries without free media are an attempt by the unscrutinized BBG and IBB executive staff to protect and expand the number of their own bureaucratic positions and their control of U.S. international broadcasting. According to these critics, the China cuts would be used to pay for the proposed English language Global News Network (GNN) and a $50,000,000 audience research contract with Gallup.

The idea for a global news agency run by the U.S. government was reportedly pushed by the former BBG chairman Walter Isaacson who resigned earlier this year. Isaacson is a former CEO of CNN and author of the best selling biography of Steve Jobs.

Tibetans protesting at BBG's Presiding Governor Michael Lynton's Sony office in Los Angeles against silencing of Voice of America radio broadcasts to Tibet.

Critics writing for the BBG Watch website describe the news agency idea as redundant and lacking a target audience. They argue that sharing of news among various BBG entities should be done internally at a minimum cost rather than by spending millions of dollars on a news agency that will provide information which is already available on various BBG entity websites.

Critics also argue that the BBG staff proposal to merge the administration of various BBG surrogate broadcasters will undermine their independence and effectiveness and will transfer the control of vital broadcasting and news operations from experienced area specialists to BBG and IBB bureaucrats.

The new BBG China strategy document does not address these larger issues. Critics fear, however, that the executive staff will not easily give up proposals designed to transfer resources from broadcasters to bureaucrats.

The new strategy document offers BBG members the following options to consider at their April 20 meeting in Miami:

“Additional Options on China for Board Consideration

1. The FY13 budget proposal as transmitted to the Congress. This would end VOA Cantonese and VOA Tibetan on radio (VOA Tibetan on satellite TV would continue), cut two positions from RFA Mandarin, close the RFA Taipei office, and reduce shortwave and medium wave transmissions significantly.

2. Restore service on all platforms while retaining some savings from proposed reductions through integrated programming. Rather than maintaining separate but coordinated VOA and RFA programs on television and radio, RFA content could be windowed into VOA television in Mandarin and Tibetan, while VOA content is windowed into RFA radio programs in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Tibetan. This would allow BBG to take some of the cuts envisioned in the FY13 submission, using the savings to fund other priorities, while maintaining both broadcasters in all languages on all media platforms.

3. Restore all funding for China broadcasts and request an enhancement for FY13. If the Board decides to take this approach, RFA and VOA will need time to prepare enhancement proposals for Board consideration.”

Read the full version of BBG’s Strategic Vision for China.

Annette Lantos pleads with Broadcasting Board of Governors to save Voice of America broadcasts

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:20:20 +0000

Annette Lantos, the wife of the late Congressman Tom Lantos, has joined efforts to oppose the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) proposals to cut Voice of America (VOA) services, the independent, nongovernmental Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting reported today on its website www.cusib.org.

Mrs. Lantos’s April 4, 2012 letter to the BBG begins:

“I write in support of Voice of America radio and television broadcasting, particularly to China, Tibet and Russia. In addition, I write in support of the efforts of the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting. The CUSIB works to ensure that U.S. government-funded broadcasts promote respect for human rights and freedom of the press, especially in nations where these basic freedoms are under attack.”

Annette Lantos is the Chairman of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.

Her late husband Tom Lantos (February 1, 1928 – February 11, 2008) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until his death and a powerful champion of human rights around the world. In speaking before the House of Representatives after his death, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated that Lantos “devoted his public life to shining a bright light on the dark corners of oppression. . . He used his powerful voice to stir the consciousness of world leaders and the public alike.” U2 lead singer Bono called him a “prizefighter,” whose stamina would make him go “any amount of rounds, with anyone, anywhere, to protect human rights and common decency.”

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice describes Annette Lantos’ role as her late husband’s partner in the struggle for human rights:

“For almost 30 years, Tom and Annette Lantos worked together in the Congress, fighting for the human rights and dignity of people in every corner of the world. This commitment to human rights was a shared passion, born out of their joint experience as Holocaust survivors. With colleagues on both sides of the aisle, they co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and waged many important legislative battles. After his death, Congress permanently established the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which continues the work of The Human Rights Caucus.”

Click here for more information about Mrs. Lantos’ pro-human rights activities.

Annette Lantos

228 Justice Court, NE #B Washington, DC 20002

Members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors

330 Independence Avenue
Washington, DC 20237

To Whom It May Concern:

I write in support of Voice of America radio and television broadcasting, particularly to China, Tibet and Russia. In addition, I write in support of the efforts of the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting. The CUSIB works to ensure that U.S. government-funded broadcasts promote respect for human rights and freedom of the press, especially in nations where these basic freedoms are under attack.

I write to you on a personal basis to express dismay that Voice of America radio and television broadcasts to Russia ceased in 2008. I am deeply concerned that although last year’s proposed cuts of VOA Mandarin and Cantonese radio and television programs were halted, this year’s proposal includes the elimination of VOA Cantonese services and VOA Tibetan Radio Services, at a time when there is significant unrest in Tibet. I urge you to continue the Cantonese and Tibetan broadcasts, and to restore them to Russia.

I well remember as a girl in Nazi-occupied Hungary, how every Sunday afternoon my family would draw the shades, close the curtains, and gather around the shortwave radio, pressing our ears close so that we could catch each precious word of freedom and hope that poured out of that radio receiver like manna from heaven. We had to strain to hear over the static caused by Nazi attempts to block the signal, but we were grateful to do so, because these words of truth were pure gold in the ubiquitous mire of Nazi propaganda. The VOA and BBC broadcasts were our one connection to freedom, our one connection to hope, and our lifeline that gave the resistance the courage to endure to the end. The VOA broadcasts fanned the fires of resistance in the brave underground fighters who sought to destroy the brutal Nazi totalitarianism from within. To cut off the VOA broadcasts would have been to cut off the very legs of the resistance. The same is true today in nations ruled by totalitarian regimes.

Now, the people of China and Tibet are suffering at the hands of a brutal, heartless regime. They also cannot speak openly without fear of punishment. The Chinese Communist Party seeks to maintain complete control over the information available to the people of China and Tibet. The CCP blocks the Internet and controls the flow of information, distorting the truth and promoting distrust of America. VOA has been the voice of freedom and democracy in China for 70 years. It is highly respected, even venerated, in China. Human rights activists like Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo and Chinese campaigner for women’s rights Chen Guangcheng languish in prison and under house arrest. VOA broadcasts may be the only link with the free world for their families and supporters.

Millions of Cantonese speaking and Mandarin speaking Chinese people depend on VOA daily as their lifeline to the light of truth, freedom and hope. Millions of Tibetans also depend upon VOA’s Tibetan radio broadcasts. Radio reaches hundreds of millions who are too poor to afford television or the Internet, especially in rural China and Tibet.

Further, VOA radio and satellite television serve to counter anti-American propaganda in the most powerful way, giving a positive view of America, which is so necessary during this time of increasing Chinese militarism and anti-American militancy. Thus, these broadcasts are important to our national security.

I know that my late husband, Congressman Tom Lantos, would have fought to save the VOA Russian, Tibetan, and Cantonese Broadcast Services — to use all available means to deliver uncensored news, hope and encouragement to those seeking freedom. How could I do any less?

Recent pro-democracy protests around the world and attempts to suppress them show that giving up radio and television broadcasting to rely exclusively on the Internet would be a mistake, because the Internet can so easily be monitored and blocked. I commend the CUSIB’s efforts to urge the Broadcasting Board of Governors to maintain broadcasting – especially Voice of America radio and television broadcasting – into China and Tibet, and to restore it to Russia.

Sincerely,

Annette Lantos

To read the entire letter by Annette Lantos click here.

Human rights groups appeal to Congress to save broadcasts to China, Tibet and other nations without free media

BBGWatcher — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:48:41 +0000

Sign a Petition - Save Voice of America Radio To Tibet - Click on the Image to Sign.

This announcement was first published by the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB). Link

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee

Dear Members of Congress:

This letter is to request your strong support to restore the funding in the FY2013 Budget for Voice of America (VOA) radio and television broadcasting to China and Tibet.

We adamantly object to the proposal by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which manages the Voice of America, and their plans to eliminate the VOA Tibetan Radio Service, the entire VOA Cantonese Service, as well as eliminating more than 200 positions and reducing information coverage in Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Cuba, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Russian Federation, Turkey and Vietnam. The Voice of America English and Spanish services are also threatened with severe cuts in broadcast operations and staff. The Caucasus region, including Chechnya, and Central Asia are likewise targeted by the BBG’s plan for unprecedented program cuts and reductions.

This egregious effort to disappropriate funding from VOA will effectively undermine the purpose of several Congressional mandates, including Public Law 94-350, which requires the Voice of America to inform the people in China who speak Cantonese by providing them with news broadcasts that promote freedom and democracy. There are more than 70 million people in China who speak Cantonese, including in the critical economic hubs of Hong Kong as well as Quangdong province and this effort to deny VOA broadcasts to them in Cantonese will isolate them from uncensored information.

This campaign against the Voice of America – during PRC Vice President Xi Jinping’s week-long visit to the United States – is nothing less than another attempt to concede that, little by little, the Broadcasting Board of Governors will dismantle America’s commitment to broadcast news on behalf of the United States not only to China but to other strategic areas of the world.

The VOA Tibetan Service was created by an Act of Congress, Public Law 101-246, sponsored by Rep. Dante B. Fascell and signed into law on February 16, 1990, “to provide Voice of America Tibetan language programming to the people of Tibet.” Less than one year ago, the Voice of America was celebrating the importance of Tibetan radio broadcasts, marking the 20th anniversary of the first VOA Tibetan radio program.

This campaign against Voice of America also comes during the detention of hundreds of Tibetans into Laogai (re-education through labor camps) upon their return from India after attending teaching sessions overseen by the Dalai Lama. It comes while Tibetan Buddhist Monks are sacrificing themselves as human torches to shock the conscience of the world as the only way to dispel darkness and ignorance. It comes during the PRC’s ongoing crackdown on Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, and all prisoners of conscience in China. It comes one week after the PRC sentenced Zhu Yufu to seven years in prison for writing a poem.

This effort to reduce Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio and TV Marti and broadcasting to the Middle East also comes during a time when the Broadcasting Board of Governors has entered into a $50 million dollar multi-year contract with the Gallup Organization. It is doubtful that Gallup or any company can successfully conduct a reliable audience research about Voice of America and other US Government-funded broadcasts into countries like China, Russia, Iran and Cuba. People are too afraid to even admit that they know what these broadcasts are, much less tell a stranger that they are consumers of these news and information programs, which their governments tell them are dangerous and designed to destroy their nations.

What these broadcasts in fact provide is uncensored news and hope. And yet the Broadcasting Board of Governors, known for its lack of transparency and the poorest record of management among all federal agencies, again plans to divert valuable resources away from programs serving information needs of the most oppressed into unproductive operations and bureaucratic positions, while also eliminating jobs of journalists who specialize in human rights reporting.

We urge you to require that the FY 2013 Budget funding for the Voice of America’s Cantonese Service and the Tibetan Radio Service be restored, and to undo the proposed cuts in other news and information services so that Voice of America can continue to fulfill its mandate to provide an accurate, balanced and comprehensive view of significant American thought and institutions and to clearly present the policies of the United States to the people of China, Tibet and other news-restricted nations.

Respectfully,

Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation
Ann Noonan, Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting
Ted Lipien, Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting
Jing Zhang, Women’s Rights in China
Robert Reilly, Senior Fellow for Strategic Communication at the American Foreign Policy Council
Timothy Shamble, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1812
Marie Ciliberti, retired Voice of America writer, producer and broadcaster for programs directed to the former Soviet Union
Manny Papir, International Human Rights Campaigner
Robert A. Senser, Human Rights for Workers
Justin Yu, The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in New York
Ann Lau, Visual Artists Guild
Ganden Thurman, Tibet House U.S.
Gary Marco, Alexandria, VA
Jeremy Taylor, Free Burma Alliance
Reggie Littlejohn, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers
New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz
Karl Altau, Managing Director, Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. (JBANC)

At Broadcasting Board of Governors and Radio Free Europe/Liberty – Public Diplomacy is Public Scandal at Public Expense

FreeMediaOnline — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:05:37 +0000

Lev Roitman
Trojska 181-B, 171 00 Prague 7, Czech Republic
Tel.:+420 28385 2280

+420 603 317 078

E-mail: roitmanl@volny.cz

16 January 2012

Addressees– List enclosed:

Administration

Senate

House of Representatives

Information Copies – List enclosed:

BBG

RFE/RL

U.S. Ambassador, Prague,

NGOs, U.S.A.

Media U.S., Czech, Foreign

At Broadcasting Board of Governors and Radio Free Europe/Liberty – Public Diplomacy is Public Scandal at Public Expense

Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is the largest and highly visible institution of American public diplomacy abroad. In its noble official mission the Radio proclaims:

“To empower people in their struggle against violations of human rights,” “to promote democratic values and institutions,” “strengthen civil societies by projecting democratic values,” “provide a model for local media.”

RFE/RL’s yearly budget provided by Congress via the supervising Federal agency, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), exceeds 90 million dollars. As a tool of American public diplomacy, RFE/RL has a simple overreaching goal: to enhance positive image of our country internationally. It is the same goal which Chinese public diplomacy, expensive and successful, has for China, or the Russian one, expanding and hapless, has for Russia.

RFE/RL broadcasts in 28 languages to 21 countries. The impact of RFE/RL’s public diplomacy on international public opinion is reflected by multilingual foreign media for which RFE/RL should “provide a model”. In this case, it turns monolingual:

“hypocrisy”, “betrayal of ideals”, “violation of human rights”, “lawlessness”, “double standards”, “moral disaster”, “fraud”, “cynicism”, “Guantanamo in Prague”, “public idiocy instead of public diplomacy”, and so on.

Short list of the ongoing international publications is enclosed. In reality, that list, due to the exponential effect of Internet, is endless. By the time you read this letter, it will be even longer.

Over thirty years, prior to my retirement in 2005 as the Radio’s senior commentator, I worked for RFE/RL in New York, Munich, and Prague. During the cold war, RFE/RL was instrumental in combating communist lies and disdain for human rights. What is wrong with RFE/RL at present? Why U.S. public dollars are wasted so detrimentally to American image overseas?

The answer is bewildering, even hard to believe. In Czech courts, the American Radio fights for the right to apply communist law of 1963 written to allow Soviet enterprises to use Soviet laws

in subjugated Czechoslovakia. One of the overlooked relics of communist past, that law still remains on books in the post-communist Czech Republic. However, out of moral and political considerations, not a single American company, not a single foreign enterprise has ever made use of that law. In that, RFE/RL is unique.

The cynical irony of that unflattering uniqueness was not lost on international media. Nationally circulated Czech daily editorialized:

”Prague headquarters of RFE/RL, which pretends to be a messenger of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, behaves as an employer in such a way as if the principles it heralds are relevant “just” for the whole planet but not for what is going on inside that estimable organization itself.”

On December 6, 2011 multilingual Armenian newspaper AZG (People), Yerevan, wrote:

“For RFE/RL with its proudly proclaimed mission, the battlefield for public trust and positive American image abroad should be not in foreign courts but in foreign public opinion. In fact, RFE/RL has lost the court battles from the outset, just by entering the courtroom — on moral and political grounds.”

This year, January 2, The Croatian Times, Zagreb, reported:

“Croatian citizen Snjezana Pelivan officially requests the government of Croatia to support her legal claim against the Czech Republic in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. BBG, which controls and directs all American non-military broadcasters abroad, “makes all major policy determinations governing the operations of RFE/RL” and “provides worldwide personnel management policies, programs, and services.” All foreign journalists, producers, and other specialists employed by RFE/RL in Prague, are provided with uniform work contracts based on American labour laws inapplicable to foreigners outside the United States. Presently, the case of Armenian journalist, mother of three minor children Anna Karapetian, similar to Pelivan’s lawsuit, is again in the Czech Supreme court. It is the sixth time that her claim against RFE/RL will be handled by Czech judges. The case of Snjezana Pelivan has been heard four times. The Czech government… does not dare to interfere with the powerful Broadcasting Board of Governors in Washington and to request an end to violation of Czech legislative sovereignty.”

Accompanied by indignant media coverage, internationalization of the scandal widens on daily basis. On January 12, authoritative Prague newspaper Lidove noviny in an article titled “A spectre (ghost) is haunting ‘Free Europe’ ” quoted Snjezana Pelivan:
“Americans spit on this country openly and smile nicely. And Prague wipes itself dry and keeps smiling, too.”
Next day, January 13, that article was translated and republished by popular Russian web-portal, InoSMI. Reaction of Russian readers attests the achievements of public diplomacy performed by RFE/RL – its messenger, tool, and embodiment:
“Such is the real situation of journalists in ‘democratic’ countries,” “Americans spit not only on Czechs,” ”The human rights promoters! Their shity democracy in action, so to speak,” “Indeed, USA turned the democracy and employment rights into some kind of a bedlam,” “Nowhere and never the master was on equal footing with the slave”…

That reaction convincingly explains why in present day Russia RFE/RL occupies virtually untraceable 106th position among online broadcasters. Its share of the audience in Moscow is miserable 0 .07%, 52nd place. In Sankt-Petersburg, in some of the most important age categories it is marked by * — as statistically negligent. In Siberian Krasnoyarsk, in the
polling “My beloved Radio”, RFE/RL (” Radio Svoboda” in Russian usage) does not appear at all. It is not to be found also in 2011 rating table for Kiev, Ukraine. American RFE/RL had lost its moral standing and the audience, too.

One reads in recently published BBG’s yearly “Performance and Accountability Report”:
“We are proud to report the achievements of the BBG during FY 2011 in furthering our mission as well as wisely and effectively using the resources entrusted to us by the Administration, Congress, and the public.”
To be sure, in BBG report the Pelivan’s and Karapetian’s court cases and international reaction to them are not mentioned. Who is being taken for a ride – the Administration, Congress, and American public? Personally the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton serving on BBG and RFE/RL’s Board of Directors ex officio?

The latest yearly survey of 37 federal agencies released last October by Office of Personnel Management, again places BBG at the bottom of the list. Senator Tom Coburn called BBG “the most worthless organization in the federal government.” Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, held last April the hearings titled “Is America’s Overseas Broadcasting Undermining Our National Interest and the Fight against Tyrannical Regimes?” That question was rhetoric. The answer is evident.

When BBG spits on your common sense and your intelligence, just as it spits on RFE/RL’s friendly host country, the Czech Republic, the attitude similar to that taken by the Czech government, would not serve American interests.

Shameful for America lawsuits in foreign courts should be stopped immediately by peaceful resolutions. Key to curtailing the ongoing court cases and the resulting international media coverage — anti-American but, unfortunately, fair — is in Washington. In White House, State Department, the Congress.

That means: in your hands.

It is not up to me to suggest your course of actions.

Sincerely,

Lev Roitman

Enclosures: As stated

Abbreviated List of international publications
(in Czech, Serbo-Croatian, English, Russian, Armenian, etc.)
condemning RFE/RL discriminative policies practiced in the Czech Republic

“Snjezana Pelivan asks Croatian government to support her legal claim in Strasbourg,”
“’Prague winter’ for USA’s Radio Free Europe/Liberty,”
“A Spectre Haunts ‘Free Europe’ ,”
“American Radio Free Europe violates equal rights of its foreign employees in Prague,”

“U.S.-Funded Radio Free Europe Invokes Communist Law to Violate the Will of Congress,”

“Two Women Fighting to Uphold America’s Principles at America’s Freedom Radio,”

“American RFE/RL Fights in Courts against Armenian Journalist. And Scores Against America,”

“From RFE/RL: Immorality as a Matter of Policy,”

“Czech Court Rules Against RFE/RL in Suit by Dismissed Armenian Employee,”

“In handcuffs of ‘Liberty’,”

“Czech Court to American Radio Free Europe: No Use for U.S. Laws in the Czech Republic. Hillary Clinton Will Not Be Asked to Testify,”

“Czech Court Rules RFE/RL Cannot Discriminate Against Its Own Foreign Journalists,”

“Radio Liberty Betrays Its Ideals,”

“Czech Supreme Court Rules Against Radio Free Europe. Karapetian’s Case Returned for New Consideration”,

“It’s the Morality, Stupid,”

“Radio Free Europe – Task for Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg,”

“Radio Free Europe – Guantanamo in Prague,”

“Armenian journalist appeals to Obama to Protect Rights of Foreign Journalists at U.S. Government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,”

“Equality With Precondition. Practice of Free Europe Contradicts Its Ideals,”

“U.S. Attorney General is Asked to Investigate Fraud at RFE/RL,”

“Doomsday of Radio Liberty. From Double Standards to Double Morals?”

“A Sense of Betrayal,”

“Czech Politician Accuses U.S. of Discrimination Against Foreign Journalists,”

“On Air in Legal Vacuum,”

“Czech MP Writes to U.S. Counterparts Over Work Conditions in RFE/RL,”

”New Administration Must Undo RFE/RL Anti-Diplomacy Abroad,”

“BBG, RFE/RL: Bring Public Diplomats Instead of Public Bureaucrats,”

“Don’t Feed Kremlin’s Public Diplomacy With U.S. Public Hypocrisy,”

“Public Disaster Instead of Public Diplomacy,”

“Cases of Karapetian and Pelivan as Morality Check for Obama Administration. Radio Free Europe to Face European Court of Human Rights,”

“Czech MP Questions Pelivan Case,”

“Czech Sovereignty Ends at RFE/RL,”

“At Radio Free Europe/Liberty, Bulk of Discriminated Employees is Muslims. Hillary Clinton Serves on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Board of Directors,”

“Free Europe With Its Own Laws in Colonial Czech Republic?”

“From Human Rights Show to Human Rights Court,”

“Prague Spring Leads to Strasbourg,”

”News Flashes From Radio Free/Radio Liberty. The Face of America Abroad,”

“Czech senator angry about Croat’s lawsuit”…

Addressees:

U.S. Administration

Barack Obama

Joseph R. Biden

Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton

Honorable Ann Stock

Congress – House, Senate

Honorable Harry Reid

Honorable John Boehner

Honorable Mitch McConnell

Honorable Bill Delahunt

Honorable Brad Sherman

Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin

Honorable Steny H. Hoyer

Honorable Daniel K. Inouye

Honorable Trent Franks

Honorable Tom Coburn

Honorable Jon Kyl

House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Honorable Ileana Ros-Lethinen

Honorable Dana Rohrabacher

Honorable Connie Mack

Honorable Howard L. Berman

Honorable Christopher H. Smith

Honorable Jeff Fortenberry

Honorable Donald M. Payne

Honorable Karen Bass

Honorable Ted Poe

Honorable Russ Carnahan

Honorable Dan Burton

Honorable Tim Griffin

Honorable Gregory W. Meeks

Honorable Eliot L. Engel

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Honorable John F. Kerry

Honorable Richard G. Lugar

Honorable Barbara Boxer

Honorable Robert Menendez

Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin

Honorable Robert P. Casey Jr.

Honorable Jim Webb

Honorable Jeanne Shaheen

Honorable Christopher Coons

Honorable Richard J. Durbin

Honorable Bob Corker

Honorable Johnny Isakson

Honorable James E. Risch

Honorable Jim DeMint

Honorable John Barrasso

Honorable Roger F. Wicker

Honorable James M. Inhofe

Honorable Tom Udall

Honorable Mike Lee

Honorable Marco Rubio

Information Copies:

BBG

Mr. Walter Isaacson

Ms. Dana Perino

Ms. Susan McCue

Mr. Victor H. Ashe

Mr. Michael Lynton

Mr. Michael P. Meehan

Mr. Dennis Mulhaupt

Mr. Enders Wimbush

Mr. Jeffrey N. Trimble

RFE/RL

Mr. Steven Korn

U.S. Embassy, Prague

Honorable Norman L. Eisen

NGOs, U.S.

Selected Human Rights Organizations

BBG Watch

FreeMediaOnline

Selected Journalistic Organizations

Media

U.S., Czech, Foreign

U.S. official Victor Ashe calls for keeping a radio facility capable of reaching China

FreeMediaOnline — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:16:56 +0000

This is an exclusive report by BBG Watch (BBGWatch.com). Republication is permitted with attribution.

BBGWatch.com – December 20, 2011 – Victor Ashe, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), has called for keeping open the radio broadcasting facility on U.S. territory that is capable of transmitting shortwave radio programs to China. Some Obama Administration officials want to shut down the last remaining U.S.–based international broadcast station located in North Carolina. Ashe also called for urgent reforms in the way the federal agency in charge of U.S. international broadcasting operates. Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have criticized the BBG for lacking transparency and exercising bad judgement with regard to broadcasting to China.

Victor Ashe’s statement released as a personal wish list for 2012 is unprecedented for a member of the BBG since these presidentially-appointed officials usually do not publicly express their misgivings about how their agency is being managed.

Ashe has become an outspoken critic of the permanent BBG bureaucracy in charge of planning and day-to-day operations of U.S. international broadcasting. He has made his displeasure known by visiting broadcasting services and technical facilities that some of the other BBG members wanted to eliminate based on the recommendations they had received from their executive staff.

It is not clear how the BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson and the other members of the bipartisan board will react to Ashe’s statement. Isaacson, the former Chairman and CEO of CNN, former editor of Time Magazine and the author of the best-selling biography of Steve Jobs, is a Democrat. Ashe, a Republican, was the longest serving mayor of Knoxville and the President to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He had also served as the U.S. Ambassador to Poland from 2004 to 2009.

In his statement, Ashe calls for keeping open the Edward R. Murrow Greenville Transmitting Station in Greenville, North Carolina, which he had recently visited despite objections from some of the BBG executives who want to close it down.

Ashe said in his statement that this facility is the only one on American soil where the U.S. government has jurisdiction. He pointed out that a similar station in the Philippines, operated by the BBG, is barred from transmitting radio programs to China due to the Philippine government’s reluctance to upset the Chinese government. “That could not happen on American territory,” Ashe noted in his statement.

BBG Governor Victor Ashe and VOA Director David Ensor meeting with VOA China Branch employees - BBG photo

Ashe, joined by the Voice of America Director David Ensor, also met last week with broadcasters of the VOA China Branch in Washington, D.C., 45 of whom were at risk of being fired and their radio and television programs terminated. BBG officials wanted to rely only on the Internet to deliver VOA news in Mandarin to China despite the fact that the Chinese government censors the Internet and blocks VOA Chinese websites. BBG officials claimed that the money saved from ending broadcasts and firing journalists would be used to expand online and new media presence in China.

BBG members had initially accepted their staff’s recommendation to end VOA radio and television programs to China on October 1, 2011, but later reversed their decision after a storm of protests by Chinese Americans, human rights organizations, and the action by members of Congress from both parties to block the silencing of broadcasts.

Ashe was reportedly instrumental in getting other BBG members to sign a Certificate of Recognition, which he and Ensor presented last week to the VOA China Branch to mark the 70th anniversary of VOA broadcasting to China. Ashe expressed his confidence in Ensor’s leadership.

Earlier, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) public affairs office had refused numerous employee requests to issue a press release about the Capitol Hill reception, hosted by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Voice of America (VOA) broadcasting to China. BBG public affairs experts also ignored an unprecendented video statement in support of VOA broadcasting to China recorded by the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Ashe is said to be also concerned by the way of some of the BBG top managers treat their subordinates and by the second-class status of the agency’s full-time contract employees. In his statement, Ashe refers to the government-wide employee surveys conducted by the Office of Personnel Management, in which the BBG has been consistently rated as being among the worst-managed federal agencies.

Ashe’s comment about “boorish behavior in the work place” may be a partial reference to a description used by a yet to be identified top official appointed by the BBG who was said to be discussing his desire to promote his favorite employees and contrasting them with “old white guys.” Sources have told BBG Watch that some BBG members wanted to have the official fired for making that remark but could not get a majority vote. The official is believed to be a former CNN associate of the BBG Chairman. Several former CNN employees have been hired in recent months by the BBG. BBG Watch sources describe Isaacson was well-meaning but too removed and distracted by the promotion of his recently published biography of Steve Jobs.

Ashe’s statement points to one success in his efforts to improve employee morale. Due to his recent intervention, contract employees at the BBG headquarters in Washington, D.C. were able to receive flu immunization shots to limit the risk of infection to the entire workforce. Until Ashe raised this issue in an open meeting, BBG executives were preventing these employees from receiving free flu shots, as well as denying them most other usual employment benefits, which these full time contractors still do not get.

In his statement, Ashe called for action and not just words to improve employee morale. Contract employees represent nearly half of the Voice of America workforce.

Ashe also paid a recent visit to Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa headquarters in Northern Virginia and praised Brian Conniff, President of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN), and his staff for their dedication in preparing broadcasts to the Middle East.

Ashe is believed to be the only current BBG member who regularly meets with groups of employees and listens to their complaints.

The BBG is likely to face further scrutiny from Congress in 2012. The same BBG executives who wanted to end VOA radio and television broadcasts to China have proposed a merger of Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and MBN into a large corporate bureaucracy and want to de-federalize VOA and Radio and TV Marti.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors encompasses all U.S. civilian international broadcasting, including the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio and TV Martí, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)—Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television. The Broadcasting Board of Governors is a bipartisan board comprised of nine members. Eight, no more than four from one party, are appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate; the ninth is the Secretary of State, who serves ex officio.

BBG Watch (BBGWatch.com), an independent website managed by former and current BBG employees, has obtained a copy of BBG Governor Ashe’s statement, which we post below.

Statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Victor H. Ashe

I hope that 2012 sees a new era of employee-management relations for BBG. I feel the Governors are becoming increasingly aware that having 45 percent of all VOA employees as contract employees presents major issues of fairness, concern and accountability. It creates two classes of employees for a single work force.

I hope BBG director Dick Lobo will appoint a broad based committee representing all groups to review the issue and make recommendations to the Board. The BBG governance committee must take a hard look at this. The recent flu shot issue which was favorably resolved highlights how foolish the two classes of employees had become as it made no sense to deny contract employees flu shots while offering them to federal employees all working in the same building and office space. How this ever occurred in the first place surprised me.

Surveys have consistently shown bad morale. We must turn this around. Contract employees are not surveyed by OPM. Recently, IBB sent out a limited survey on the contracts themselves but not on general work place issues. While well intended, that attempt falls short of what is needed to gauge employee thoughts. We must make a New Year’s resolution to do better in this area. We must walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

We must also ring the bell that boorish behavior in the work place will not be tolerated. We must be open and transparent in how we deal with it. I am confident that the new engaged leadership of David Ensor will prevail and create a new climate in this field. He is implementing new procedures.

I felt my visit to the Edward Murrow Transmission facility in Greenville, NC on December 7 was a good one and I learned a lot. I am convinced it is a serious mistake to close this facility which is the only one on American soil where the American government has jurisdiction. The station in the Philippines is barred from transmissions to China due the Philippine government’s reluctance to upset the Chinese government. That could not happen on American territory.

The Murrow facility has been hidden from public view and I urge it to be more visible. Its name had become Site B which is effectively nameless. However, President Kennedy had participated in 1962 naming it for Edward R Murrow, one of our nation’s most respected newscasters. The signs should be re-erected in North Carolina and the public of Pitt County invited to visit. We should be proud of the Murrow facility.

On December 14, I spent most of the day visiting and meeting employees of MBN in Springfield, VA and was deeply impressed by Brian Conniff and his dedicated staff. They are outstanding. In March the full Board plans to meet there.

U.S. official Victor Ashe calls for keeping a radio facility capable of reaching China

FreeMediaOnline — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:38:19 +0000

This is an exclusive report by BBG Watch (BBGWatch.com). Republication is permitted with attribution.

BBG Governor Victor Ashe and VOA Director David Ensor meeting with VOA China Branch employees - BBG photo

In his statement, Ashe called for action and not just words to improve employee morale. Contract employees represent nearly half of the Voice of America workforce.

Ashe is believed to be the only current BBG member who regularly meets with groups of employees and listens to their complaints.

BBG Watch (BBGWatch.com), an independent website managed by former and current BBG employees, has obtained a copy of BBG Governor Ashe’s statement, which we post below.

Statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Victor H. Ashe

I hope that 2012 sees a new era of employee-management relations for BBG. I feel the Governors are becoming increasingly aware that having 45 percent of all VOA employees as contract employees presents major issues of fairness, concern and accountability. It creates two classes of employees for a single work force.

I hope BBG director Dick Lobo will appoint a broad based committee representing all groups to review the issue and make recommendations to the Board. The BBG governance committee must take a hard look at this. The recent flu shot issue which was favorably resolved highlights how foolish the two classes of employees had become as it made no sense to deny contract employees flu shots while offering them to federal employees all working in the same building and office space. How this ever occurred in the first place surprised me.

Surveys have consistently shown bad morale. We must turn this around. Contract employees are not surveyed by OPM. Recently, IBB sent out a limited survey on the contracts themselves but not on general work place issues. While well intended, that attempt falls short of what is needed to gauge employee thoughts. We must make a New Year’s resolution to do better in this area. We must walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

We must also ring the bell that boorish behavior in the work place will not be tolerated. We must be open and transparent in how we deal with it. I am confident that the new engaged leadership of David Ensor will prevail and create a new climate in this field. He is implementing new procedures.

I felt my visit to the Edward Murrow Transmission facility in Greenville, NC on December 7 was a good one and I learned a lot. I am convinced it is a serious mistake to close this facility which is the only one on American soil where the American government has jurisdiction. The station in the Philippines is barred from transmissions to China due the Philippine government’s reluctance to upset the Chinese government. That could not happen on American territory.

The Murrow facility has been hidden from public view and I urge it to be more visible. Its name had become Site B which is effectively nameless. However, President Kennedy had participated in 1962 naming it for Edward R Murrow, one of our nation’s most respected newscasters. The signs should be re-erected in North Carolina and the public of Pitt County invited to visit. We should be proud of the Murrow facility.

On December 14, I spent most of the day visiting and meeting employees of MBN in Springfield, VA and was deeply impressed by Brian Conniff and his dedicated staff. They are outstanding. In March the full Board plans to meet there.

Women and Their Families in China Who Are Victims of Human Rights Abuses Need Voice of America Radio

BBGWatcher — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:10:59 +0000

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) issued a press release on CUSIB Executive Director Ann Noonan’s speech in support of continuing Voice of America (VOA) radio and television broadcasts to China.

November 7, 2011
For Immediate Release

Women and Their Families in China Who Are Victims of Human Rights Abuses Need Voice of America Radio

On Sunday, November 6, 2011 the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) Executive Director Ann Noonan joined a panel discussion sponsored by All Girls Allowed, Inc. at New York’s Flushing Sheraton and spoke against plans to cut Voice of America (VOA) radio programs to China:

“… in China today, young fighters for democracy listen to VOA radio. … Radio listening – unlike the Internet – cannot be easily monitored or blocked. Although radio signals can be partially jammed, they can never be completely silenced – unless the U.S. Government decides to end these broadcasts, as it was proposed by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Let’s hope and pray that will NEVER happen as long as there is no freedom of expression in China or as long as the Chinese people want to learn about America.”

Following a bipartisan action in the U.S. Congress to block the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ proposal, the Federal agency which runs the Voice of America has suspended the termination of VOA radio and television programs to China but is still considering reducing radio broadcasts. Ann Noonan said that these radio programs from the United States are especially needed by women and their families. They provide critical information and give hope and encouragement to the poorest and the most oppressed segments of the Chinese society, said Ms. Noonan. Prior to joining CUSIB, she founded Free Church for China, an NGO which researches and documents religious persecution in the PRC. CUSIB has been contacting BBG members to urge them to continue VOA radio and satellite television to China.

The discussion following Ms. Noonan’s presentation focused on Chai Ling’s new book A Heart for Freedom. Ms. Ling is a Tiananmen Survivor and founder of All Girls Allowed, an organization which works to end forced abortions, gendercide, and trafficking of children in China. Other panelists included Tibetan author Jianglin Li, and former New York State Assembly member Ellen Young.

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB), www.cusib.org, is a nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization working to strengthen free flow of uncensored news from the United States to countries with restricted media environments.

For further information contact CUSIB co-founder Ted Lipien (415) 793-1642.

Read the full text of Ann Noonan’s presentation for the discussion on Chai Ling’s book A Heart for Freedom:

In Word

In PDF

View original post here:
Women and Their Families in China Who Are Victims of Human Rights Abuses Need Voice of America Radio

BBG releases model grant agreement with grantee broadcast entities

FreeMediaOnline — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:39:45 +0000

Please note this paragraph. While it applies to the grantees, the same rule governs Voice of America. We wonder why and how it was ignored when VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia were censored and a journalist removed from his position.

BBG acknowledges and affirms the safeguards contained in the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (as amended) meant to preserve the journalistic independence and integrity of BBG programming. To that end, no U.S. Government official—including individual Governors, the IBB Director, the Secretary of State, and the Inspector General—may attempt to influence the content or editorial choices of one of the broadcasting entities in a manner that is not consistent with the highest standards of professional broadcast journalism or take any other action that may tend to undermine the journalistic credibility or independence of BBG or its broadcasters. In the event that Grantee reasonably believes that a breach of this Article VIII(b) has occurred, then Grantee shall report the breach to the Chairperson of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Parts of the agreement could not be reproduced in full on this page. Use this link for a complete BBG text.

Text as approved by Board of Governors on September 15, 2011

Template for Revised Grant Agreements

GRANT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE
BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND
GRANTEE

This Grant Agreement (“Agreement”) is between the Broadcasting Board of Governors (hereinafter “BBG”) and Grantee (hereinafter “Grantee”), a nonprofit organization incorporated in _________________. BBG enters into this Agreement under the authority provided by the U.S. International Broadcasting Act of 1994, as amended, 22 U.S.C. §§ 6201 et seq. (the “International Broadcasting Act”) and BBG’s appropriation and authorization acts for the current fiscal year.

WHEREAS, BBG is the United States Government agency responsible for non-military U.S. Government-funded international broadcasting pursuant to the authorities set forth in the International Broadcasting Act;

WHEREAS, the purpose of the activities supported by the International Broadcasting Act is to “promote the right of opinion and expression, including the freedom ‘to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,’ in accordance with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;” Id. § 6201 (1)

WHEREAS, BBG’s mission is “to promote freedom and democracy and enhance understanding through multimedia communication of accurate, objective, and balanced news, information and other programming about America and the world to audiences overseas;”

WHEREAS, in furtherance of this mission and as authorized by the International Broadcasting Act, BBG makes and supervises a grant to Grantee for broadcasting and related activities in order to provide news and information to countries that have limited or no access to free press and media, and, in furtherance thereof, BBG has decided to make a grant for these purposes pursuant to the terms and conditions stated herein; and

WHEREAS, BBG believes that it would be in the interests of United States international broadcasting and the BBG mission to take advantage of the operational independence and flexibilities of its private nonprofit grantees, while giving due consideration to the requirements of the International Broadcasting Act and other federal laws and regulations that are applicable to federal grantees, including the statutory requirement that duplication of language services and technical operations between Grantee and BBG or BBG-sponsored broadcasting entities will be reduced to the extent appropriate, as determined by BBG.

NOW, THEREFORE, BBG agrees to make, and Grantee agrees to accept, the grant of funds in accordance with the following provisions:

Article I – THE GRANT

a. Amount of the Grant. BBG hereby grants the amount of $ _______________ (the “Grant Funds”) for fiscal year 2012 (FY 2012) to Grantee for the purposes and subject to the terms and conditions stated herein.

b. Use of the Grant Funds. Grantee may use the Grant Funds solely for planning and operating expenses related to international broadcasting and administration thereof. The Grant Funds are provided solely for the purposes and in the amounts approved by BBG and as set forth in the Approved Financial Plan (as such term is defined in Article VI hereof and subject to the review procedures and adjustments described therein).

Article II – PROGRAMMING PRODUCED WITH GRANT FUNDS

a. Grantee shall use the Grant Funds to provide news and information programming that is consistent with the relevant principles and standards set forth in the International Broadcasting Act and the strategy for United States international broadcasting as determined by BBG and implemented by the Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau (“IBB”) under authority delegated by BBG.

b. Grantee shall produce news and information programming in the language(s) described in the Approved Financial Plan. Upon BBG’s request, Grantee shall provide to BBG a detailed written schedule of the programs produced with the Grant Funds, including the languages and media in which such programs were produced.

Article III – DISTRIBUTION OF PROGRAMMING PRODUCED WITH GRANT FUNDS

a. Subject to the limitations of Article III(c), Grantee acknowledges and agrees that BBG is authorized to provide for distribution of the programming that is paid for with the Grant Funds over the global network of broadcasting and transmission facilities owned and/or operated by BBG or, as the case may be, through affiliated networks arranged by BBG (“BBG’s Global Distribution Network”). Subject to the limitations of Article III(c), Grantee shall provide the programming that it produces with the Grant Funds to BBG for distribution over BBG Global Distribution Network.

b. Grantee may not use Grant Funds for the purpose of concluding agreements with affiliates, except as approved in writing by BBG. Unpaid affiliate agreements must be consistent with the BBG’s strategy for United States international broadcasting, as described in Article II(a).

c. Grantee grants to BBG a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free and perpetual license to broadcast, use, distribute and create derivative works from those of Grantee’s original programs that contain no materials provided by or licensed from any third parties. Grantee grants to BBG a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to broadcast and otherwise use those of Grantee’s programs that are legally available for such licensing and use. When obtaining materials from third parties for inclusion in its original programming, Grantee agrees to use reasonable best efforts to secure sufficient rights to permit Grantee to license to BBG (on a non-exclusive, worldwide and royalty-free basis) the right to broadcast the resulting original programming; provided, however, that Grantee shall not be required to do so where the acquisition of such rights would materially and detrimentally affect Grantee’s ability to secure its own license from said third parties. Grantee shall provide, without charge, information concerning, and DVD or other electronic copies of any of its programs to BBG upon BBG’s request.

d. Grantee hereby grants to BBG, and BBG hereby accepts, an irrevocable, royalty-free, fully paid-up, non-exclusive, sublicense-able, perpetual license during the Grant Term to use Grantee’s registered and unregistered trademarks. BBG’s use of Grantee’s trademarks shall be limited to use in conjunction with broadcasting or otherwise disseminating Grantee’s materials to BBG’s audiences for the purpose of furthering the BBG mission.

Article IV – COOPERATION WITH BBG GOVERNANCE OF UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL BROADCASING

As a condition of its receipt and use of the Grant Funds provided hereunder, Grantee shall cooperate with BBG’s governance of United States international broadcasting under the International Broadcasting Act as follows:

a. Grantee acknowledges that certain authorities of BBG under the International Broadcasting Act are non-delegable, including those listed in Attachment A, meaning that BBG has sole and exclusive authority to determine United States international broadcasting strategy and policy and that the Grant Funds are intended to promote and implement such BBG-sponsored strategy and policy.

b. Grantee’s articles of incorporation, by-laws or other constitutional documents shall provide that the Board of Directors of Grantee shall consist of the current members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors established under the International Broadcasting Act and of no other members. The Board of Directors shall make all major policy determinations governing the operations of Grantee and shall appoint and fix the compensation of such managerial officers and employees of Grantee as it considers necessary to carry out the purposes of the Grant.

c. Grantee shall cooperate in the processes and protocols of BBG as follows:

1. Grantee acknowledges that BBG has adopted certain rules of conduct to govern the participation and cooperation of the elements of BBG-sponsored United States international broadcasting. Such rules of conduct are set forth in Attachment B hereto.

2. Grantee shall report such information to BBG as may be reasonably requested by BBG in the format and within the timeframe so requested. Consistent with the BBG’s desire to foster transparency as described in the “rules of the road” in Attachment B, and in order to better enable Grantee to provide accurate and relevant information, where possible, BBG’s request will include information regarding the purpose of the request.

3. Grantee acknowledges that BBG has delegated to the IBB Director the authority to oversee the day-to-day management of the Federal agency and to identify, evaluate, and resolve strategic trade-offs and conflicts among the broadcasting entities, including Grantee, consistent with the Board’s strategic guidelines and subject to the Board’s continued oversight. Grantee shall use Grant Funds in a manner consistent with any such delegation.

4. In order to facilitate coordinated communications among the elements of United States international broadcasting, Grantee will seek advance approval of BBG of any Congressional and Executive Branch communications and outreach activities undertaken with the use of the Grant Funds, provided that nothing in this paragraph, shall prevent Grantee (i) from responding to specific requests for information, documents or materials from Congress or the Executive Branch, or (ii) from engaging in routine correspondence or communications with Congress and/or the Executive Branch (including United States embassies), or (iii) from engaging in communications in the regular pursuit of newsgathering activities. Upon BBG’s request, Grantee shall inform BBG about such responses to requests and/or correspondence in a timely manner. Grantee acknowledges that 31 U.S.C. §1352 prohibits Federal grantees from using appropriated funds to pay any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the making, extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal grant. This provision shall not apply to any communications or outreach activities of any Director of the Board of Directors of Grantee who is a Governor of the Broadcasting Board of Governors at the time such communication or outreach activity is undertaken.

5. Grantee shall not disclose any information expressly designated in writing as confidential by BBG to any third party not authorized by BBG to receive it. BBG shall provide to Grantee a copy of the written standards and procedures used by BBG in designating information as confidential. Grantee shall require each Grantee employee and contractor with access to BBG-designated confidential information to enter into a written undertaking of confidentiality consistent with this paragraph. Grantee further agrees to take all steps reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of the confidential information and to prevent the confidential information from falling into the public domain or into the possession of unauthorized persons. Grantee shall have no obligation of confidentiality with respect to information that (A) was known to Grantee prior to receiving any of the confidential information from BBG, (B) has become publicly known through no wrongful act of Grantee, or (C) was received by Grantee from a third party without restriction as to the use and disclosure of the information.

6. Grantee shall participate in activities of the IBB Coordinating Committee in accordance with the International Broadcasting Act.

Article V – MUTUAL ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING

a. In the spirit of cooperation among BBG-sponsored entities and in order to promote the efficient use of Grant Funds and Agency resources, BBG and Grantee will use their reasonable best efforts to render assistance to each other to promote the interests of United States international broadcasting and the implementation of BBG’s strategy.

b. Upon BBG’s request, Grantee shall make reasonable efforts to provide or facilitate provision of administrative or other services or resources to BBG or other BBG-sponsored broadcasting entities in order to promote implementation of BBG’s strategy. Grant Funds shall be available for in-kind services to the BBG or other BBG-sponsored entities where cost effective and consistent with the BBG strategic plan as determined by BBG. BBG shall not be required to reimburse Grantee for Grant Funds used to provide such in-kind services nor otherwise to supplement the Grant Funds provided hereunder. BBG will endeavor to make such requests in a manner that does not interfere with Grantee’s ability to discharge its responsibilities under this Agreement and, where necessary to achieve the request, to provide resources to assist Grantee in fulfilling such requests. Grantee shall notify BBG of any expenditures it makes on provision of in-kind services to BBG and other BBG-sponsored entities.

c. All assistance contemplated under this Article V shall be rendered in a manner consistent with applicable law and regulations.

Article VI – ADMINISTRATION OF THE GRANT

a. Development and Review of the Approved Financial Plan

1. Definition. As used in this Agreement, the term “Approved Financial Plan” shall mean (i) the financial plan for use of the Grant Funds that is approved by BBG in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article VI; (ii) any modification to such plan that is approved by BBG during the term of this Agreement; and (iii) any proposal or modification of such proposal during a Continuing Resolution as referenced in Article VI(a)(5) below.

2. Financial Plan Required. Unless otherwise determined by BBG, within 30 calendar days (or, if the same is on a U.S. federal holiday, the first business day occurring thereafter) of entering into this Agreement (or, as the case may be, any amendment to this Agreement which alters the amount or purpose of grant funds available), Grantee shall submit to BBG a proposed detailed financial plan consistent with the strategy, purposes, and language services approved by BBG and covering the full amount of the Grant, any carryover balances of prior year funds, and recoveries of prior year expenditures and commitments that are available for expenditure.

3. Financial Plan Detail. Grantee’s proposed financial plan shall delineate Grantee’s anticipated monthly expenditures for each budget line item, anticipated monthly expenditures for each office and language service, and any additional detail required by BBG. Budget line items will be defined by the BBG in order to ensure uniformity.

4. Approval of the Proposed Financial Plan. BBG shall transmit any disapproval of the proposed financial plan within 30 days of its receipt from Grantee. If BBG has not notified Grantee of its disapproval within 30 days of receiving the plan, the plan shall be deemed approved.

5. Financial Plan during a Partial Year Continuing Resolution (CR). If appropriations for the full year amount of the Grant Funds are not available to BBG at the time that Grantee enters into this Agreement, Grantee shall provide, with each request for funding, an explanation of funding requirements for the period covered by the funding request and two subsequent months. Unless otherwise determined by law or approved by BBG, such requirements shall include only the minimum amounts of Grant Funds reasonably necessary to sustain current operations under the partial-year Continuing Resolution. No later than 30 days after enactment of an appropriation covering the fiscal year, Grantee shall submit a proposed detailed financial plan for approval in accordance with paragraphs one (1) through four (4) of this subsection. Grantee shall operate at a rate of obligation under its CR financial plan until BBG approval in accordance with paragraph.

b. BBG will provide the Grant Funds to Grantee by U.S. Treasury cash wire transfers (FEDWIRE) generated through the Automated Clearing House System. BBG will make disbursements in monthly increments or on such other basis as may be consistent with the Approved Financial Plan.

c. Reporting and Review of Use of Grant Funds

1. Monthly Reports. Unless otherwise approved by BBG, twenty (20) days after the end of each month, except following the final month of the fiscal year, when this period shall be 30 days, Grantee shall provide to BBG a report, for such month, of obligations and cash disbursements in U.S. dollars with the level of detail described in Article VI(a)(3) (as well as any recoveries or carryover balances from prior years), together with such additional information as BBG may request from time to time. As requested by BBG, Grantee shall justify in detail its use of Grant Funds against items defined in the Approved Financial Plan.

2. Other Reviews. Grantee shall prepare and submit to BBG such other reviews and reports on expenditures and obligations as BBG may request on a schedule to be provided periodically by BBG.

3. Report on Vacancies. Not later than the 21 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, Grantee shall submit a report to BBG listing personnel vacancies as of the end of the quarter. This report should be organized by division and include the Position Title, Grade Level, Annual Salary, Date Vacant and Expected Hire Date. The provision of such report to BBG is solely to facilitate BBG’s budget planning and reporting to Congress and does not imply that Grantee is required to seek BBG approval to fill personnel vacancies.

4. Report on Equipment and Equipment Disposition. In accordance with OMB Circular No. A-110, Grantee shall submit annually to BBG an inventory of all equipment. Requests for disposition instructions concerning property purchased with Grant Funds with an estimated fair market value (at the time of such disposition) of U.S. $5,000 or more must be submitted to BBG 120 days in advance of the proposed disposition. If BBG has not notified Grantee that the disposition is disapproved, the disposition will be deemed approved.

d. Grantee shall maintain at its principal offices full and complete records and books of account, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, covering the financial details applicable to the Grant. Grantee shall maintain separate accountability for funds provided under this Agreement. Grantee shall expend these funds only on the operating costs authorized by this Agreement unless it receives prior written approval of BBG to do otherwise.

e. In accordance with A-110, Subpt C.25, Grantee is required to report deviations from the Approved Financial Plan to BBG. Grantee shall make reasonable efforts to provide prior notice of anticipated deviations. Grantee may not transfer Grant Funds among direct costs if the cumulative amount of such transfers exceeds, or is expected to exceed, 10 percent of the total budget in the Approved Financial Plan unless otherwise approved by BBG .

f. Unless otherwise approved by BBG, Grantee shall provide five (5) days advance notification of any new contracts exceeding U.S. $350,000 and any new leases exceeding U.S. $200,000.

g. Return of Funds

1. Grantee shall return to BBG at the conclusion of the fiscal year any portion of the Grant Funds that are not required for a legally binding transaction or designated by Grantee for a purpose and in an amount consistent with the Approved Financial Plan (as well as any recoveries or carryover balances from prior years), unless otherwise approved by BBG.

2. Any and all interest earned on Grant Funds provided to Grantee pursuant to this Agreement shall be returned to the U.S. Government on an annual basis in accordance with the requirements of OMB Circular A-110.

3. Expenditures by Grantee that are not consistent with the Approved Financial Plan or otherwise permitted by this Agreement shall be recovered by Grantee and promptly refunded to BBG.

Article VII – REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

a. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Parties are subject to all Federal rules and regulations pertaining to federal grants, including the following: 22 U.S.C. §§ 6201 et seq., 31 U.S.C. §§ 7502 and 1352, 41 U.S.C. § 702, the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act and implementing regulations, and OMB Circulars No. A-110, A-122, and A-133.

b. Allowability of costs incurred under this Agreement will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-122, “Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations,” (as revised May 10, 2004), pursuant to certain clarifications specified in Attachment C and subject to any exceptions granted by authorization or appropriation laws.

c. Grantee shall comply with the covenants and other contracting provisions set forth in Attachment D.

d. Grantee shall comply with grant limitations in the International Broadcasting Act and/or any applicable appropriations statute that are expressly applicable to Grantee, including without limitation, those set forth in Attachment E.

e. Grantee shall deliver all required certifications identified in Attachment F upon execution of this Grant Agreement.

f. No Grant Funds may be used for the following purposes:

1. to pay any salary or other compensation, or enter into any contract providing for the payment of salary or compensation in excess of the rates established for comparable positions under Title 5 of the United States Code, or the foreign relations laws of the United States.

2. to pay first-class travel for any employee of Grantee, or the relative of any employee.

g. Grantee shall comply with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the copyright laws of the United States.

h. When engaging outside the United States in activities that require the use of Grant Funds, Grantee shall exercise due diligence to ascertain the local laws and regulations, and other relevant local circumstances, applicable to Grantee’s activities in the relevant country(ies) where such activities shall be undertaken. In the event that Grantee or any of its employees or contractors becomes subject to any fine, imprisonment, judgment, tax, or other penalty (whether civil, administrative, criminal, or otherwise) in any country as a result of the activities undertaken with the use of the Grant Funds, Grantee shall notify BBG in writing of the same as soon as practicable (but, in no case later than 30 days following any such event) and shall provide such information as BBG may request regarding the circumstances of any such penalty.

Article VIII – LIMITATIONS OF BBG OVERSIGHT

a. Grantee is a private, nonprofit corporation, and nothing in this Agreement may be construed to make Grantee a Federal agency or instrumentality.

b. BBG’s oversight and supervision of the Grant Funds are subject to limitations in applicable law.

c. BBG acknowledges and affirms the safeguards contained in the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (as amended) meant to preserve the journalistic independence and integrity of BBG programming. To that end, no U.S. Government official—including individual Governors, the IBB Director, the Secretary of State, and the Inspector General—may attempt to influence the content or editorial choices of one of the broadcasting entities in a manner that is not consistent with the highest standards of professional broadcast journalism or take any other action that may tend to undermine the journalistic credibility or independence of BBG or its broadcasters. In the event that Grantee reasonably believes that a breach of this Article VIII(b) has occurred, then Grantee shall report the breach to the Chairperson of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Article IX – FUNDRAISING

Grantee may not engage in fundraising from other sources except in accordance with the principles of fundraising to be agreed by BBG and Grantee. Grantee is prohibited from using any Federal funds to finance its fundraising efforts.

Article X – PERSONNEL SECURITY POLICY

a. BBG will perform security background investigations and provide appropriate clearance for the persons holding the positions listed in the letter to be provided by BBG to Grantee following the signing of this Agreement. These security background investigations and clearances shall be performed at no cost to Grantee.

b. With regard to those of Grantee’s employees and contractors who are not identified in the letter to be provided pursuant to Article X(a), but who are determined by Grantee and BBG to require background investigations and/or clearances, Grantee and BBG shall establish an agreed upon protocol (“Protocol”), which shall be reduced to writing and confirmed in a letter agreement following the signing of this Agreement. The Protocol shall cover (i) the categories of persons for whom such investigations and/or clearances are required, (ii) the identity of the entity or entities that will perform the investigations and/or clearances and, where necessary, (iii) who shall cover the costs associated with such investigations and/or clearances.

Article XI – IT NETWORK SECURITY POLICY

Any material breach of Grantee’s IT network security policies, or any incident that materially affects the integrity or operations of the Grantee’s IT network system, shall be reported to BBG within twenty-four (24) hours of detection. These violations shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Unauthorized access to any of the social media or web site content management systems used by Grantee.

2. Disruption or denial of service for production or distribution systems.

3. Unauthorized modification or removal of Grantee data.

Article XII – AUDITS AND INSPECTIONS

a. All records required to be kept in order to comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including bid solicitations, evidence of shipment for commodities and procurement and service contracts, shall be maintained by Grantee for a period of three (3) years from the date of the submission of the final expenditure report, in a manner that will permit verification of Grantee’s compliance with its representations, warranties, and obligations contained in this Agreement. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until such litigation, claim or audit has been resolved.

b. Grantee acknowledges the audit requirements set forth in OMB Circular A-133.

c. Operations of Grantee, as related to use of the Grant Funds, may be audited by the Government Accountability Office in accordance with such principles and procedures and under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States. Any such audit shall be conducted at the place or places where accounts of Grantee are normally kept.

d. Representatives of the Government Accountability Office shall have access to all books, accounts, records, reports, files, papers, and property belonging to or in use by Grantee, pertaining to such financial transactions and necessary to facilitate an audit. Such representatives shall be afforded full facilities for verifying transactions with any assets held by depositories, fiscal agents, and custodians. All such books, accounts, records, reports files, papers, and property of Grantee, shall remain in the possession and custody of Grantee.

e. The Inspector General of the United States Department of State is authorized to exercise the authorities of the Inspector General Act of 1978 with respect to Grantee.

f. BBG shall conduct an annual review to measure Grantee’s performance in achieving the purposes of this Agreement and compliance with its terms. Such reviews shall be conducted at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice to Grantee.

g. To ensure continuous and cooperative planning and operations hereunder, Grantee shall permit BBG or its authorized representatives, including the Inspector General, to visit Grantee’s facilities and to inspect the facilities, activities, and work pertinent to the grant, both in the United States and abroad, and to interview personnel engaged in the performance of the grant to the extent deemed necessary by BBG. BBG, however, shall not exercise any prepublication review of the substance of any broadcast or print publication of Grantee.

Article XIII – FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF THE GRANT

In the event that Grantee fails to comply with any material term of this Grant, then, upon the decision of the BBG Board of Governors, BBG shall have the right to suspend or terminate Grantee’s use of the Grant Funds by providing written notice to Grantee. BBG shall provide advance notice of suspension or termination, except in urgent or compelling circumstances, as determined by BBG in its sole discretion, after which Grantee will have ten (10) business days to bring itself in compliance with this Agreement.

In the event BBG suspends or terminates Grantee’s use of Grant Funds, Grantee shall forthwith return any portion of the Grant Funds in its possession or control to BBG. Any such termination or suspension shall be without further obligation by BBG or the United States.

Article XIV – POINTS OF CONTACT

For BBG, the following persons, or anyone otherwise designated by the IBB Director, shall be deemed to be the points of contact for Grantee with respect to the provisions of this Agreement.

For financial matters arising under this Agreement,

Maryjean Buhler
Chief Financial Officer
Tel:
Email:

For all other matters arising under this Agreement,

Jeffrey Trimble
IBB Deputy Director
Tel:
Email:

For Grantee, the following persons, or anyone otherwise designated by either of them, shall be deemed to be the points of contact for Grantee with respect to the provisions of this Agreement.

For financial matters arising under this Agreement,

[ ]

For all other matters arising under this Agreement,

[ ]

Article XV – AMENDMENTS

The terms of this Agreement may be amended by mutual written consent between BBG and Grantee.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year specified below:

GRANTEEBROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS
International Broadcasting Bureau

ATTACHMENT A

NON-DELEGABLE BBG AUTHORITIES
1. To supervise all broadcasting activities conducted pursuant to International Broadcasting Act, the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act and the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act.
2. To review and evaluate the mission and operation of, and to assess the quality, effectiveness, and professional integrity of, all such activities within the context of the broad foreign policy objectives of the United States.
3. To ensure that United States international broadcasting (USIB) is conducted in accordance with the broadcasting standards and principles set forth in the Act:
Broadcasting Standards
USIB shall –

be consistent with the broad foreign policy objectives and the international telecommunications policies and treaties of the United States;

not duplicate the activities of private US broadcasters or government supported broadcasting entities of other democratic nations;

be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of broadcast journalism;

be based on reliable information about its potential audience;

be designed to effectively reach a significant audience;

promote respect for human rights, including freedom of religion.

Broadcasting Principles

USIB shall include –

news which is consistently reliable and authoritative, accurate;

a balanced and comprehensive projection of United States thought and institutions, reflecting the diversity of United
States culture and society;

clear and effective presentation of the policies of the United States Government and responsible discussion and opinion on those policies, including editorials, broadcast by the Voice of America, which present the views of the
United States Government;

the capability to provide a surge capacity to support United States foreign policy objectives during crises abroad;

programming to meet needs which remain unserved by the totality of media voices available to the people of certain
nations;

information about developments in each significant region of the world;

a variety of opinions and voices from within particular nations and regions prevented by censorship or repression from speaking to their fellow countrymen;

reliable research capacity to meet the criteria under this section;

adequate transmitter and relay capacity to support USIB activities; and

training and technical support for independent indigenous media through government agencies or private United States
entities.

4. To review, evaluate, and determine, at least annually, after consultation with the Secretary of State, the addition or deletion of language services.

5. To make and supervise grants for broadcasting and related activities.

6. To allocate funds appropriated for international broadcasting activities among the various elements of the International Broadcasting Bureau and grantees.

7. To submit an annual report to the President and the Congress.

8. To appoint such staff personnel for the Board as the Board may determine necessary to carry out its functions.

ATTACHMENT B

The BBG Board of Governors (Board) on June 3, 2011, adopted the following “rules of the road” governing Board operations and procedures and the interactions among the elements of United States International Broadcasting (USIB), namely (i) the Board; (ii) the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), Voice of America (VOA), and Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB); and (iii) BBG’s private grantees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) (collectively, Grantees).

The Board affirmed the following general principles of BBG governance:

• To fulfill its statutory mission, the Board requires the elements of USIB to cooperate in working toward goals established by the Board, and implemented by the International Broadcasting Bureau, in a spirit of collegiality, transparency, mutual respect, and good communication with peers and colleagues.

• The Board will endeavor to focus its attention on issues of strategic importance as required for the Board to exercise the non-delegable authorities of the Board in the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (as amended).

• The Board will rely on the International Broadcasting Bureau to assist the Board in carrying out the Board’s responsibilities for decisions and oversight of U.S. international broadcasting. The Board will delegate authority to the Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB Director) to oversee the day-to-day management of the federal agency and to identify, evaluate, and resolve strategic trade-offs and conflicts among the broadcasting entities, consistent with the Board’s strategic guidelines and subject to the Board’s continued oversight. The Board will require the federal and non-federal elements of USIB to cooperate with and assist the IBB Director in fulfilling these duties.

• In recognition of the collective decision-making authority of the Governors and their desire to leverage their collective talents to promote and enhance USIB, the Governors will work to avoid the creation of “fiefdoms” in respect of the individual elements of USIB or particular functions or authorities of the Board.

• The Board will require the management of the respective, federal and non-federal elements of USIB to faithfully implement and operationalize the Board’s decisions, including revised management structures intended to improve the overall efficiency of U.S. international broadcasting, and to cooperate fully with the Committees, the IBB Director, and other senior BBG officials or reporting mechanisms on which the Board relies to inform its deliberations and decision-making.
ATTACHMENT C

Allowability of costs incurred under this Agreement will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-122, “Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations,” (as revised May 10, 2004) with the following clarifications:

a.All operating costs are determined to be direct costs. (See Subparagraph B of Attachment A of OMB Circular No. A-122.)

b.The following expenses, insofar as they are reasonable and necessary to further the purpose of the grant, are authorized. (Relevant paragraphs of OMB Circular No. A-122, are noted in parentheses.)

1. Official representation expenses necessary to further the mission of Grantee, are not to exceed the amount in the Approved Financial Plan unless otherwise authorized by BBG. (See Attachment B Para. 14)

2. Capital expenditures for general purpose equipment. (See Attachment B Para. 15(b)(1))

3. Overtime, extra-pay shift, and multi-shift premiums. (See Attachment B Para. 8(f))

4. Participant support costs (See Attachment B Para. 33)

5. Costs of legal, accounting, and consulting services, and related costs, incurred in connection with organization and reorganization. (See Attachment B Paras. 10, 31 & 39)

6. Public information service costs. (See Attachment B Para. 1(d))

7. Publication and printing costs. (See Attachment B Para. 38(c))

8. Foreign travel costs as specified in the Approved Financial Plan. (See Attachment B Para. 51(e))

9. The cost of advertising the availability of publications, recordings, or services of Grantee, subject to limitations in applicable law or regulation.

ATTACHMENT D

1.COVENANT AGAINST CONTINGENT FEES

Grantee warrants that no person or selling agency has been employed or retained to solicit or secure this Agreement upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, excepting bona fide employees, bona fide established commercial or selling agencies maintained by Grantee for the purpose of securing business. For breach or violation of this warranty, BBG shall have the right to annul this Agreement without liability or in its discretion to deduct from the Agreement price or consideration, or otherwise recover, the full amount of such commission, percentage, brokerage or contingent fee.

2.EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

During the performance of this Agreement, Grantee agrees that it will not discriminate against an employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap in accordance with all pertinent Federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in employment including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 2000e, et seq.; section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 29 U.S.C. 794; the Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1975, as amended; and 42 U.S.C. 6101, et seq. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to employment actions including, but not limited to, employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. Grantee shall continue to include in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of Grantee language stating that “Grantee is an equal opportunity employer committed to work force diversity.”

3.PREFERENCE FOR U.S. FLAG AIR CARRIERS

a. Public Law 93623 requires that all Federal agencies and Government contractors, subcontractors and, grantees will use U.S. Flag Air Carriers for international air transportation of personnel (and their personal effects) or property to the extent service by such carriers is available. It further provides that the Comptroller General of the United States shall disallow any expenditure from appropriated funds for international air transportation on other than a U.S. Flag Air Carrier in the absence of satisfactory proof of the necessity therefore.

b. Grantee agrees to utilize U.S. Flag Air Carriers for international air transportation of personnel (and their personal effects) or property to the extent service by such carriers is available.

c. In the event that Grantee selects a carrier other than U.S. Flag Air Carrier for international air transportation, a certification will be included on the vouchers essentially as follows:

Certification of Unavailability of U.S. Flag Air Carriers

I hereby certify that transportation services for personnel (and their personal effects) or property by U.S. Flag air carrier were unavailable for the following reasons: (state reasons)

d.The terms used in this clause have the following meanings:

1.”International air transportation” means transportation of persons (and their personal effects) or property by air between a place in the United States and a place outside thereof or between two places both of which are outside the United States.

2.”U.S. Flag Air Carrier” means one of a class of air carriers holding a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board, approved by the President, authorizing operations between the United States and/or its territories and one or more foreign countries.

3.The term “United States” includes the 50 states, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, possessions of the United States, and the District of Columbia.

4.CONVICT LABOR

In connection with the performance of work under this grant, Grantee agrees not to employ any person undergoing sentence of imprisonment except as provided by 18 U.S.C. 3622 and Executive Order No. 11755, December 29, 1973, as amended.

5.GRANTEE SHALL COMPLY WITH:

a.Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

b.Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

c.The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

ATTACHMENT E

GRANT LIMITATIONS

(Limitations made applicable specifically to Grantee under the International Broadcasting Act or appropriations statutes)
ATTACHMENT F

1.CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

Grantee shall sign the Certification Concerning Lobbying Activities that it will comply with 31 U.S.C. § 1352 concerning the use of appropriated funds for lobbying activities. If no appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid for lobby activities, Grantee shall submit Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.”

2.CERTIFICATION REGARDING DRUGFREE WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS

Grantee shall sign the Certification Regarding Drug Free Workplace Requirements: Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 that it will provide a drugfree workplace in accordance with the DrugFree Workplace Act of 1988, 22 CFR 513, Subpart F.

3.FEDERAL DEBT STATUS

Under OMB Circular No. A129, Grantee must certify that it is not delinquent on payment of any Federal debt. Grantee shall sign the Certification Regarding Federal Debt Status.

4.DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

Executive Order 12549 of February 18, 1986, as clarified by Executive Order 12689 of August 15, 1989, requires uniform Federal rules on nonprocurement debarment and suspension from certain transactions with the Government. The May 26, 1988 Federal Register (53 Fed. Reg. 19161) contains these rules, which, among other things, require signature by Federal grantees of the Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension.

5.STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

Grantee will publish written policy guidelines, as approved by BBG, on conflict of interest and avoidance thereof. These guidelines will reflect federal laws and must cover financial interest, gifts, gratuities and favors, nepotism, political activity and foreign affiliations, outside employment, and use of company assets. These rules must also indicate how outside activities, relationships, and financial interests are reviewed by the responsible grantee official(s). Grantee will ensure that each employee is given a copy of the policy and notified that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee must abide by the terms of the policy.

BBG releases Decisions of Board at BBG Meeting of September 15, 2011

FreeMediaOnline — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:23:30 +0000

RECORD OF DECISIONS

From:Broadcasting Board of Governors

Date: September 15, 2011

Subject: Decisions of Board at BBG Meeting of September 15, 2011

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) met today in the Voice of America Briefing Room at BBG Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The meeting was open for public observation via streaming on the BBG website.

The meeting was attended by the following Board members:

Chairman Walter Isaacson

Governor Victor Ashe

Governor Michael Meehan

Governor Dennis Mulhaupt

Governor Dana Perino

Acting Under Secretary of State Ann Stock

Governors Susan McCue, Enders Wimbush and Michael Lynton were not in attendance at the meeting.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors agreed to the following decision elements (all decisions were adopted by a unanimous vote unless otherwise indicated):

1. Adoption of July 14, 2011 Minutes. The Board adopts the minutes of July 14, 2011 meeting as set forth in Attachment 1.

2. Adoption of Governance Committee Recommendations. The Board heard a briefing from Governor Mulhaupt regarding the Governance Committee meeting held on September 14, 2011. The Board adopts the following recommendations by the Governance Committee:

a. Adoption of the July 13, 2011 Governance Committee Report. The Board adopts the July 13, 2011 Governance Committee report [Attachment 2] in its entirety, noting that the plenary Board had already adopted a number of the recommendations individually at the Board’s July 14, 2011 meeting.

b. Status of IBB-BBG Merger. The Board received a status update on the implementation of its April 2011 decision to merge the staffs of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and the BBG.
i. The Board noted that a reprogramming letter outlining the new IBB offices was sent to the Agency’s Congressional oversight committees on August 26, 2011 and that Congressional concurrence was received the day before the meeting.

ii. The Board directs the IBB Director to create the offices contemplated in the reprogramming letter (and previously approved by the Board at its June 2011 meeting) in order to implement the IBB/BBG merger in compliance with applicable law and regulation.

c. Revision of Grant Agreement

i. The Board noted its September 2010 decision to revise the terms and conditions of the grant agreements to correspond to the operational realities of the relationships between the BBG and each respective grantee, the requirements of the U.S. International Broadcasting Act of 1994, as amended, and federal grant law.

ii. The Board noted that IBB staff has worked with the legal and financial staffs of the grantees to prepare a revised grant agreement in order to satisfy the requirements of the September 2010 Board decision.

iii. The Board noted the advice of the BBG Office of General Counsel that the proposed grant agreement is consistent with the BBG’s statutory authority and complies with applicable law and regulation.

iv. The Board approves the revised grant agreement [Attachment 3] in all material respects and directs the IBB Director to work with the grantees to finalize the agreements and issue them to the grantees for signature by no later than October 1, 2011.

d. Release of Materials from Closed Board Meetings.

i. The Board directs the IBB Director to develop a protocol for producing minutes for all future closed meetings of the plenary Board and releasing to the public such portions of the minutes as may be lawful and prudent to release.

ii. The protocol should involve a mechanism to allow interested Governors to review the minutes prior to their release.

_____________________________
Walter Isaacson
Chairman

Witnessed:

______________________________
Paul Kollmer-Dorsey
Secretary

Attachments:
1. Minutes of July 14, 2011 Meeting
2. Governance Committee Report from July 13, 2011 Meeting
3. Revised Grant Agreement

BBG’s “Recent Threats to Media Freedom” statement remains open to charges of hypocrisy

FreeMediaOnline — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:42:35 +0000

The latest BBG statement on threats to media freedom, while quite strong, ignores the detention of VOA correspondent in China earlier this year and is silent on violence against journalists in Russia and BBG’s own attempts to censor Voice of America programs to Ehtiopia. This ivites charges of hypocrisy.

— BBG Watch
We welcome the latest BBG statement on recent threats to media freedom. It is the strongest ever in years. Perhaps BBG members are finally rejecting the go-soft-on-dictators marketing strategy advocated by their executive and program development staff. That would be indeed a welcome change. The BBG’s actions over the last few years have caused great damage to media freedom and the reputation of U.S. international broadcasting.

We also note that the BBG has said nothing about its own negotiations with the repressive regime in Ethiopia to place soft programs about health on local networks, its own censorship of VOA programs to Ethiopia, and the dismissal of the Horn of Africa service chief for daring to disclose and oppose the BBG attempt to replace some of the political news reporting with non-political content inoffensive to the regime, which had earlier threatened VOA reporters with death sentences.

BBG-imposed restrictions and censorship lead to the largest ever anti-censorship demostration in VOA’s history, organized in front of the BBG headquarters in Washington by Ethiopian Americans and media freedom activists.

We’re not surprised that the BBG statement did not mention Ethiopia.

Nor are we surprised that the Board statement does not mention China or the detention of a Voice of America correspondent in Beijing by the Chinese police. In February 2011, VOA reporter Stephanie Ho was secretly taped by CBS News in China’s capital screaming for police to stop beating her. She was pushed around, but eventually released.

Read Stephanie Ho’s account of the incident and see her videos in this VOA report:
US Ambassador Decries Chinese Abuse of Journalists

Perhaps this CBS video will remind BBG members of this incident.

Video link if you can’t see it here.

It is also not surprising that the statement says nothing about the BBG plan to end all VOA radio and TV broadcasts to China as of October 1, 2011 — the anniversary of the founding of the PRC — the plan which has been strongly condemned by Chinese human rights activists, members of Congress, human rights organizations in the U.S., pro-media freedom journalists, and Chinese Americans.

The BBG could regain some of its lost credibility if it would take the advice of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and continue VOA radio and TV broadcasts to China. In our opinion, the BBG’s plan to fire 45 VOA Chinese Branch journalists who specialize in human rights reporting and to end these broadcasts is just as great a threat to media freedom as some of the incidents described in the latest BBG statement. Also keep in mind that the BBG statement does not mention Russia, a country where journalists are being assassinated and to which the BBG terminated VOA radio and TV programs in 2008.

It’s much easier to pick on small dictatorships than on authoritarian regimes of major countries like China and Russia, but that is where the BBG has turned its back on human rights activists and other pro-democracy forces with its broadcasting cuts and its marketing approach pushing soft Internet content to placate the censors and achieve higher audience ratings. It is a marketing approach that goes against the BBG mission as envisioned by Congress and does a great disservice to the American people and the cause of freedom around the world.

Below you will find the full text of the BBG statement. Here we also include the first-person account of VOA Beijing Bureau Chief Stephanie Ho who was temporarily detained in the February 2011 crackdown, but managed to keep her video of the incident.

“I was out at Wangfujing Street across from the McDonald’s, which is where the online protest calls were supposed to be set. I was there probably with most of the foreign journalist corps in Beijing and as soon as I got my video camera out, there were guys blocking the lens.

They wouldn’t let me shoot and the street sweepers kept pushing me away. And then it was almost as if on cue, about four or five plainclothes police officers just sort of came out of the crowd, and all of a sudden I didn’t even know what was happening and they were pushing me. They were shoving me and they kind of knocked the camera down and they shoved me en masse inside a little shop.

Police removed five men gathering at a planned protest site in Shanghai.

Watch Stephanie Ho’s Report.

A uniformed guy actually came in with us, and he sort of wedged himself between me and the guy who I thought was maybe going to hit me. I just kept hearing him say, ‘Don’t hit women, don’t hit women.’ I just instinctively knew that I had to get out of there, and so I just pushed everybody and I forced my way outside back to the street. I was grabbed as soon as I got out to the street by three guys and they dragged me away down the alley to the police van.

They drove me to a police station and asked me to sit and wait in an anteroom. I think there was some confusion because I look Chinese, so they thought I was Chinese. Then they saw my I.D. and they said, ‘Oh, wait, you’re Voice of America, does that mean you’re American or Chinese?’ I think they realized they had brought me to the wrong station, so then after about 15 minutes, they brought me to another place, a sort of makeshift office called the Wangfujing Area Construction and Management Office, which nobody had heard of before.

They said, ‘If you’re going to be on Wangfujing Street, you need our permission.’ They said I needed permission to interview people, and I told them I wasn’t interviewing people, I just went to see what was going on.

Raw video of police action in China.

I don’t think there were any Chinese journalists there. If they went, they were well undercover. All the foreign journalists I know were called this past weekend and were warned not to go. I was called by someone who said she was a public security authoritiy, and we don’t know from which office. We tried to call the number back, and someone answered the phone and said somebody must have been using the phone to make phone calls. It’s all very vague and amorphous.

“I took part Monday afternoon in a meeting of foreign journalists at the U.S. ambassador’s office with the German ambassador and the European Union ambassador to discuss what happened yesterday. There were European journalists who had problems, and there were American journalists who had problems. This was definitely a stronger show of force than I’ve seen. There was a sense that it was concerted. There was a sense that it was organized.

And so the result is that 16 news agencies reported having problems, nine actually reported physical problems where they were either beaten or push or shoved. My colleague from Bloomberg was beaten quite badly. They dragged him around, they punched and kicked him. There were a lot of similarities with his experience and what I experienced.

Looking back on it, I’m thinking there might be some logic to the argument that the crackdown was to set an example for foreign journalists that this could happen to you if you come out again next time.”

Statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors: Recent Threats to Media Freedom

September 15, 2011 | Washington, D.C.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors made the following statement at its meeting on September 15, 2011.

The BBG takes the opportunity of this open meeting to shine a spotlight
on efforts to thwart media freedom and intimidate our journalists in
countries where we work. We’ll provide updates on the status of our
reporters and operations as a standard part of subsequent Board meetings.

The Board expresses profound concern about Iran, where Internet access
to reporting by VOA’s Persian News Network and RFE’s Radio Farda is
blocked, websites are aggressively hacked, shortwave broadcasts are
jammed and persons associated in any way with our programs are arrested
or worse. We learned recently that the Iranian government is jamming
satellite transmissions of the BBC’s Persian service TV. Taken together,
these practices amount to the construction of an “electronic curtain”
isolating the Iranian people from the rest of the world.

We protest the August 31 abduction and expulsion to the Iranian border
of a correspondent with RFE’s Azerbaijani service who was reporting a
story. We have raised the case with the State Department and local
officials and have requested an explanation from the Azerbaijani
government.

We reject a legal warning issued in connection with VOA coverage of the
U.N.-backed tribunal in Cambodia that has been investigating atrocities
committed by the former Khmer Rouge regime. The Board insists on the
journalistic and legal responsibility of all our broadcast services to
provide balanced coverage of important issues, and objects to the
chilling effect the warning may have on independent media inside the
country.

We also object to a recent pattern of intimidation towards RFA and VOA
reporters in Nepal, who have been physically threatened because of their
reporting on Tibet.

Finally, the Board condemns the routine violence that our journalists in
many countries face simply for doing their jobs. On September 3,
Alexandre Neto, a VOA reporter, was assaulted by plain-clothed police
who also confiscated some of his equipment while he was covering a
pro-democracy rally in the Angolan capital of Luanda. A cameraman with
Alhurra TV was attacked on August 10 in Yemen by several unidentified
men who tried to stab him with daggers.

The Board welcomes the news that Abdumalik Boboyev, a correspondent for
VOA, has finally been permitted to travel to Germany to study. Boboyev
was arrested and charged with ‘libel’ last year for his broadcasts. He
managed to avoid prison but was fined $11,000 for ‘insulting the Uzbek
people.’

To learn more about the above incidents, go to:

*BBG Statement on Hacking and Signal Interference in Iran
*Reporters without Borders on Violence in Bahrain
*RFE Azerbaijani Correspondent Abducted, Expelled to Iran
*VOA Statement on Warning to Journalists in Cambodia
*VOA Statement on the Assault on its Reporter in Angola
*BBG Statement of Concern for VOA Reporter Bobayev

BBG Condemns Threats to Press Freedom and Furthers Reform Efforts

September 15, 2011 | Washington, D.C.

At today’s Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) meeting, the Board discussed and advanced plans to carry out a comprehensive reform for U.S. international broadcasting. The Board also called public attention to a string of disturbing incidents of repression and intimidation perpetrated against BBG journalists in recent months in Nepal, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Burma and elsewhere.

The Board decried the longstanding interference with media freedom in Iran and Board Chairman Walter Isaacson noted that, “Taken together, these practices amount to the construction of an ‘electronic curtain’ isolating the Iranian people from the rest of the world.” The Board’s full statement on recent threats to its journalists can be found online here.

The Board adopted revised grant agreements with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) for consistency across the networks, to better reflect operational realities and to foster increased cooperation among U.S. international broadcasting. In addition, the Board voted and passed the Agency’s FY 2013 proposed budget to OMB. The BBG also agreed to establish an Internet Freedom committee to advise the Board on global Internet freedom and censorship circumvention strategies.

Governor Dana Perino announced the launch of the Innovation Commission that will meet on September 22 in New York City to foster ongoing technical developments across U.S. international broadcasting. The Commission brings together leaders who have proven success in digital media.

At the meeting VOA’s new Director David Ensor highlighted the documentary “Hope Town” which was jointly produced with MBN and showcases religious tolerance in Teaneak, N.J., as well as an innovative and highly popular VOA Mandarin webcast “OMG! Meiyu” that engages a young Chinese audience eager to learn colloquial American English.

MBN President Brian Conniff shared noteworthy Alhurra TV coverage of events in Libya as well as the eyewitness reporting by a Radio Sawa correspondent of gunshots being fired at journalists outside of Bani Walid.

A webcast of the meeting is available at www.bbg.gov.

Sourced from: BBG Watch

BBG's "Recent Threats to Media Freedom" statement remains open to charges of hypocrisy

FreeMediaOnline — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:33:27 +0000

The latest BBG statement on threats to media freedom, while quite strong, ignores the detention of VOA correspondent in China earlier this year and is silent on violence against journalists in Russia and BBG’s own attempts to censor Voice of America programs to Ehtiopia. This ivites charges of hypocrisy.

We’re not surprised that the BBG statement did not mention Ethiopia.

Read Stephanie Ho’s account of the incident and see her videos in this VOA report:
US Ambassador Decries Chinese Abuse of Journalists

Perhaps this CBS video will remind BBG members of this incident.

Video link if you can’t see it here.

Police removed five men gathering at a planned protest site in Shanghai.

Watch Stephanie Ho’s Report:

Raw video of police action in China:

Statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors: Recent Threats to Media Freedom

September 15, 2011 | Washington, D.C.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors made the following statement at its meeting on September 15, 2011.

We also object to a recent pattern of intimidation towards RFA and VOA
reporters in Nepal, who have been physically threatened because of their
reporting on Tibet.

To learn more about the above incidents, go to:

BBG Condemns Threats to Press Freedom and Furthers Reform Efforts

September 15, 2011 | Washington, D.C.

A webcast of the meeting is available at www.bbg.gov.

Rep. Rohrabacher Introduces Bill to Counter Communist Chinese State Media Advantage in the U.S.

FreeMediaOnline — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:28:02 +0000

Rep. Rohrabacher also had introduced earlier an amendment, approved unanimously by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, that would prevent the Broadcasting Board of Governors from implementing its plan to end all Voice of America radio and TV broadcasts to China as of October 1.

The BBG plan has been criticized by Chinese human rights activists, Human Rights Watch and other U.S. human rights organizations, American civil rights activists, journalists, and Chinese American organizations.

Claims by BBG members and executives that almost no one in China listens to VOA radio on shortwave were denied by Chinese pro-democracy activists and derided by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

BBG executives also want to terminate VOA Chinese satellite TV news programs to China, which have had more members of Congress as guests than any other VOA broadcasts.

However, the new VOA director David Ensor, who was selected by the BBG, said recently that he wants to expand VOA satellite TV broadcasts in Chinese. He also said that within the first five weeks on the job he had already threatened to resign.

He did not say what caused him to threaten to quit but the BBG executive staff has been for years accused of bad management and the agency rated by employees as one of the worst workplaces in the federal government.

Rep. Rohrabacher’s amendment and his latest bill are seen by BBG employees as an effort to help them do their job in the face of enormous obstacles from BBG managers as well as the State Department which has done little to pressure the Chinese government to stop jamming of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia broadcasts and to allow a greater number of VOA journalists to work in China.

***PRESS RELEASE*** Rep. Rohrabacher Introduces Bill to Counter Communist Chinese State Media Advantage in the U.S.
Disparity of 650 Visas to 2 During FY 2010

Washington, Sep 13 - Today, Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Randy Forbes (R-VA), and Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced H.R. 2899, the Chinese Media Reciprocity Act of 2011. The bill would require the Department of State to issue the same number of visas to Chinese state-media workers as China issues to American journalists working for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

During Fiscal Year 2010 approximately 650 Chinese citizens entered the United States on I Visas (international journalist visas), compared to only two American BBG journalist’s granted permission to be stationed in mainland China.

“There is a very alarming disparity between the number of Chinese state media workers whom we grant visas to and the number of visas the Chinese grant to their American counterparts,” said Rohrabacher.

“We would welcome any free and independent Chinese reporters if such a thing existed. Every one of these reporters is an agent of the Chinese government and works for a news organization under control of the Communist Party in China. Chinese news agencies operating in the USA are not subject to censorship or purposeful disruption and they are free to broadcast as much communist propaganda as they like on U.S. soil.”

“By contrast, our two U.S. correspondents in China are routinely harassed by Chinese police and have been assaulted and detained by Chinese officials seeking to block their work. Voice of America and Radio Free Asia have been regularly jammed by the Communist Chinese for years.”

H.R. 2899 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure open and free journalism access in China by enforcing the established reciprocal relationship between the number of visas issued to state media workers from each country. The bill would also require revocation of a sufficient number of I visas issued to Chinese state media workers 30 days after its enactment in order to reach parity with the number of visas issued by China for BBG employees seeking entry to China.

Rep. Rohrabacher offered a similar amendment to the FY 2012 U.S. Department of State Authorization Bill, which passed during the full committee markup over the summer.

Rohrabacher is a member of the China Caucus and senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

###

Sourced from: BBG Watch

The Heritage Foundation BBG panel transcript is available

BBGWatcher — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:48:07 +0000

Radio Silence in China: VOA Abandons the Airwaves Panel at the Heritage Foundation, May 25, 2011.

On Valentine’s Day, the BBG announced to all the employees of the VOA’s China branch its proposal to eliminate VOA shortwave radio and TV broadcasts to China on October 1. By switching to Web-only operations, the BBG told us, $8 million would be saved. Forty-five journalists (38 Mandarin and seven Cantonese, 59 percent of the branch’s full-time employees) would lose their jobs.

While cutting $8 million from the China branch, there will be an increase of $9 million for BBG and IBB management; while eliminating 45 core journalistic positions, the BBG and IBB will have 48 more managers.

— Huchen Zhang, Senior Editor, Voice of America China Branch

Transcript from “Radio Silence in China: VOA Abandons the Airwaves” has been posted on the Heritage Foundation website. It includes the powerful statement from Huchen Zhang, Senior Editor, Voice of America China Branch.

BBG claims it is “the leader in circumventing Internet censorship.” The fact is, although the number of Internet users in China has increased exponentially, research results show that from 2007 to 2010, annual visits to VOA’s Chinese Web site remained virtually unchanged (except a short period in 2008 during the Beijing Olympics when the Chinese government temporarily lifted its ban on the Internet). Even though the BBG’s circumvention technology might work to a certain extent, the circumvention tools would endanger on-the-ground activists, as pointed out by many Internet-freedom groups.

Unlike surfing the Internet, the beauty of listening to shortwave radio broadcasting is that it cannot be detected. By the same token, any attempt to measure the exact listenership in China is bound to be futile, as we know the Chinese government has designated VOA as an “enemy station.”

Other panelists included Dan Dicky, CEO, Continental Electronics Corporation who pointed out that authoritarian regimes can block the Internet but they cannot completely block shortwave.

Here in the U.S., it is easy to believe that satellite and Internet delivery are ubiquitous. Because these methods of delivery appear less expensive we cling to the mistaken belief that they are also better. But in the regions of the world where our message will have the greatest impact, these so-called cheaper delivery systems are not accessible. Many areas of the world have no infrastructure to support these technologies. Shortwave radio, either in analog or digital formats, requires no special infrastructure. Shortwave does not require any special skills or training on the part of the listener. We have to recognize that even in countries that have ubiquitous Internet or satellite coverage our message can be easily interrupted by choke points established by the local government for that specific purpose. Shortwave broadcasts are much more robust.

The third panelist, David S. Jackson, a consultant for Burson-Marsteller and Turner and a former Voice of America director, had three main arguments against putting all of U.S. international broadcasting and public diplomacy eggs into the Internet basket:

The first is that a strategy of reducing VOA’s China outreach to a Web-only, new media platform makes VOA too vulnerable to censorship or blocking. Our broadcasters are very good at evading blocking efforts, but the Chinese are also very good at throwing up new ones. VOA’s broadcasting to China has always relied on a strategy of diversifying our outreach as much as possible so as to minimize the chances that we could be cut off entirely. A Web-only strategy would be high risk.

My second concern is that the plan to cut the Mandarin-speaking staff by more than half, as this proposal would do, will jeopardize VOA’s ability to cover China and to effectively compete with other media for audiences there.

Lastly, I worry about the message that will be sent by VOA halting all radio and TV broadcasts, especially at a time when China is launching an international television network to broadcast to the U.S. and other countries.

All panelists pointed out that keeping radio and satellite TV should not prevent VOA from continuing to expand Internet outreach. Huchen Zhang made a point that firing 45 journalists who specialize in human rights reporting will undermine any effort to provide substantive news to China through any platform.

By stressing the importance of shortwave radio and satellite TV broadcasts, I am not saying that we should not further develop our Internet capabilities. On the contrary, I believe we should strengthen our broadcasting and Web site at the same time. Our Web site is supported by all the content created by radio and TV journalists. To eliminate our radio and TV broadcasts and cut 59 percent of the staffers is like “taking away the firewood from under the cauldron.”

“Radio Silence in China: VOA Abandons the Airwaves” panel was on May 25, 2011 at the Heritage Foundation. The panel was moderated by Dr. Helle Dale, Senior Fellow for Public Diplomacy.

Gary Marco responds to NYT's "A new Voice of America for the age of Twitter

FreeMediaOnline — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:54:46 +0000

Gary Marco’s letter to The New York Times’ author of “A New Voice of America for the Age of Twitter”

Dear Mr. Landler:

I read your piece regarding the Voice of America (VOA). It is an excellent explanation of the world view of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

I am a retired Federal employee. I served 28 years with the VOA from 1980 to 2008. At various times, I had the opportunity to observe the senior officials of the BBG, VOA and the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) in motion (as opposed to action). With this in mind, I would like to offer an alternative point of view: I believe that the strategy adopted by the BBG has been an abysmal failure.

Let us examine the “highlights:” In 2008, the BBG terminated direct VOA Russian Service radio broadcasts to Russia. Very shortly thereafter, the Russians invaded the Republic of Georgia. To date, the BBG has steadfastly refused to reestablish the radio broadcasts, instead relying upon a website only for VOA Russian. As the BBG’s research demonstrates, as conducted by a survey company named InterMedia, the VOA Russian audience dropped off a cliff, virtually disappearing to insignificant numbers.

In the Spring of 2011, with unrest and revolution roiling throughout the Middle East, the BBG’s Radio Sawa and al-Hurra television were not the go-to source for news and information. That distinction rests with al-Jazeera, far and away the leader in news and information for Arab audiences. The BBG is notorious for making outrageous statements that don’t hold up to careful and critical examination and scrutiny.

Next is the matter of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The BBG intends to terminate VOA Mandarin and Cantonese radio broadcasts. Instead, the BBG intends to rely primarily on Internet content, with marginal radio backup via Radio Free Asia (RFA) broadcasts into the country. I use the term “marginal” because RFA has been a distant third to broadcasts of VOA (the leader), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), until they ended their broadcasts. It is unlikely that RFA will rocket to a position of prominence or dominance of radio broadcasting into China.

Another word about the PRC: the Chinese government has made it explicitly clear that it will block VOA Chinese language websites aimed at domestic Chinese audiences. The National Endowment for Democracy reports that the Chinese government has 50-thousand personnel assigned to domestic Internet surveillance. In addition, the PRC has a robust cyber warfare operation. Some of these operations are under the direction of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This should indicate the level of importance the Chinese government attaches to controlling the Internet and blocking content which it contends is harmful to their interests.

Recently, Gmail and Google email accounts of government officials and private sector executives were hacked by an attack originating inside China. The Chinese, their capabilities and resources should not be taken lightly. The BBG efforts to circumvent these capabilities should be taken lightly, with a healthy dose of skepticism thrown in. In addition, the Iranian Cyber Army recently hacked all VOA websites and proxies for a period of five hours. In place of the VOA web pages, people attempting to access the sites were treated to a screen with messages in English and Farsi directed to Secretary of State Clinton, along with an animation of the Iranian flag wafting gently in the breeze and an AK-47 rifle.

Mrs. Clinton recently remarked in congressional testimony that we are losing the information war. The federal agency responsible for losing the information is the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Now who am I to believe: the Secretary of State or the BBG representatives inside the Cohen Building? The good money for credibility is with the Secretary of State. All this talk about Twitter and Facebook is BBG babble.

The truth of the matter is that people, when they migrate to new media are not migrating to BBG new media. They are predominantly going to Facebook and Twitter accounts of indigenous people and organizations. The BBG is not controlling the conversation and dialogue. Further, they are not offering a service that is exclusive to them. People have options, many options; and the research demonstrates that they are turning away from the new media of the BBG.

The BBG is desperate for a place in the present and future. It has no place; at the very least, experience has demonstrated that it has a substantially diminished if not marginalized place in the present and future. It is not likely that it will recover its lost ground in the foreseeable future.

However, at the same time, the BBG will prevail upon the Congress and the American taxpayer to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on a failed enterprise. For any of us who committed our careers in the Federal government with the VOA, the current results are reprehensible. They are disgusting. Coming up with fantasies concerning the agency’s place in the 21st media and information doesn’t alter the reality, substance and consequences of the BBG’s failed strategic plan.

Regards,

Gary Marco

Voice of America: 1980-2008 President, AFSCME Local 1418, Voice of America: 1983-2008

Free Church for China: VOA cuts will stifle religious freedom

FreeMediaOnline — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:49:04 +0000

Ann Noonan, Free Church for China —

These changes | BBG-proposed cuts for VOA | will stifle the struggles of the young people in China who seek religious freedom and democracy.

Statue of the Goddess of Democracy on the Tiananmen Square, 1989

Ann Noonan, President of the New York Chapter of the Visual Artists Guild spoke Saturday on behalf of Free Church for China at the New York City June 4th Tiananmen Square Commemoration, which was held at the UN’s Dag Hammarskjold Park. Here is the text of Ann Noonan’s remarks, in which she described in detail the BBG plan to end Voice of America radio and TV broadcasts to China. The VOA China Branch television news program has had more members of Congress as guests than any other Voice of America broadcast.

Young people throughout the world, like the young people who risked their lives 22 years ago in Tiananmen Square, are risking their lives today for basic human rights, freedom, and the right to participate in governing themselves. They look to the United States for inspiration. Their stories deserved to be shared.

VOA is part of a Congressional mandate which provides news broadcasts that promote freedom and democracy from the United States to the world. The VOA Charter states: “The long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world by radio… 1. VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news…”

In its budget request, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees VOA has proposed to end its radio and television broadcast to China. This is not part of any potential budget cut problems facing Americans, but rather, it’s Voice of America being forced to re-allocate an actually higher budget than last years away from Chinese language services.

Today as we commemorate the 22nd Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, a day in history when the world watched students in China who sought freedom be cut down, killed, jailed and exiled, I’d like to ask each of you to contact Members of Congress about plans that will censor Voice of America’s Chinese services as of October 1st.

This campaign against VOA is insidious. It comes during China’s media crackdown on stories against Ai Weiwei and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo. It comes during a time when China’s media has blocked news about uprisings in Egypt and Libya. It comes during a media crackdown in China against any stories shared about the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, and other prisoners of conscience.

Why should we think that a nation as large and vast as China that already has to deal with an oppressive internet censorship should have the range of radio broadcast reduced or shrunk in depth or coverage? These changes will stifle the struggles of the young people in China who seek religious freedom and democracy.

And why should we as Americans be the cause of these changes? Our Members of Congress need to reject the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ proposal to eliminate Voice of America’s Chinese services. We must maintain Voice of America’s broadcasts and continue to transmit our ideals of freedom and democracy to all. I’d like to ask each of you to keep the message of Pope John Paul II in your hearts as we continue to press for justice: “Be not afraid.”

Secretary Clinton: U.S. is losing the information war

FreeMediaOnline — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:47:32 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton —

So we are in an information war. And we are losing that war. I’ll be very blunt in my assessment. Al-Jazeera is winning. The Chinese have opened up a global English-language and multi-language television network. The Russians have opened up an English-language network. I’ve seen it in a few countries, and it’s quite instructive.

Because most people still get their news from TV and radio. So even though we’re pushing online, we can’t forget TV and radio.

Secretary Clinton’s testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, March 2, 2011

LUGAR: I thank you for that answer. Let me just add one thought, and that is you have spoken eloquently about the broadcasters, the Broadcasting Board of Governors. And I think Walter Isaacson is taking hold of that as a constructive thing. I would hope that we would be more successful in moving more money toward communication with China, and as we heard with our North Korean hearing yesterday, more complex as to how you get the message. But, this is still a great force of diplomacy to get our message into places. We’re doing better in Iran. We’re doing in better in the Middle East, and we saw, and Tunisia, Egypt and so forth. But, I’m hopeful you can bring us good news about the more aggressive policies, hoping with the BBG and others.

CLINTON: Well, senator, I want to thank you for the report that you did on the broadcasting board of governors and all of the problems that it has experienced. I agree with you. Walter Isaacson is an excellent choice. The board is a very invigorated group of Republicans and Democrats. They understand. We are engaged in an information war. During the Cold War, we did a great job in getting America’s message out. After the Berlin Wall fell we said, okay, fine, enough of that. We’ve done it. We’re done. And unfortunately, we are paying a big price for it.

And our private media cannot fill that gap. In fact, our private media, particularly cultural programming, often works at counterpurposes to what we truly are as Americans and what our values are.

I remember having an Afghan general tell me that the only thing he thought about Americans is that all the men wrestled and the women walked around in bikinis. Because the only TV he ever saw was Baywatch and World Wide Wrestling. So we are in an information war. And we are losing that war. I’ll be very blunt in my assessment. Al-Jazeera is winning.

The Chinese have opened up a global English-language and multi-language television network. The Russians have opened up an English-language network. I’ve seen it in a few countries, and it’s quite instructive. We are cutting back. The BBC is cutting back.

So here’s what we are trying to do. In the State Department, we have pushed very hard on new media. So we have an Arabic Twitter feed. We have a Farsi Twitter feed. I have this group of young techno-experts who are out there engaging on websites and we’re putting all of our young Arabic-speaking diplomats out, so that they are talking about our values.

Walter [Issacson] is working hard with his Board to try to transform the broadcasting efforts. Because most people still get their news from TV and radio. So even though we’re pushing online, we can’t forget TV and radio. And so I look — I would look very much towards your cooperation, to try to figure out how we get back in the game on this. Because I hate ceding what we are most expert in to anybody else.

Dr. Helle Dale of the Heritage Foundation, who frequently writes about U.S. international broadcasting, blogged about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remark in her testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 2, 2011 that the U.S. is losing the information war. Dr. Helle wrote:

“Most people still get their news from TV and radio,” Clinton said. This is entirely true, which makes it hard to understand why the BBG in February stated that it would end VOA radio and television transmission to China by next October, a decision that has caused joy in Beijing and great consternation among VOA employees and Chinese dissidents.

Dr. Helle also commented:

In response to a question from Representative Russ Carnahan (D–MO) in her testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier in the day, Clinton made the same points, adding that she had spoken to BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson about the decline in U.S. global influence. If anyone could have a direct influence on the future of U.S. international broadcasting, it is her. Maybe Clinton should show up for some of the BBG’s monthly meetings and put her foot down.

Secretary Clinton: U.S. is losing the information war

FreeMediaOnline — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:30:26 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton —

So we are in an information war. And we are losing that war. I’ll be very blunt in my assessment. Al-Jazeera is winning. The Chinese have opened up a global English-language and multi-language television network. The Russians have opened up an English-language network. I’ve seen it in a few countries, and it’s quite instructive.

Because most people still get their news from TV and radio. So even though we’re pushing online, we can’t forget TV and radio.

Secretary Clinton’s testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, March 2, 2011

And our private media cannot fill that gap. In fact, our private media, particularly cultural programming, often works at counterpurposes to what we truly are as Americans and what our values are.

“Most people still get their news from TV and radio,” Clinton said. This is entirely true, which makes it hard to understand why the BBG in February stated that it would end VOA radio and television transmission to China by next October, a decision that has caused joy in Beijing and great consternation among VOA employees and Chinese dissidents.

Dr. Helle also commented:

In response to a question from Representative Russ Carnahan (D–MO) in her testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier in the day, Clinton made the same points, adding that she had spoken to BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson about the decline in U.S. global influence. If anyone could have a direct influence on the future of U.S. international broadcasting, it is her. Maybe Clinton should show up for some of the BBG’s monthly meetings and put her foot down.

Former VOA director: under BBG who listens became less important than how many listened, or to what.

FreeMediaOnline — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:41:25 +0000

Robert R. Reilly, 25th VOA Director

Robert R. Reilly, 25th VOA Director —

Now, if an outside observer looked at what has happened to the VOA over the past 10 years, he might notice a pattern – that broadcasting to these largest, most important countries of the world has been eliminated—Portuguese to Brazil gone, Hindi to India eliminated, Arabic to the Arab world ended, and replaced by a pop music station; Russian gone; and the Chinese service is now on the block for extinction in all but its Internet presence (which is blocked).

House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations “Is America’s Overseas Broadcasting Undermining our National Interest and the Fight against Tyrannical Regimes?”

Robert R. Reilly, 25th VOA Director

April 6, 2011

Indulge me in an imaginative exercise: if we were setting up a broadcasting service for the US Government from scratch today, we would probably want to focus on the 10 most important countries and languages groups in the world: in our own southern hemisphere Brazil; in Eurasia, certainly Russia, and then China to the south, India to the southwest, and then swinging around to the Middle East, certainly the Arab world with its 300 million people. Our mission would be to tell these countries and audiences who we are, what we are doing, and why – say, out of a decent respect for the opinions of mankind, as the Declaration puts it. If we want the world to be reasonable, we had better give it our reasons. We might, in other words, create the Voice of America, whose purpose, by government charter, is to do these very things.

Now, if an outside observer looked at what has happened to the VOA over the past 10 years, he might notice a pattern – that broadcasting to these largest, most important countries of the world has been eliminated—Portuguese to Brazil gone, Hindi to India eliminated, Arabic to the Arab world ended, and replaced by a pop music station; Russian gone; and the Chinese service is now on the block for extinction in all but its internet presence (which is blocked).

The pattern is clear but the purpose is not. Why have we done this to ourselves? The excuse 10 years ago, or more, was that history had ended in the sense that the model of a democratic, constitutional, free market political order stood undisputed in its moral authority. But 10 years ago, at the expense of 3000 American lives, we found out that was not true.

Why, then, are we continuing the pattern? Economic considerations might be one explanation but they cannot account for 10 years of this behavior, or for the enormous amount of money that has been poured into Radio Sawa, the pop music station to the Arab world. The elimination of Chinese VOA radio and TV, broadcasting in Mandarin, will save $8 million but loose an audience of at least 6 million.

Do we no longer need to explain ourselves to the world? Do we no longer need to give it our reasons?

Be sure that others are willing to give reasons for us, as the China is doing now with its biting criticism of US policy regarding Libya. The Broadcasting Board of Governor’s rebuttal might be that it is keeping Radio Free Asia, a Chinese surrogate service, albeit with diminished hours, and the VOA web site. However, the internet is highly vulnerable and surrogate radio broadcasting, as very valuable as it is in itself, does not have the mission of explaining who we are, what we are doing, and why.

One of my predecessors as VOA director, Geoffrey Cowan, told me that Chinese foreign ministry officials said that they began the mornings by listening to the Voice of America, because they needed to know what the United States was thinking. They would not tune in RFA to learn that for the very good reason that its mission is to tell the Chinese about China – not about us.

This brings me to the most likely explanation for the elimination of VOA’s services to the most important countries in the world: a lost of the sense of mission. This loss began with the end of USIA, when US government broadcasting was placed under the BBG.

As the BBG consists of 8 CEOs, it is not wonder that confusion ensued. Ancient Rome had trouble with 2 proconsuls. Imagine if it had 8.

Very importantly, most BBG members have been highly accomplished individuals who made their fortunes in private sector media. They, therefore, sought to replicate this success according to commercial criteria – this meant large youth audiences, and abandoning markets in which such audiences could not be attracted. Who listens became less important than how many listened, or to what.

The new diminished mission became news – not the full service radio that VOA offered, which also presented and explained US policies – but news. Play music for 40 minutes an hour on radio Sawa if you must, so long as they listen to the news. After all, said the BBG chief of staff in 2008, “it is not in our mandate to influence.” (Don’t other people offer the news?)

The new BBG chairman, Walter Issacson, said in a recent Al-Hurra broadcast that, “we just want to get good news, reliable news, and credible information out.” Reliable news was always a part of US broadcasting, but the mission has never been reduced to just that. When the Dalai Lama called the VOA Tibet service “the bread of the Tibetan people,” and when Aun San Suu Kyi called the Burmese service “the hope of the Burmese people,” do you think they were just talking about the “news”?

Hope is a theological virtue; it is not engendered by news. The Declaration of Independence was not a news report.

I think the US has enduring interests in the world. I think we need to explain ourselves in the most persuasive way we can, and by the most effective means, particularly to those peoples and countries whose future is going to most affect our future. I think we need to begin again to think through to whom we should be broadcasting, about what, and with what. I think this needs to be done within the US government in a command structure related to our national security – and not by an independent, part-time board. Failure to do this will be paid, I’m afraid, in American lives.

Better to win the war of ideas, than have to win a war. That’s simple economics.

Is America’s Overseas Broadcasting Undermining our National Interest and Undermining the Fight Against Tyrannical Regimes?

FreeMediaOnline — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:01:55 +0000

Text of the opening statement by Chairman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)

House Foreign Affairs Committee Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee

April 6, 2011.

Is America’s Overseas Broadcasting Undermining our National Interest and Undermining the Fight Against Tyrannical Regimes?

Opening Statement: The Subcommittee will come to order. Good Morning Everyone. I want to thank Ranking Member Carnahan and the other members of the subcommittee for joining us here this morning. Thank you also to our witnesses for coming; I’m looking forward to hearing your testimony.

I have called this hearing to investigate one of the greatest failures in recent American foreign policy…. to define and follow a strategic communications strategy. Today I’d like to talk about this in the context of two of America’s most dangerous enemies, Iran and Communist China.

First and foremost American strategic communications and public diplomacy should seek to promote the national interest of the United States through informing and influencing foreign audiences; this is often referred to as the war of ideas. The role and responsibilities of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is not only journalism! The BBG is critical to our national security.

While much is said about how new technology (Internet news, social networks, twitter) is bringing the world together and empowering the general public, not as much is being said about the messages being carried along these new information conduits. It is often assumed that messages are being dominated by ideas of freedom and liberation. Yet the dictatorial regimes of Communist China and Iran are, currently controlling and manipulating the flow of information.

During the Cold War I worked in the White House when President Reagan ordered a massive infusion of funds to help Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. Reagan knew the utility of public diplomacy and he used it artfully. Lech Walesa, the leader of Solidarity freedom movement and later the President of Poland, remarked on the value of US Radio Broadcasting by saying its importance “cannot even be described… would there be earth without the sun?”

Could the BBG’s programming today have that same level of importance to the modern day Lech Walesas of Iran and China? Is our programming, helping or undermining freedom movements in those under dictatorships.

During the Cold War we defined the Soviet Union as the enemy and under Reagan’s leadership we set out to defeat it. If the Chinese Communist Party is to be defeated without suffering a war we must have the same level of commitment to broadcasting our messages and we need to energize public diplomacy.

Recently it was announced that the Voice of America will lay off over half of its Mandarin language broadcasters, a reduction of 45 Chinese journalists. The BBG proposes to eliminate VOA’s daily 12-hour Chinese radio and TV broadcasting next year. This is worrisome. I look forward to hearing our Administration witnesses address this point specifically. Is there more behind this reduction than merely saving money?

The $8 million “saved” will do far more to weaken our efforts in China than it will to balance the budget. In FY 2012, the BBG has requested over $767 million dollars, an increase over the $758 million they were appropriated in FY2010. Being given more money this year, of all years, is no small request. We need to make sure that it is worth it. If we spend more, we have to get more.

The gutting of VOA’s China service does not seem to fit this criteria. At the same time, China is spending lavishly. The Chinese regime has dished out over $7 billion over the past two years on its propaganda , this as we are slashing our communications effort.

I seriously question the wisdom of the BBG’s recent decision to switch from short wave radio broadcasting to an internet based service. This new approach will be much more vulnerable to the type of internet controls and monitoring the Chinese Communist Party has been perfecting for years.

As the US has retreated from short wave radio, the Communist “China Radio International” has expanded, tripling its English broadcasting since 2000 and going from using 150 frequencies to over 280. Obviously shortwave is working for someone. As we are about to layoff over half of VoA’s Mandarin language workforce, Xinhua, the official propaganda arm of the Chinese Communist Party is aggressively expanding and opening an office in downtown Manhattan.

Unfortunately, the problems with US public diplomacy extend well beyond China. Promoting democracy in Iran has been official U.S. policy since the Iran Freedom Support Act was passed in 2006, though American broadcasts into Iran started earlier. Radio Farda and the VoA’s Persian News Network have in the past used official Iranian government sources for their reporting. Giving air time to the Iranian government is a misguided effort to have a journalistic balance. The American tax payers should not be furthering the Mullah’s repressive views.

This is less of a problem for Radio Farda since they spend the majority of their time playing music, not talking about the issues or informing the Iranian people. It’s disturbing to learn of the BBG’s slowness in reporting information about the violence the Iranian Mullah’s unleashed against the Green movement when it protested the stealing Iran’s 2009 national election.

Certainly, this is not the kind of record that best serves America’s national interest. Recognizing these problems, I am a strong supporter of US public diplomacy and I believe we need more, not less of it, but it needs radical reform. America needs an up-to-date National Communications Strategy that reflects our values, ideals, and national interests. US broadcasting must commit itself to this. Perhaps background checks and more training of BBG employees is also in order.

I’m sure our distinguished witnesses have ideas about how to improve US strategic communications and I am looking forward to hearing them. To explain these issues to us today we have Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer Stout, responsible for public diplomacy and public affairs in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Ms. Stout worked here on Capitol Hill for over 11 years before going to State and was a staffer for Senators Biden and Leahy. She holds a MA from George Washington University.

Next we have Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Philo Dibble who is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer who has held many overseas assignments in the Middle East. He has a Masters degree from John Hopkins University.

From the Broadcasting Board of Governors we have with us Enders Wimbush and Michael Meehan. Mr. Wimbush is a Senior Vice President at the Hudson Institute and from 1987 to 1993 he served as Director of Radio Liberty in Munich, Germany. Mr. Meehan is the President of Blue Line Strategic Communications and over the past two decades has served in senior roles for Senators Kerry and Boxer in addition to others.

John Lenczowski is one of my good friends from the Reagan White House where he was the Director of European and Soviet Affairs at the National Security Council. Today he is the founder and President of the Institute of World Politics, an international affairs graduate school in Washington, DC.

Mr. Robert Reilly was a special assistant to President Reagan and went on to become a director of the Voice of America. During the Iraq War he was a Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Information and a Senior Advisor for Information Strategy to the Secretary of Defense.

Amir Fakhravar (KAUK-RA-VAR) was a writer and journalist inside of Iran who was jailed by the regime for opposing their despotic and violent ways. After spending 5 years in prison he came to the United States in 2006 and founded the “Confederation of Iranian Students” to work to create a free Iran.

Mr. Shiyu Zhou (SHEE-YOU JOU)is the Executive Vice President of New Tang Dynasty Television, the only US-based independent Chinese language TV network broadcasting into China. My Zhou is a Ph. D. and formerly a computer scientist at the Mathematical Sciences Research Center at Bell Labs.

I would ask the witnesses to summarize their prepared statement in 5 minutes each, before we move to questions and answers with Members under the five minute rule. Without objection, the witnesses’ full, prepared statements will be made part of the record, and Members may have 5 calendar days to insert statements and questions for the record, subject to the length limitations in the rules.

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee Protests BBG Plans to Eliminate VOA Radio to China

FreeMediaOnline — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:49:52 +0000

February 28, 2011

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee

Dear Members of Congress:

This letter is to request your strong support to restore the budget for Voice of America Cantonese Service and Voice of America Mandarin Service in the FY 2012 Budget.

We object to the proposal by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which serves to manage Voice of America (VOA), to eliminate the entire VOA Cantonese Service, as well as eliminate the positions of more than half of the VOA Mandarin Service staff members.

This egregious effort to disappropriate funding from VOA will effectively eliminate the purpose of the Congressionally mandated Public Law 94-350 to the people in China who speak Cantonese and Mandarin to be provided with news broadcasts that promote freedom and democracy.

This target against Voice of America – right on the heels of PRC President Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the United States – is nothing less than a concession that will dismantle America’s commitment to broadcast news from the United States. During the same time of this funding cutback, the PRC intends to spend more than a billion dollars to enhance their propaganda goals in the United States.

This campaign against Voice of America comes during the PRC’s media crackdown on stories against Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo. It comes during a time when PRC’s media has blocked news about uprisings in Egypt and Libya. It comes during a PRC crackdown against any stories shared about the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, and all prisoners of conscience in China.

We implore you to restore the FY 2012 Budget funding for the Voice of America’s Mandarin and Cantonese Services so Voice of America can continue to fulfill its mandate to provide a balanced and comprehensive view of significant American thought and institutions; and to clearly present the policies of the United States to the people of China.

Respectfully,
Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation
Justin Yu, Chinese The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in New York
Ann Lau, Visual Artists Guild
Ann Noonan, Free Church for China
Bob Fu, China Aid
Anna Cheung, Alliance for Hong Kong Chinese in the US
Peggy Chane, Visual Artists Guild
Doris Chan, Visual Artists Guild
Reggie Littlejohn, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers
Ganden Thurman, Tibet House
Jeremy Taylor, Free Burma Alliance
Ethan Gutmann. Recipient Tiananmem Spirit Award
Joe Brown, Pasadena NAACP
Jonathan Cao, Chinese Coalition for Citizens’ Rights
Juntao Wang, National Committee Democratic Party of China
Robert A. Senser, Human Rights for Workers
Jing Zhang, Women’s Rights in China

Human rights and Chinese American organizations petition Congress to save VOA in China

FreeMediaOnline — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:20:03 +0000

February 28, 2011

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee

Dear Members of Congress:

This letter is to request your strong support to restore the budget for Voice of America Cantonese Service and Voice of America Mandarin Service in the FY 2012 Budget.

This egregious effort to disappropriate funding from VOA will effectively eliminate the purpose of the Congressionally mandated Public Law 94-350 to the people in China who speak Cantonese and Mandarin to be provided with news broadcasts that promote freedom and democracy.

This target against Voice of America – right on the heels of PRC President Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the United States – is nothing less than a concession that will dismantle America’s commitment to broadcast news from the United States. During the same time of this funding cutback, the PRC intends to spend more than a billion dollars to enhance their propaganda goals in the United States.

This campaign against Voice of America comes during the PRC’s media crackdown on stories against Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo. It comes during a time when PRC’s media has blocked news about uprisings in Egypt and Libya. It comes during a PRC crackdown against any stories shared about the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, and all prisoners of conscience in China.

We implore you to restore the FY 2012 Budget funding for the Voice of America’s Mandarin and Cantonese Services so Voice of America can continue to fulfill its mandate to provide a balanced and comprehensive view of significant American thought and institutions; and to clearly present the policies of the United States to the people of China.

Respectfully,
Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation
Justin Yu, Chinese The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in New York
Ann Lau, Visual Artists Guild
Ann Noonan, Free Church for China
Bob Fu, China Aid
Anna Cheung, Alliance for Hong Kong Chinese in the US
Peggy Chane, Visual Artists Guild
Reggie Littlejohn, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers
Ganden Thurman, Tibet House
Jeremy Taylor, Free Burma Alliance
Ethan Gutmann. Recipient Tiananmem Spirit Award
Joe Brown, Pasadena NAACP
Jonathan Cao, Chinese Coalition for Citizens’ Rights
Juntao Wang, National Committee Democratic Party of China
Robert A. Senser, Human Rights for Workers
Jing Zhang, Women’s Rights in China

BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson: America's Voice Must Be Credible And Must Be Heard | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)

FreeMediaOnline — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:53:54 +0000

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) press release:

Walter Isaacson: America’s Voice Must Be Credible And Must Be Heard

September 29, 2010

(Washington, DC) Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Chairman Walter Isaacson tonight announced a new direction for U.S. international broadcasting that “seizes on the latest media tools and technology to stay one step ahead of those who seek to repress free information around the world.”

As Chairman of the BBG, Isaacson oversees RFE, VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio/TV Marti, Radio Sawa, and Alhurra TV, which have a combined weekly audience of more than 171 million people.

The challenges we face…are as great today as they were during the Cold War. America cannot let itself be outcommunicated by its enemies. “The challenges we face in the new global struggle against repression and intolerance are as great today as they were during the Cold War,” he said at a reception marking the 60th anniversary of RFE’s first broadcast.

“And just as the founders of Radio Free Europe succeeded in developing creative and innovative ways to get news and information to people suffering behind the Iron Curtain, so too must today’s U.S. international broadcasters respond to modern threats to freedom in new and inventive ways.”

Speaking at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Isaacson said, “America cannot let itself be out-communicated by its enemies.”

Zbigniew Brzezinski's Speech (in Polish) at VOA Broadcaster Zofia Korbonska's Funeral

FreeMediaOnline — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:47:30 +0000

TedLipien.com, Truckee, CA — A funeral Mass for Zofia Korbonska, a heroine of the Polish underground resistance against Nazi occupation, participant in the Warsaw Rising of 1944, political activist against Communist rule after World War II, and former Voice of America (VOA) Polish Service broadcaster, was held at the Our Lady Queen of Poland Catholic Church in Silver Spring, MD on Friday, September 10, 2010. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Polish-American statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, spoke in Polish about Zofia Korbonska’s deep patriotism, extreme sacrifice, and political wisdom in her long struggle alongside her husband Stefan Korbonski to restore freedom and independence to their beloved Poland. Zofia Korbonska worked for many years as a writer, editor and announcer in the Polish Service of the Voice of America (VOA).
Zofia Korbonska died at her home in Washington, DC on August 16 at the age of 95.

The interment took place at the Cemetery at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday Sept. 11. Zofia Korbonska was burried next to her husband, Stefan Korbonski, who was the Polish Government-in-Exile’s delegate and director of the Directorate of Civil Resistance, which coordinated non-military resistance efforts by the Polish populace against the German occupying forces. Zofia and Stefan gathered information from the extensive network of the Polish Underground Resistance, and Zofia was the cipher clerk who encoded the messages for transmission to Great Britain. Among the news first reaching the West by this route were: information about medical experiments on women prisoners in the Nazi German concentration camp at Auschwitz; the location of Hitler’s command bunker in East Prussia; the outbreak of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943; daily reports on the fighting during the three weeks of that Uprising; the final deportation of ghetto residents and destruction of the ghetto; tests of V-1 and V-2 weapons on Polish territory; daily reports on the fighting during the 63 days of the Warsaw Rising which began on August 1, 1944; the “liberation” by the Soviets which marked the beginning of the next occupation of Poland.

After Zofia Korbonska and her husband escaped from Poland in 1947 to avoid arrest by the communist regime, former U.S. ambassador to Warsaw Arthur Bliss Lane urged Zofia to apply for a job at VOA’s Polish Service. A friend of the Korbonskis, Ambassador Bliss Lane was aware that during World War II the person in charge of U.S. radio broadcasts to Poland was a Polish communist who after the war returned to Poland and became one of the Polish Communist Party’s chief anti-American propagandists.

Ambassador Bliss Lane, who had resigned from the State Department in 1947 in protest against the Yalta Agreements and the lack of sufficient U.S. response to communist repression in Poland, was hoping that Zofia Korbonska would help to change the pro-Moscow tone of U.S. radio programs to Poland. She and other Polish journalists hired after the war helped to restore accuracy and balance in VOA Polish broadcasts. In his book I Saw Poland Betrayed, Ambassador Bliss Lane described the Soviet domination of Poland and the crushing of the democratic opposition to the Soviet-imposed communist government. He was also critical of U.S. radio broadcasts to Poland during the Roosevelt and Truman Administrations prior to the hiring of Zofia Korbonska and other pro-democratic Polish journalists and writers.

Zofia Korbonska described her work at the Voice of America as “the continuation of the struggle in which she had engaged as a member of the Polish Underground, this time waged from the West against the Soviet Union, the new occupying power in Poland.” She viewed VOA’s mission at that time as corresponding to what she and her husband wanted work for: “the restoration of freedom and independence to the nations in Central and Eastern Europe under the Soviet domination.”

Zofia Korbonska received hundreds of letters and even presents from listeners in Poland. The letters were sent surreptitiously from Poland at some danger to those who sent them. The gifts included an effigy of the Soviet Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky who on Stalin’s orders was put in charge of the Polish communist armed forces. In attacking Zofia Korbonska’s work at the Voice of America, a communist media commentator in Poland called her “a nightingale in a golden birdcage of American warmongers,” but she and other VOA Polish Service broadcasters had millions of faithful listeners.

At the Voice of America, she originated such regular programs as “Life in Warsaw Under Communist Rule,” “Democratic Institutions in the United States;” “Young Club of Independent Thought;” and “Women in America.” She said, however, that she was most proud of her news reports during critical historical moments: the Polish workers unrest in 1956, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and her live reporting after the assassination of President Kennedy, which she described as one of the most dramatic moments of her radio career.

When I worked with her at VOA in the 1970s and the early 1980s, I remember most vividly Mrs. Korbonski’s constant frustration as a news editor with various attempts by American academics, journalists and some U.S. government officials to whitewash history by promoting such ideas as convergence between Soviet communism and Western democracy or the Sonnenfeldt Doctrine, which urged the Soviets and the Eastern Europeans to seek a more “organic” relationship. She would say that a few days in a Soviet prison might cure them of such silly and dangerous notions.

Zofia Korbonska rejoiced when Ronald Reagan was elected president. With her sharp sense of humor, she made fun of several USIA officials, still employed at the time at VOA in executive positions, who were horrified by some of President Reagan’s blunt statements about the Soviet Union. In a 2001 interview, she described her work at the Voice of America as “a beautiful period in [her professional life]” and as “a contribution to the victory over the Evil Empire.”

After the death of her husband in 1989, Zofia Korbonska founded the Stefan Korbonski Foundation in Washington, with a chapter in Warsaw; its “goals and aims are to clarify and preserve the memory of the true facts of the recent history of Poland, and most specifically of the Polish Underground State in the years 1939-45, of the contribution of Poland to the Allied victory in World War II and of the role in that fight of the Directorate for Civil Resistance, headed by Stefan Korboński.”

In failing health, she became house-bound for the last several years of her life. Her significance to the recent history of Poland was recognized by Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who bestowed on her the high decoration of Grand Cross of Polonia Restituta. During his visit to the United States in February 2006, since she was unable to leave her house, the President came to her humble apartment in Washington to personally present this high honor.

Zofia Korbońska

ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI

10 IX 2010 r.

“Miłość żąda ofiary” – te trzy słowa są dla mnie streszczeniem esencji życia Zofii Korbońskiej.

Pochodzą z drugiej wojny światowej – z Polski walczącej.

Ale miłości czego? I jakiej ofiary?

Milość czegoś większego od siebie, czegoś nadrzędnego, czemu się oddać należy całkowicie bez wahania…i nawet czasem bez wzajemności.

A ofiara bezgraniczna – bo własnego nawet życia.

Zofia Korbońska, urodzona trzy lata przed odzyskaniem niepodległości, pochodzi z pokolenia które dosłownie żyło Polską, upajało się Polską, przeżywało jako osobisty sukces każde osiągnięcie odrodzonego państwa.

Ktokolwiek żył jako dziecko w niepodleglej Polsce, to również przeżywał – upojenie zwycięską armią, budowa Gdyni – najbardziej nowoczesnego portu nad Baltykiem, COP – to namacalne poczucie osobistej dumy – sam to pamiętam.

I nagle ta upojna rzeczywistość Polski wolnej padła w ruiny, w poniżeniu i w przemocy.

Zofia Korbonska miała wtedy 24 lata – świt dojrzałości, na progu kariery, pełności życia osobistego we własnym kraju, poznania miłości – ale zamiast tego następne 6 lat to lata wojny i całkowitego poświęcenia się sprawie odzyskania niepodległości – to konspiracja, to służba w podziemnym radio Polski Walczącej – to wspólna praca z mężem Stefanem, kierownikiem Walki Cywilnej Polski Walczącej.

Miłość ządająca ofiary – to dzień po dniu, godzina po godzinie, narażanie własnego życia w służbie dla Polski – to straty sobie bliskich – to niepokój o swoich najbliższych, i o siebie samego, mając jednocześnie świadomość, że areszt to nie tylko śmierć, ale wpierw okrutne tortury by wymusić zdradę tajemnic Polski Walczącej.

Ale również i chwile uniesienia i nawet euforii – wielki zryw Powstania Warszawskiego.

Chorągwie biało-czerwone znów nad Warszawą – zbrojne wystapienie AK – młodzież z bronią tylko ręczną szturmuje bunkry okupanta.

Ale po dwóch krwawych miesiącach znowu klęska – Powstanie samotne, opuszczone, i zdradzone – wygasa.

I nowa okupacja ze Wschodu. I znów poniżenie i przemoc – sąd w Moskwie porwanych dowodców Polski Walczącej.

A potem – walka prawie że samotna, nawet kompromisowa, o uratowanie choćby częsci niepodległości w zniszczonej Polsce – i wkrótce by uniknąć śmierci w kazamatach UB, jeszcze większa ofiara miłości – przymusowa emigracja Zofii i Stefana Korbońskich – zdala od kraju, ale zawsze duchem w kraju.

Zagranicą – praca trwała i ciężka, o niepodleglość i o wolność dla Polski – przez kilkadziesiąt lat – walka wymagająca poświęcenia i cierpliwosci oraz i głębokiej wiary – ale poświęcenie, cierpliwość, i wiara – to są cechy prawdziwie trwałej miłości.

Każdy kto znał Zofię Korbońską wie z jakim oddaniem, a jednoczesnie z osobistą skromnością i wybitną mądrością polityczną, ona tej wielkiej sprawie niezłomnie służyła – aż do samego końca.

I – dzięki Bogu – dożyła chwili wielkiego zwycięstwa, odzyskania wolności i niepodległości przez naród, który przetrwal bo był przesiągnięty tradycją i duchem AK – Polski Walczacej – Polski Podziemnej, i na emigracji, Polski suwerennej – Polski pokolenia Zofii Korbońskiej.

Naród zwyciężył bo był wierny zasadzie, że milość żąda ofiary.
Ale jednocześnie Solidarność wygrała bo była świadoma, że miłość również wymaga rozwagi.

Odwaga historyczna i rozwaga strategiczna – to była myśl przewodnia narodu zjednoczonego w solidarności – że zwycięstwo bezkrwawe może być jeszcze większym triumfem niż zwycięstwo krwawo wywalczone.

Zofia Korbońska – bohatersko odważna w walce, rozważna na politycznej emigracji – była przykładem na czym polega oddana i udana służba w wielkiej sprawie.

I dlatego też mamy prawo oczekiwać szczególnie od rodaków w kraju –w znów wolnej Polsce dziś żyjących, w Polsce która jest sojusznikiem Stanow Zjednoczonych i integralną częścią jednoczącej się Europy – że swą kulturą polityczną i umiarem w demokratycznym rządzeniu udowodnią, że są godnymi następcami pokolenia Zofii Korbonskiej.

Pokolenia, które pokazało, w najtrudniejszych latach w historii Polski, że bezgraniczna miłość dla kraju może być jednocześnie mądra i zwycięska.

View Dr. Brzezinski’s speech as Word document

View Dr. Brzezinski’s speech as PDF document

Photo of Zofia Korbonska’s interment at the Cemetery at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday Sept. 11, 2010 was provided by Marek Walicki. Zofia Korbonska was burried next to her husband, Stefan Korbonski, who was the Polish Government-in-Exile’s delegate and director of the Directorate of Civil Resistance, which coordinated non-military resistance efforts by the Polish populace against the German occupying forces.

A Thanksgiving Message to President Elect Barack Obama About the Voice of America

QuoVadis — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:35:17 +0000

FreeMediaOnline.org & Free Media Online Blog QuoVadis Commentary, November 19, 2008, San Francisco – Free Media Online Blog is publishing an open letter to President Elect Barack Obama drafted on behalf of current and former Voice of America employees who are concerned about the mismanagement of U.S. international broadcasting by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). The BBG, which had been responsible for eliminating VOA radio broadcasts to Russia shortly before the Russian military attack on Georgia, was also severely criticized in a recent report by the Public Diplomacy Council. See FreeMediaOnline.org article.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
Barack Obama Acceptance Speech, November 4, 2008

A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA

The above quote from your acceptance speech is absolutely correct: for years people from beyond our shores have huddled around their radios in distant forgotten corners of the world to hear America’s message. Many did so at their peril. They still try to do so.

Perhaps with that in mind, you issued a plea, on the eve of the Iowa caucus, to the people of Kenya to stop the violence that erupted in the wake of the country’s disputed presidential election. To reach the maximum number of people in your father’s homeland, you issued that plea for stability through America’s global voice to the world, the Voice of America. And you did so on the most reliable medium to reach the greatest number of people in that area of the world: radio.

Unfortunately, over the past decade, that proud and inspiring global voice has become but a whisper and, in its wake, the prestige of the United States of America has plummeted.

How did VOA’s disintegration happen? Dissolved during the last two administrations, there are no longer any substantive Voice of America broadcasts to much of Eastern Europe even though those countries in transition to democracy were and are in dire need of information about America and the world.

Despite an outcry from thousands of listeners who depend on VOA for news and information, there is no longer any Voice of America radio to India because the Broadcasting Board of Governors recently terminated broadcasting in Hindi.

Most egregious, the people in Russia now have no radio broadcasting communication with America through VOA because the Broadcasting Board of Governors ceased all VOA Russian broadcasts on the eve of the Russian attack on Georgia in August, leaving only the Internet for the relatively small number of people who have access to computers. Do the people of Russia still need objective and credible information from America? The answer is yes and especially now with a more emboldened and aggressive Russian leadership on the scene.
Your story, as outlined in your acceptance speech, is America’s story. How sad that Russians could not hear and be inspired by that story on VOA Russian radio which had carried presidential speeches live in Russian translation over many years.

Fortunately, through the concerted efforts of those who still care in this country, VOA radio broadcasts to Ukraine, Georgia, Tibet, and many other languages marked for elimination in September ’08 were spared the guillotine, at least for the time being.

Why and how was the VOA muted? The answer: unfortunate mistakes by successive administrations, one Democrat, one Republican. Since 1999, all decision-making power has been vested in the Broadcasting Board of Governors whose compounded errors have diminished the U.S. broadcasting voice to the world.

As your new administration embarks on possibly turbulent seas, we encourage your transition team to go beyond the rehashed, perhaps rosy facts and statistics inevitably served up by the outgoing team, just as the Bush transition team was presented with some arguable facts and figures regarding international broadcasting by the outgoing Clinton team.

We hope this time around that your team will uncover the real truth. For instance, your transition team could ask:

1) Why does the Broadcasting Board of Governors resist attempts for a strategic multimedia platform combining radio, TV, and the Internet to reach the world?

2) Why have 24/7 radio and TV broadcasts into the Middle East produced little or no results in a region of the world of vital strategic importance to the United States? And why does the BBG squash all negative reports about the inadequacies in U.S. broadcasting to the Middle East?

3) Why does the Broadcasting Board of Governors persist in trying to curtail worldwide English-language broadcasts when research shows the emerging dominance of English in the world?

The members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors have made many mistakes over the past decade. As President, you will have the unique opportunity to reverse those mistakes. And if you do, America’s Voice can once again be heard loudly and clearly throughout the world and regain its place as the beacon of liberty to the world.
If, by some remote chance, you do say “yes, we can,” it would surely be a Happy Thanksgiving for many Voice of America employees.

QuoVadis

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Public Diplomacy experts urge Obama to stop BBG from silencing VOA

FreeMediaOnline — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:55:51 +0000

The Public Diplomacy Council, a nonprofit organization which includes former diplomats, academics and other foreign policy experts, has called on President elect Obama and Congress to take urgent action in reforming publicly-funded U.S. international broadcasting. The Council blames the bipartisan Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), whose members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to manage U.S. international broadcasting, for ignoring strategically important target areas such as Russia, the Balkans, India and the Western Hemisphere.

The Council noted that the Broadcasting Board of Governors “has taken special aim at the Voice of America” by abolishing the VOA Arabic Service and reducing its broadcasts in English to the Middle East and other regions. The Council also criticized the BBG’s decision to terminate all VOA radio broadcasts in Russian shortly before Russia’s military attack on Georgia last summer. FreeMediaOnline.org reported that one of the BBG members who had voted for cutting VOA radio to Russia, Georgia, and Ukraine was Ted Kaufman, a former chief of staff to Senator Joe Biden.

The Public Diplomacy Council’s recommended steps for a new administration include:

An immediate restoration of all radio services reduced at the Voice of America in FY 08. On July 26, 2008, twelve days before Russia invaded Georgia, the BBG silenced VOA Russian radio, and then ignored subsequent appeals to restore it. On September 30, the Board abolished VOA radio services in Serbian, Bosnian, and Macedonian and in the Hindi service to India, provisionally retaining Ukrainian and Georgian. This action directly contravened Congressional passage last December of an FY 08 appropriation prohibiting all cuts. The impact: loss of nine million listeners on the eve of a landmark U.S. presidential election.

A fundamental restructuring. The Broadcasting Board of Governors should be replaced by a new nonpartisan oversight commission that would assume more of an advisory role, leaving daily management in the hands of a commission-appointed professional CEO, the VOA director, and the presidents of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcast Networks (Radio Sawa and Alhurra TV), and Radio-TV Marti to Cuba. Through direct and public reporting on a regular basis, the commission should be accountable to the legislative and executive branches of the federal government for operations of all these networks, including program content.

A long range commitment to consolidation and integration of the networks. The CEO of international broadcasting should immediately formulate a new strategic plan, 2010-2014, that would include a series of target dates for the consolidation of all five broadcast entities into a single international network. The goal: cost savings aimed at making U.S. global broadcasting unmatched on the airwaves and in cyberspace.

In implementing the latest round of radio program cuts last summer, the BBG staff led by its executive director Jeff Trimble and most BBG members, both Republicans and Democrats, ignored specific directives from Congress to refrain from reducing VOA radio broadcasts to Russia and other media-at-risk countries. In response to widespread criticism that followed, including articles on the FreeMediaOnline.org website, the BBG suspended its earlier decision to terminate VOA radio broadcasts to Georgia and Ukraine, but the BBG staff continued to resist calls to restore VOA radio broadcasts to Russia. Only recently did the BBG relent by allowing VOA Russian service to start producing a half hour radio program for the web five days a week. The program is also rebroadcast on an AM transmitter in Moscow, which is still available despite the Russian government’s crackdown on private FM stations which were rebroadcasting VOA Western radio programs.

The BBG staff’s policy of marginalizing VOA radio programming to Russia is still reflected in how the now restored but still significantly shortened radio program can be accessed on the Internet. There is no direct audio link to it on the VOA Russian Service Home Page. Web users can only find the radio program by navigating though the site. Also, until earlier this week, the link was not being updated and continued to provide audio from a program aired well before the U.S. presidential elections.

In addition to reports on Michael Jackson and Mickey Mouse in line with the BBG’s emphasis on increasing audience reach through entertainment programming, the newly restored VOA radio program “Panorama” does offer on some days more in-depth news analysis and greater range of American opinions in a single broadcast than video clips and short articles which the BBG staff wanted the VOA Russian web site to feature. More recently, the VOA Russian Service has increased the number of longer reports and interviews on political topics, although the overall program content is still not what it was before the BBG-imposed cuts last summer. VOA did not restore its previous hour-long radio call-in program that dealt with political issues in Russia and was popular with independent journalists and human rights activists.

FreeMediaOnline.org offers a more user-friendly way of listening on the web to the newly-restored VOA Russian radio program “Panorama.” Click here for the radio player in a new window. The Z-Pod radio player also provides an easy way of listening to VOA English News and VOA Special English programs.

This report was first published by FreeMediaOnline.org and Free Media Online Blog November 19, 2008, San Francisco.

Free Media Online » Statements

SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

Association of Tibetan Journalists appeals to U.S. Congress to save Voice of America radio to Tibet

Buenos Dias or Buenos Noches for Voice of America Spanish Broadcasts

​​​​APPEAL TO THE CONGRESS SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

VOA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE ​STRATEGIC INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CUSIB – Broadcasting Board of Governors Should Stay True to Their Mandate Not Only in China and Tibet

BBG considers new strategy and reversal of planned broadcasting cuts to China and Tibet

Annette Lantos pleads with Broadcasting Board of Governors to save Voice of America broadcasts

Human rights groups appeal to Congress to save broadcasts to China, Tibet and other nations without free media

At Broadcasting Board of Governors and Radio Free Europe/Liberty – Public Diplomacy is Public Scandal at Public Expense

U.S. official Victor Ashe calls for keeping a radio facility capable of reaching China

U.S. official Victor Ashe calls for keeping a radio facility capable of reaching China

Women and Their Families in China Who Are Victims of Human Rights Abuses Need Voice of America Radio

BBG releases model grant agreement with grantee broadcast entities

BBG releases ​Decisions of Board at BBG Meeting of September 15, 2011

BBG’s “Recent Threats to Media Freedom” statement remains open to charges of hypocrisy

BBG's "Recent Threats to Media Freedom" statement remains open to charges of hypocrisy

Rep. Rohrabacher Introduces Bill to Counter Communist Chinese State Media Advantage in the U.S.

The Heritage Foundation BBG panel transcript is available

Gary Marco responds to NYT's "A new Voice of America for the age of Twitter

Free Church for China: VOA cuts will stifle religious freedom

Secretary Clinton: U.S. is losing the information war

Secretary Clinton: U.S. is losing the information war

Former VOA director: under BBG who listens became less important than how many listened, or to what.

Is America’s Overseas Broadcasting Undermining our National Interest and Undermining the Fight Against Tyrannical Regimes?

Open Letter to Members of House Appropriations Committee Protests BBG Plans to Eliminate VOA Radio to China

Human rights and Chinese American organizations petition Congress to save VOA in China

BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson: America's Voice Must Be Credible And Must Be Heard | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)

Zbigniew Brzezinski's Speech (in Polish) at VOA Broadcaster Zofia Korbonska's Funeral

Zofia Korbońska

A Thanksgiving Message to President Elect Barack Obama About the Voice of America

A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA

Public Diplomacy experts urge Obama to stop BBG from silencing VOA

APPEAL TO THE CONGRESS
SAVE VOICE OF AMERICA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA

VOA SPANISH BROADCASTS TO LATIN AMERICA ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE STRATEGIC INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BBG releases Decisions of Board at BBG Meeting of September 15, 2011