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Please sign International Campaign for Tibet’ s Letter to Congress to save Voice of America Tibetan radio

FreeMediaOnline — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:16:57 +0000

The International Campaign for Tibet NGO has posted online an easy to use form for sending a letter to members of Congress to urge their support for resolutions calling on the Chinese government to end repression in Tibet and for preserving Voice of America Tibetan radio broadcasting, and sustain funding for other Tibet support programs in the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.

Monday and Tuesday more than a hundred Tibetan-Americans and Tibet-supporters will convene in Washington, DC to raise Tibet with their Senators and Representatives. With a few clicks you can help amplify their message today. Please join us and send a message to Capitol Hill that constituents across the country care about Tibet.

Every message counts! Please send one today—and encourage your friends and family to do so as well by tweeting about #TibetLobbyDay and posting this on Facebook.

To send the letter to your Congressional Representative and Your Senators CLICK HERE.

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SAMPLE LETTER

Members of Congress,

I write to thank you and your colleagues in Congress for a record of leadership on Tibetan issues and a commitment to provide programmatic and political support for Tibetans in exile and in Tibet.

Tibet is in crisis today. The Tibetan people are taking great risks to speak out for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. In response, Chinese security forces have imposed virtual martial law in many Tibetan areas, imposed a communications blackout, and blocked foreign journalists from reporting on the situation. It is vital that Congress and the international community help give Tibetans a voice.

Tibetan-Americans and Tibet supporters live in communities across the country. We recognize that the Chinese government has a well-funded and sophisticated lobby operation in Washington, D.C. But we are empowered by the unflinching courage of six million Tibetans who struggle against Chinese oppression every day and by the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama whose life’s work is the advancement of non-violence, human-dignity and a just solution for Tibet.

Congressional leaders from Speaker Boehner to Senator Feinstein have stood next to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and pledged their solidarity with the Tibetan cause, and Presidents Obama and Bush have publicly supported the Dalai Lama’s approach.

At this time of crisis, concerted Congressional action will signal to Tibetans and Chinese that the world is listening.

You can show your support for Tibet by:
1. (Senate) Cosponsor S. Res. 356, calling on the Chinese government to end its crackdown and address the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people.
>> Bipartisan resolution (Feinstein-McCain-Lieberman) urges Chinese officials to end repressive policies targeting Tibetans and allow unrestricted access to foreign journalists and diplomats to Tibet.

2. Preserve Voice of America Tibetan radio broadcasting, and sustain funding for other Tibet support programs in the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.
>> VOA radio, proposed for elimination, offers perhaps the only uncensored source of world news in Tibet, due to the Chinese government’s severe restrictions on media.
>> The other small but indispensable investments in Tibetan communities support the Dalai Lama’s vision of preserving the Tibetan identity until a political solution is achieved.

3. Update the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 to respond to new developments in Tibet and within the Tibetan exile community.
>> New legislation should (a) articulate a relationship with the democratically-elected Central Tibetan Administration, (b) take a clear position that the reincarnation/succession of the Dalai Lama is up to him and the Tibetan people, not the Chinese government, (c) require the State Department to establish a consulate in Lhasa, Tibet, (d) urge a multi-lateral approach to resolving the Tibet issue and (e) include objection to forced resettlement of Tibetan nomads in “Tibet Project Principles.”

4. Advocate on behalf of Tibetan political prisoners, including Dhondup Wangchen, Lobsang Tenzin, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Runggye Adak, Norzin Wangmo and Gendun Choekyi Nyima (Panchen Lama).
>> See www.savetibet.org for more information

5. (House) Cosponsor immigration legislation, H.R. 699 to provide 3,000 immigrant visas to qualified Tibetans over a 3-year period.
>> This bill (Sensenbrenner-George Miller), would further the Dalai Lama’s goal of helping preserve Tibetan culture in exile. Immigrants would be easily absorbed by established Tibetan-American communities.

Thank you for your support for Tibet.

Sincerely,

[ NAME ]

Public Law 101-246 establishing the Voice of America Tibetan Service

FreeMediaOnline — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:31:03 +0000

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), a federal agency which manages U.S. overseas news and information programs, wants to abolish the Voice of America Tibetan Radio Service leaving funding only for a television program which the vast majority of people in Tibet are not able to receive.

The independent, nongovernmental Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) is opposing this plan, as are Tibetans, human rights groups, and media freedom organizations.

The VOA Tibetan Service was created by an Act of Congress 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.

Text of Public Law 101-246, sponsored by Rep. Dante Fascell, establishing the Voice of America Tibetan Service:

SEC. 234. VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS TO TIBET.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVICE- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the United States Information Agency shall establish through the Voice of America, a service to provide Voice of America Tibetan language programming to the people of Tibet.
(b) AMOUNT OF PROGRAMMING- For each of the fiscal years 1990 and 1991, programming broadcasts to the people of Tibet pursuant to this section shall occur for not less than two hours each day.
(c) REPORT- As soon as possible in the fiscal year 1990, the Director of the United States Information Agency shall submit to the Congress a comprehensive written report detailing the implementation of the programming provided for in this section.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- In addition to funds otherwise available under subsection (e), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Voice of America for purposes of carrying out this section $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1990 and 1991.
(e) TRANSFER AUTHORITY- The Director of the United States Information Agency may transfer to Voice of America Tibet Service such amounts appropriated for the `Television and Film Service’ for each of the fiscal years 1990 and 1991 as exceed the amounts authorized to be appropriated for each such fiscal year for such Service.

SEC. 235. VOICE OF AMERICA’S THAILAND RADIO FACILITIES.

The Director of the United States Information Agency may enter into a contract for the construction of the Voice of America’s Thailand radio facilities for periods not in excess of 5 years or delegate such authority to the Corps of Engineers of the United States Department of the Army if there are sufficient funds to cover at least the Government’s liability for payments for the fiscal year in which the contract is awarded plus the full amount of estimated cancellation costs.

SEC. 236. VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

For each of the fiscal years 1990 and 1991, the Voice of America shall provide not less than 12 hours of programming each day for the People’s Republic of China.
SEC. 237. VOICE OF AMERICA EQUIPMENT ABROAD.

It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Information Agency and the Voice of America should take every step necessary to ensure that existing Voice of America equipment abroad is properly maintained and enhanced to prevent deterioration.

HOWL – Part Three – Inspector Detective of Email Violations

BBGWatcher — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:49:02 +0000

A Voice of America journalist who uses a pen name Mary Jane has posed this problem:

As we stand on the precipice of collapse, crumbling and leaderless, fearing for our jobs while simultaneously wishing to be released from this torturous slow decay, a keen look at our so-called management is due.

Mary Jane promised to provide that look in several installments.

The series is titled “HOWL.”

Part Three – Inspector Detective of Email Violations

Few are the Executive Producer and Managing Editors who have not received one of these chastising missives, confidently sent to “reply all.”

Read this bit of VOA managerial prose:

“While it certainly helps to know when and where interviews are being conducted, it may be more helpful for people to know what interviews you’ve requested but have yet to be confirmed; interviews you’re considering but have yet to request; or, interviews that you’d be interested in getting, but you don’t know whether anyone else in the building has a similar interest or has already made the request.” Clear?

CUSIB starts campaign against Broadcasting Board of Governors’ cuts in broadcasts to Tibet, China and other countries

BBGWatcher — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:19:05 +0000

The nongovernmental and independent Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting has issued a strong statement in opposition to the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ plans to eliminate or reduce news and information programs to Tibet, China, Vietnam, Laos, Burma and to other countries without free media.

February 17, 2012
For Immediate Release

Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting Opposes Broadcasting Board of Governors’ Budget Proposal for FY2013

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) has issued the following statement after a careful review of the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ 161-page Budget Proposal for FY2013:

“The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting is outraged by the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ Budget for FY2013 that proposes to cut and reduce Voice of America (VOA) English and foreign language programs and positions, as well as programs and positions at Radio Free Asia (RFA) and at other U.S. government-funded international broadcasting entities managed by the BBG.

We oppose the BBG’s efforts to eviscerate core news services provided by the Voice of America and other broadcasters while using U.S.-taxpayer resources to inflate the ranks of the BBG management.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors now wants to eliminate completely these critical radio broadcasts from their budget and leave funding only for a television program which most people in Tibet are unable to receive. This BBG action would defeat the purpose of the Federal law sponsored by Rep. Dante B. Fascell (Public Law No: 101-246) which established the VOA Tibetan Service.

We also adamantly oppose the BBG’s plans to cut the entire VOA Cantonese Service, which includes the VOA Cantonese weekly program, ‘American Report’ viewed in Cantonese‐speaking areas of China.

We expect that there will be a public outcry for these services to remain. Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Burma, Georgia, Greece, Laos, Russian Federation, Turkey and Vietnam are some of the other countries to which the BBG wants to reduce information programs. The Caucasus region, including Chechnya, and Central Asia are also targeted by the BBG for program cuts and reductions.

CUSIB also questions the BBG’s ‘over-arching strategic objective … (T)o become the world’s leading international news agency by 2016…’ This proposal also seems to be in direct conflict with Congressional intent as it will divert scarce resources from serving those who are most desperate to receive uncensored news and information.

In a memo to BBG staff, the BBG wrote: ‘We realize that some of these proposed changes will create anxiety.’ On the contrary, these BBG proposed changes will re-ignite passion of every journalist and human rights activist and incite and re-inspire them to preserve those programs that support journalism for media freedom and human rights.”

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

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Text of Public Law 101-246 establishing the Voice of America Tibetan Service:

SEC. 234. VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS TO TIBET.

SEC. 235. VOICE OF AMERICA’S THAILAND RADIO FACILITIES.

SEC. 236. VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

Broadcasting Board of Governors – Not Too Big To Fail

BBGWatcher — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:57:51 +0000

by The Federalist The Broadcasting Board of Governors – International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG/IBB), known to be the worst organization in the Federal Government, added to its reputation on Monday, February 13, 2012 when it announced substantial cuts to its broadcast operations, as part of the administration’s FY2013 budget request to the Congress.

HOWL – VOA journalist’s view of management – Part One

BBGWatcher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:23:46 +0000

Without the grossly exploited POVs, VOA would be little more than Kafkaesque hallways of frustrated bureaucrats with no one to boss around. – Anonymous VOA journalist A Voice of America journalist who uses a pen name Mary Jane has posed this problem: As we stand on the precipice of collapse, crumbling and leaderless, fearing for our jobs while simultaneously wishing to be released from this torturous slow decay, a keen look at our so-called management is due. Mary Jane promised to provide that look in several installments. The series is titled “HOWL.” Part One “And yet, and yet, the corridors of the third and fourth floor continue to be staffed by those who do little but sign in and sign out, working desperately to be considered FoS (friends of Steve’s) while producing nothing. (Enhancement Team, for instance?) They toil every day, pushing papers, attending meetings, sending emails with words like “workflow” and “high value content,” words never heard at other news organizations, while the services, the actual journalists, are loaded with additional bureaucratic demands assigned by do-nothing managers. Without the grossly exploited POVs, VOA would be little more than Kafkaesque hallways of frustrated bureaucrats with no one to boss around.” POVs – Purchase Order Vendors – are contract employees who usually work full time and do the same kind of work as regular government workers but at low pay (unless they are friends of top executives) and without any benefits, regular pay raises or most legal protections. Exploiting POVs and cutting broadcasting services have enabled Broadcasting Board of Governors managers to keep expanding their ranks and to protect their jobs.

Go here to read the rest:
HOWL – VOA journalist’s view of management – Part One

Former Voice of America leaders discuss devastating budget cuts

BBGWatcher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:22:34 +0000

Whisper of America? Alan L. Heil Jr., a former deputy director of VOA, author of “Voice of America: A History” and editor of Local Voices/Global Perspectives: Challenges Ahead for U.S. International Media, wrote in MountainRunner.us: Under the Obama administration’s proposed FY 13 budget, the potential damage to the nation’s flagship publicly funded overseas network, the Voice of America, would be unprecedented if Congress approves it.

HOWL – VOA journalist’s view of management – Part Two: Reality Check

BBGWatcher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:51:01 +0000

A Voice of America journalist who uses a pen name Mary Jane has posed this problem: As we stand on the precipice of collapse, crumbling and leaderless, fearing for our jobs while simultaneously wishing to be released from this torturous slow decay, a keen look at our so-called management is due. Mary Jane promised to provide that look in several installments. The series is titled “HOWL.” Part Two – Reality Check Yes, our content is bad.

Audio of VOA Director Ensor’s meeting with Newsroom staff on program cuts and RIFs

BBGWatcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:42:32 +0000

Link to audio of Voice of America Director David Ensor’s meeting on January 13, 2012 with VOA Newsroom staff on the subject of the FY 2013 Broadcasting Board of Governors budget and BBG-proposed cuts in VOA programs and positions. https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1375956448/8a97f1275938c15c75be83c3bffa9bf2 Content will be available for download until February 27, 2012 20:46 PST. BBG Watch would appreciate it if someone could transcribe the recording and send a transcript to: contact@usgbroadcasts.com This would be great help to us. We also welcome your comments on program cuts and RIFs. You do not need to provide your name or email. Thank you.

Continue reading here:
Audio of VOA Director Ensor’s meeting with Newsroom staff on program cuts and RIFs

‘Has Broadcasting Board of Governors Gone Mad?’ BBG wants to cut Voice of America programs to Tibet and other…

BBGWatcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:47:05 +0000

This commentary by an anonymous Broadcasting Board of Governors’ journalist analyzes the BBG’s FY2013 budget proposal which calls for silencing Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Tibet as part of cutting America’s broadcasts to three out of five remaining communist regimes. Silencing Voice of America Radio to Tibet: Has the Broadcasting Board of Governors Gone Mad? The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) budget submission requests cutting seven employees out of 22 in the Voice of America (VOA) Tibetan Service, ending all six hours of daily VOA Tibetan radio broadcasts. This is happening on the day China’s Vice President Xi Jinping, heir apparent of the communist regime, arrives in Washington on a get-to-know-you visit. This is happening while Tibet is burning. A day after the 23rd Tibetan monk self-immolated to protest unprecedented Chinese crackdown on their religion. This is happening one week after CCTV, China’s state TV launched its first live daily broadcast from its brand new 36000 sq ft studio in Washington DC, the first step of China’s $7 billion media offensive in America. What is the BBG thinking? Has the Broadcasting Board of Governors gone mad? And, decimating VOA broadcasts to the Laos (4 out of 6 employees), Vietnam (10 out of 15 employees) and Cantonese to China (all 7 employees). Cutting America’s broadcasts to three out of five remaining communist regimes. While planning all these cuts, the BBG promoted Bruce Sherman, the BBG strategist (or de-strategist) to SES without contest; hiring an SES director for ODDI, Office of Digital Design and Innovation; hiring a BBG communications director, another SES. All three SES positions were created as the Broadcasting Board of Governors was planning to eliminate dozens of rank and file journalists. Who needs this Board that cannibalizes its own worker bees to feed itself?

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‘Has Broadcasting Board of Governors Gone Mad?’ BBG wants to cut Voice of America programs to Tibet and other…

IBB/BBG’s proposed cuts for Voice of America: Summary of Main Points

BBGWatcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:01:34 +0000

BBG Watch is providing this information, which was obtained from several sources. While the main points are believed to be accurate, we can’t guarantee complete accuracy. Please continue checking our website and official BBG announcements. Broadcasting Board of Governors FY2013 Budget Request Summary of Main Points What They Want To Do: • $711.56 million for international broadcasting operations • $11.6 million Internet circumvention funding • $9 million new TV programs to Egypt • $8.59 million broadcasting capital improvements • $21 million claimed administrative/tech support costs cut • Elevate and expand social media • Buy-outs/early retirements, positions reduced through attrition • TV to Central Asia VOA: What They Want To Do: Ensor: • No cuts to Farsi, Korean, Urdu, Mandarin • No cuts to domestic bureaus, overseas bureaus to merge with grantee counterparts • Says: “Radio has a very secure place at VOA, not dying by any means, won’t kill it before its time.” (1) What They Don’t Want To Do: • No cuts to Greenville (2) • English programs: 28-30 positions cut • VOA Newsroom: 43 positions cut • Lao Service: 2FTEs (full-time employees), 2 vacancies eliminated, 2 FTEs eliminated • Cantonese Service: eliminated (7FTEs, 2POVs [purchase order vendors]) • Greek Service: eliminated • Dari Service: 5 positions cut • Pashto Service: 5 positions cut • Afghan Service (Pashto/Dari): 6 hours of programs cut during weakest day part • Albanian: 5 radio positions cut (eliminating Albanian radio) • Turkish: don’t have specifics • Tibetan: don’t have specifics • Vietnamese: don’t have specifics • Spanish: don’t have specifics • Bangla: don’t have specifics • Georgian: don’t have specifics Grantees: Ensor says: • Greek, Avar, Chechen, Circassian cut • Grantees facing cuts (no specifics) • There will be cuts to management (no specifics) • Number of contractors to be cut (no specifics) (3) Notes: (1) In agency literature, VOA is identified as having 43 languages (various English operations apparently identified as separate language services). VOA cuts affect 14 of the 43 services. Represents an adverse impact on almost 33% (32.5%) of VOA language services. (2) Can’t do anything to Greenville until they know what the authorization is from Congress. Reductions could come later. (3) AFGE union reps say Federal employee to contractor ratio is about 50/50: about 800 each. We don’t know if union can negotiate retaining FTEs over contractors. If agency targets a larger proportion of FTEs over contractors, it would aid the agency’s attempt to de-Federalize the workforce. Best information available as of 7:16pm, February 13, 2012. More information will likely be forthcoming as events unfold.

‘Civility in the Workplace’ Campaign vs. ‘Sanity in the Workplace’

BBGWatcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:34:28 +0000

From a VOA journalist: Re the below “Civility in the Workplace” Campaign: How amusing that VOA kicked off an “act nice” campaign just before the big RIF announcements. The future-unemployed, it seems, are expected to maintain happy faces even as they contemplate their bankrupt futures and their managers’ fat fortunes. At yesterday’s Central News meeting, David Ensor said there would be cuts in management, too. But he said those cuts would not be “proportionate.” Why ever not? Why hack away at the ranks of those who actually produce stories and programs in favor of managers, who produce only meetings and memos? We suggest that a “Sanity in the Workplace” or an “Accountability in the Workplace,” or a “Start Telling the Truth for Once in Your Management Career,” campaigns are far more urgently needed. From: IBB Notices Administration [notices@bbg.gov] Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 5:01 PM To: IBB Staff Subject: Civility in the Workplace Campaign Colleagues, Incivility in the workplace has the potential to destroy employee relationships, workplace morale, and productivity in the federal government, as well as in the private sector. BBG is not immune to instances of uncivil behavior, and while we have received many positive messages from employees, this is not the experience for everyone. In response, the agency is launching a campaign to increase awareness on issues of appropriate behavior and renew its commitment to maintain an environment of mutual respect and workplace civility.

Attrition by Fear at BBG

BBGWatcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:25:35 +0000

It is not likely that the Congress will pass President Obama’s budget with the insane Broadcasting Board of Governors’ proposal to end Voice of America radio to Tibet and to eliminate or make largely ineffective other VOA services, including English. BBG Watch sources inside BBG believe that International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) executives are pursuing another strategy: to get rid of as many Federal employees as possible using fear of RIFs and other subtle and less subtle intimidation tactics. This is what one inside source has sent us: Attrition by Fear “According to several sources inside the Agency, one question apparently is having trouble finding an answer:

Expected 4.7 percent BBG budget cut and RIFs to hit rank-and-file employees and critical programs

BBGWatcher — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:43:46 +0000

BBG Watch News Commentary The proposed budget cut for the entire Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) in FY 2013 is expected to be 4.7 percent and that painful RIFs (Reductions-in-Force) are unavoidable and likely to be used against rank-and-file employees, BBG Watch sources report. They are afraid that critical broadcasting and other information programs to countries without free media will be cut to protect the jobs of the International Broadcasting Bureau managers. Sources tell us that all BBG employees, including the Voice of America staff, should expect really bad news on Monday.

New media scholar Nikolay Rudenskiy is author of ‘pro-Putin Bias in VOA’ study

BBGWatcher — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:01:49 +0000

Sources told BBG Watch that an independent Russian journalist who warned about a “pro-Putin” bias of the Voice of America Russian Service is new media scholar Dr. Nikolay Rudenskiy. Dr. Rudenskiy was hired by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) in 2011 to evaluate the VOA Russian website. In a report, which was not shared with BBG members, Dr. Rudenskiy concluded that the Russian Service had a “pro-Putin bias” and downplayed human rights reporting. He wrote in his report that “the site provides little if any unique information or bright and perceptive comment, it appears rather mediocre in terms of journalistic quality or design, and it lacks focus on the topics where it potentially could excel.” Dr. Rudenskiy’s main criticism, however, was directed at what he perceived as a bias in favor of the Kremlin. In his study, he gave several examples of VOA news reports based mostly on Russian official media that lacked an alternative American perspective. “Vice President’s [Biden] speech in Moscow University , in which he criticized Russia ‘s leadership on democracy and human rights, was clearly downplayed. The report on this event was titled ‘Joe Biden to Moscow Students: Future is Yours’; a headline as cheerful as meaningless, reminding of Soviet newspapers. What is worse, the report failed to mention that Biden spoke about the Khodorkovsky case as an example of Russia ‘s ‘legal nihilism’ – an important fact noted both in Russia and abroad. One might suspect that the omission was deliberate. If so, that could be regarded as a case of ‘pro-Russian’ (or, rather, pro-Putin) bias.” Dr. Rudenskiy was a Reagan-Fascell fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, which published the following biographical note about him: Nikolay Rudenskiy is the deputy editor of Grani.Ru (www.grani.ru), an independent online media outlet. Trained as an ethnographer, he is the author of about 40 scholarly publications and more than 100 journalistic commentaries focusing mostly on public issues in today’s Russia, including defending freedom of the press, exposing persecution of the regime’s opponents and other human rights violations, and combating racism and other forms of bigotry. During his fellowship, Rudenskiy plans to compare and contrast various approaches to the issue of hate speech in Russia and the United States. ‘Pro-Putin bias’ Evaluation of VOA Russian Website by Dr. Nikolay Rudenskiy.doc ‘Pro-Putin bias’ Evaluation of VOA Russian Website by Dr. Nikolay Rudenskiy.pdf BBG executives suppressed Dr. Rudenskiy’s study, as they had tried to suppress a similar study critical of Alhurra TV until they were forced by pressure from Congress to make it public. Dr. Rudenskiy’s study was identified by Ted Lipien, a former VOA acting associate director, in his op-ed “VOA Harms Putin Opposition in Russia” in The Washington Times. The article focused on a fake interview with a Russian anti-corruption lawyer and opposition leaders Alexei Navalny published by the VOA Russian website. The Russian Service removed the interview and apologized to Navalny who wrote in his Twitter account that “Voice of America has gone nuts” and that all…

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New media scholar Nikolay Rudenskiy is author of ‘pro-Putin Bias in VOA’ study

VOA Public Relations does a number on Lipien, 1Amendment responds

BBGWatcher — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:04:38 +0000

The Voice of America Office of Public Relations responded to Ted Lipien’s op-ed in The Washington Times. We post Lipien’s opening paragraph with the link to the article. The VOA Public Relations Office response is posted below as well as a reply to it from 1Amendment. LIPIEN: VOA harms Putin opposition in Russia Faked interviews, lax Web security are signs a shakeup is needed By Ted Lipien -The Washington Times Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Illustration by John Camejo for The Washington Times The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the agency in charge of critical U.S. information programs to countries such as Iran, China and Russia, can only be described as a failed enterprise in need of emergency surgery. Just as the new Voice of America (VOA) director, David Ensor, was praising the VOA Russian Service as a model of innovation during a speech to mark the broadcast’s 70th anniversary, the Russian Service was posting an apology to Alexei Navalny, a famous Russian anti-corruption lawyer, opposition leader and blogger, for publishing an online interview with him, which he described as “100 percent fake.” Mr. Navalny said he never granted this interview (he hasn’t been giving any interviews recently), accused Voice of America of “going nuts,” and suggested that all VOA Russian staff should be let go. The alleged interview, apparently obtained through an exchange of emails, included uncharacteristic attacks on other Russian opposition leaders who are Mr. Navalny’s allies against the Kremlin. No one bothered to confirm whether the answers received by email came from Mr. Navalny. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) also had a similar incident in which someone impersonated another opposition figure in Russia. READ more of LIPIEN: VOA harms Putin opposition in Russia VOA Public Relations Mr. Lipien is wrong about VOA’s Russian Service, and he badly misstates the facts on almost every point. VOA’s Russian website did publish comments it believed to be from Russian blogger and opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The article was taken down promptly when Mr. Navalny tweeted that he did not give the interview. VOA has apologized, saying in part “As a result of this incident we will strengthen our editorial standards and enact additional safeguards.” Mr. Lipien, a former VOA journalist, should also know he is wrong when he says “In 2008, the BBG (VOA’s parent organization) ended VOA radio and TV broadcasts to Russia.” In fact, after the end of the Cold War, VOA radio and television programs were carried on a number of affiliate stations throughout Russia, but under Russian government pressure almost all those broadcasts were stopped. Since then, VOA’s Russian Service has built a reliable online audience with a vibrant website that provides fair and balanced coverage. Mr. Lipien also unfairly implies the journalists who are recent arrivals from Russia and VOA stringers in Russia are somehow a liability. These dedicated reporters go through U.S. national security clearances and are the driving force behind the Russian Service’s expansion in a rapidly evolving digital environment. No one should be…

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VOA Public Relations does a number on Lipien, 1Amendment responds

Voice of America Director Ensor’s ‘Getting It Right in Russia’ explanation misses the main point

BBGWatcher — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:41:12 +0000

BBG Watch Commentary Commenting on the Voice of America director David Ensor’s response to the posting of a fake interview on the VOA Russian website, one veteran VOA journalist observed that for a good reporter like Ensor, it is very short on specifics. It would force CNN viewers to switch channels. It misses the main point of what led to the posting of a fake interview on the VOA Russian Service website. This devastating mistake is part of a big systemic problem at the Broadcasting Board of Governors and the Voice of America. David Ensor’s response is very inadequate in both explanations and solutions. It implies that it is merely a problem of editorial procedures when in fact it is a management and leadership crisis. The people who should go are senior BBG, IBB and VOA executives and advisors. They are the ones responsible for the problem of outsourcing, POV staffing, exploiting of contractors, not paying them on time but at the same time expecting that they will be totally loyal. The VOA Russian Service needs to be rebuilt from scratch, otherwise it will never have any credibility with the pro-democracy opposition in Russia. Director Ensor needs to make drastic changes and announce them. He should go to Russia and meet with Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader embarrassed and harmed by VOA. We do respect Director Ensor’s considerable achievements as a foreign correspondent, but we hope now that he will also do the right thing as VOA director. As today’s Washington Times op-ed suggested, what needs to be done is an emergency surgery. BBG Watch is posting a few questions which will hopefully help Director Ensor and BBG members get ready to perform it as soon as possible, the sonner the better. 1. At what level do you plan to stop outsourcing critical editorial and journalistic functions to poorly paid, poorly trained, poorly vetted and poorly supervised contractors from Russia? 2. Why were experienced VOA Russian Service editors forced to retire, were pushed out, or quit being disgusted with the “pro-Putin” bias imposed by BBG program advisors? 3. Why was a study done by a highly respected journalist fighting Putin’s censorship in Russia, who concluded that the VOA Russian website had a “pro-Putin bias” and downplayed human rights reporting, ignored by VOA and BBG management? 4. Why did you not call Alexei Navalny immediately and apologize personally. He is, after all, not just a pro-democracy blogger but a leading opponent of Prime Minister Putin, anti-corruption lawyer, and opposition leader. 5. Why did it take you so long to respond in any way to the incident? 6. Are you concerned that some members of your VOA Russian team were privately accusing a courageous Russian human rights campaigner of giving the interview and then lying about it and that higher level managers who are supposed to supervise these contractors and to advise you were also telling many people within VOA and IBB/BBG that Navalny may be a liar? 7. What does that…

Original post:
Voice of America Director Ensor’s ‘Getting It Right in Russia’ explanation misses the main point

Washington Times Op-Ed warns about pro-Putin bias in Voice of America Russian programs

BBGWatcher — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:18:02 +0000

Republished from BBG Watch.

In a Washington Times Op-Ed, a Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting member Ted Lipien warned about a pro-Putin bias in the Voice of America Russian programs. Lipien reported that a highly respected independent journalist in Russia hired by the Broadcasting Board of Governors to evaluate the VOA Russian website concluded last year that it has a pro-Kremlin bias and downplays human rights reporting. BBG executives apparently failed to share the results of this study with BBG members.

On January 31, the Voice of America posted on its Russian website an alleged interview with a prominent Russian anti-corruption lawyer, anti-Putin opposition leader and blogger Alexei Navalny but had to remove it and apologize after Navalny said that the interview was “100 percent fake.” Navalny, who is viewed as an enemy by the Kremlin and has been a target of disinformation campaigns by Prime Minister Putin’s supporters, accused the Voice of America of “going nuts” and suggested that all those working for the VOA Russian Service should be let go.

BBG Watch website reported that despite issuing an apology, some staffers who were responsible for posting the fake interview have been telling VOA and BBG management that Navalny did give them an interview through an exchange of emails and then lied about it. BBG Watch reported that these staffers are recent arrivals from Russia who were hired as poorly paid contractors to replace experienced journalists who had been retired or pushed out because they were critical of Putin and may have lacked new media skills.

Asked by BBG Watch for a comment, Lipien said that in his long career with the Voice of America he did not recall a single incident where VOA would air a fake interview with a major anti-communist figure like Andrei Sakharov, Lech Walesa, or Vaclav Havel. “Had we done so due to some kind of secret police provocation, of which there were many, we would certainly not accuse these brave men of lying,” Lipien said.

The fact that this incident happened and that some VOA Russian Service staffers are still engaged in a whispering campaign of accusing Andrei Navalny of lying, as reported by BBG Watch, is extremely disturbing, Lipien said. Voice of America director should have called Alexei Navalny and issued a personal apology, which should have been posted on VOA websites in Russian and English, Lipien suggested. The fact that the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on the fake interview incident in both Russian and English, but the VOA English news website completely ignored the story, points to serious problems with Voice of America journalism under the guidance of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. In many ways, it is now much worse than it was when VOA was still part of the United States Information Agency but VOA journalists knew how to use the VOA Charter to demand that controversial stories be covered, Lipien said. BBG Watch has been reporting that BBG

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Washington Times Op-Ed warns about pro-Putin bias in Voice of America Russian programs

Victor Ashe says treatment of contract employees by BBG executives amounts to abuse of the system

BBGWatcher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:59:40 +0000

In an open challenge to Broadcasting Board of Governors executives who can’t stand him, BBG member Victor Ashe told the Knoxville News Sentinel newspaper (“Victor Ashe advocates for contract workers“) that some contract employees at the Voice of America (VOA) have been working there 18 to 25 years. “To me, it’s an abuse of the system. They are not represented by unions or an association,” Ashe said.

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Victor Ashe says treatment of contract employees by BBG executives amounts to abuse of the system

Will fundraising for Obama get Dick Lobo chairmanship of Broadcasting Board of Governors?

BBGWatcher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:58:55 +0000

BBG Watch Commentary There have been rumors that Richard Lobo, the current director of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), is being considered by the White House for the position of the chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). IBB and Voice of America (VOA) are some of the elements of the BBG, which manages all U.S. government-funded civilian international broadcasting and Internet news operations.

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Will fundraising for Obama get Dick Lobo chairmanship of Broadcasting Board of Governors?

CUSIB Statement on the Resignation of BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson

BBGWatcher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:57:54 +0000

The independent Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB), which supports media freedom abroad and was opposed to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) plans to end Voice of America (VOA) radio and television broadcasts to China, has issued a statement on the announced resignation of the BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson.

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CUSIB Statement on the Resignation of BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson

Voice of America hushed up mistakes by former CNN employees

BBGWatcher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:50:42 +0000

BBG Watch Commentary We have reported earlier that former CNN employees, who lack experience in international broadcasting, speak no foreign languages and have poor management skills, have been making embarrassing decisions and undermining employee morale at the media entities managed by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). We are not referring here to BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson, a talented writer, or Voice of America Director David Ensor, an accomplished reporter with extensive experience in covering international affairs. Both were formerly with CNN.

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Voice of America hushed up mistakes by former CNN employees

Have a backup plan: VOA Director David Ensor on satellite TV signal jamming

BBGWatcher — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:17:51 +0000

Voice of America (VOA) Director David Ensor has commented on the Iranian jamming of VOA satellite television signals. His is a significant post since it exposes the ability of any country or even a group of people to render satellite television programs useless. That leaves the Internet and shortwave radio.

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Have a backup plan: VOA Director David Ensor on satellite TV signal jamming

Media freedom activist Ted Lipien warns against diminished public stake in U.S. international broadcasting

BBGWatcher — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:47:26 +0000

Republished from the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) website: In an article published in American Diplomacy, a quarterly electronic journal of commentary, analysis, and research on American foreign policy and its practice, the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) director Ted Lipien warns against diminished public stake in U.S.

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Media freedom activist Ted Lipien warns against diminished public stake in U.S. international broadcasting

VOA Reporter Killed In Pakistan, BBG Watch urges BBG to do more to take care of contract and overseas-based employees

BBGWatcher — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:27:30 +0000

BBG Watch reporters and contributors, many of us former and current Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) employees, are shocked and saddened by the killing in Pakistan of Mukarram Khan Aatif, a reporter for Voice of America’s Deewa Radio. This tragedy shows what great sacrifices Voice of America overseas-based contract employees make everyday. Mukarram Khan Aatif was a hero

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VOA Reporter Killed In Pakistan, BBG Watch urges BBG to do more to take care of contract and overseas-based employees

BBG Plans Hit Major Rocks and Realities in VOA Central News – The Federalist

BBGWatcher — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:27:02 +0000

The entities – all the entities – function better as self-contained units, serving their respective missions and intended audiences. — The Federalist We could not agree more with this statement from The Federalist, one of our regular and popular contributors

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BBG Plans Hit Major Rocks and Realities in VOA Central News – The Federalist

CUSIB’s open letter to BBG urges greater public scrutiny of U.S. international broadcasting

BBGWatcher — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:26:37 +0000

The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) has sent an open letter to members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) warning against a threat of diminished public control over U.S. overseas broadcasts under the BBG’s proposed reorganization plan.

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CUSIB’s open letter to BBG urges greater public scrutiny of U.S. international broadcasting

‘Old white guys’ meet ‘cute young intern’ and First Amendment at the Broadcasting Board of Governors

BBGWatcher — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:43:49 +0000

A commentary by BBG Watch Cute High School Intern Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) officials have gotten so used to running their small federal agency like their own private country club that they still frequently forget that at least some of their meetings can now be viewed online. While the video from the last BBG meeting was streamed live, the on demand link to the video has not worked since then

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‘Old white guys’ meet ‘cute young intern’ and First Amendment at the Broadcasting Board of Governors

Isaacson compromises in battle over public control of U.S. international broadcasting

BBGWatcher — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:38:53 +0000

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) chairman Walter Isaacson has modified some of his positions on the reorganization of U.S. international broadcasting in response to criticism and pressure from individuals and groups opposed to limiting public ownership and control of U.S. Government’s journalistic communications with foreign audiences.

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Isaacson compromises in battle over public control of U.S. international broadcasting

Architects of BBG’s failed China plan rewarded with new positions

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:57:22 +0000

Two Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) officials described by BBG Watch sources as chief architects of the failed BBG plan to end Voice of America (VOA) radio and TV broadcasts to China have been rewarded with new positions. The International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) Director Richard Lobo named Bruce Sherman as director of a newly-formed Office of Strategy and Development. Lobo also named Jeff Trimble as IBB deputy director.

[Update: A comment posted by someone claiming close knowledge of the BBG staff charges that BBG Watch sources are wrong and that neither Mr. Trimble, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Lobo nor even the current members of the BBG had anything to do with the plan to end VOA broadcasts to China, which the current Board did submit to Congress and vigorously defended. (BBG Watch has received a copy of a lengthy memo sent to Congress by one of the current BBG members who strongly defends the decision to end VOA broadcasts to China and cites research and analysis from the BBG staff.) The author of the comment to this story, however, puts the entire blame on former VOA Director Dan Austin and one other VOA manager and claims that the BBG staff, presumably that includes Mr. Trimble and Mr. Sherman, had opposed this plan. BBG Watch sources tell a different story and point out that the same two individuals were also responsible for arguing in favor of ending VOA radio and TV broadcasts to Russia in 2008 and for supporting eliminations or reductions in other broadcasting services to countries without free media. BBG Watch sources do concede, however, that former VOA Director Austin did support the China plan.]

[Correction from IBB Director Lobo: BBG Watch has learned that IBB Director Richard Lobo has corrected a mistake in his memo. Paul Kollmer-Dorsey does not have the tile of General Counsel. He is Deputy General Counsel. The General Counsel position has been vacant for some time.]

Jeff Trimble

Sources describe Sherman and Trimble as being primarily responsible for formulating the plan to end VOA broadcasts to China. The plan had generated strong bipartisan opposition in Congress, which forced the BBG to give up its intention to end VOA radio and TV broadcasts in Mandarin and Cantonese and to fire 45 VOA Chinese Branch journalists, most of whom specialize in human rights reporting.

According to BBG Watch sources, Trimble and Sherman are protected by the BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson who wants to de-federalize VOA and Radio and TV Marti and to limit the independence of the BBG-managed surrogate broadcasters: the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Lobo had been appointed to his position by President Obama.

BBG Watch sources describe Trimble and Sherman as the chief authors of the BBG strategic plan which calls for these changes. One source told BBG Watch that not all BBG members supported Sherman’s promotion. BBG Governor Victor Ashe, who has become an outspoken critic of the BBG/IBB management team, was — according to BBG Watch sources — opposed to rewarding Sherman and Trimble with these new positions.

Steven Korn

BBG Watch has also received reliable information that the heads of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) and of Radio Free Asia (RFA), Brian Conniff and Libby Liu, have raised serious reservations about the Sherman-Trimble plan to merge MBN and RFA together with RFE/RL into a large corporate bureaucracy. Critics of the BBG strategic plan point out that the main feature that makes these surrogate broadcasters successful is their administrative and editorial independence, while the BBG strategic plan calls for administrative and editorial centralization and creating a BBG global news network.

The head of RFE/RL Steven Korn, an old friend of Walter Isaacson (they both worked at CNN), is described as the only one supporting the merger without any objections. Sources tell us that Korn has been making controversial personnel changes at RFE/RL designed to protect careers of his favorite subordinates after the proposed merger.

###

From an official IBB announcement:

From: IBB Notices Administration [notices@bbg.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 5:58 PM
To: IBB Staff
Subject: Message from the IBB Director

Colleagues:

The merger of the IBB and BBG staffs will become effective on January 15, 2012.
This action reflects the Board’s commitment to streamline and increase the efficiency of agency operations, as called for in the newly adopted 2012-2016 Strategic Plan. The merger will facilitate the development of BBG-wide strategies and objectives, strengthen oversight of program and organizational performance, and enhance collaboration among our Federal and non-Federal entities.

An organizational chart showing the restructured, merged IBB/BBG operation is attached. Here are the key changes:

A new Office of Strategy and Development will lead development and implementation of strategy through coordinated planning, agency-level audience research and impact assessment, program placement, development, and international media training. The Office will work with the broadcast services to align strategy at the Agency and language service levels as well as across entities to enhance performance and meet the goals set by the Strategic Plan. It will incorporate the former BBG Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement, the IBB Office of Marketing and Program Placement, and VOA Business Development. Bruce Sherman will serve as director.

The Office of Performance Review takes on enhanced responsibilities under the continued leadership of Kelu Chao. The Office will continue to conduct VOA and OCB language service research and programming reviews. It will now also be responsible for conducting management analyses of the operational effectiveness of all BBG elements and for coordinating inspections and reviews by the Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. The Office, together with the performance review elements of the non-Federal entities, will also provide feedback to help shape strategy.

The Office of Communications and External Relations is responsible for communications and outreach activities for the Board and will serve as the Board’s chief advisor for Congressional and external relations. The Office also coordinates communications operations of the BBG’s media networks — VOA, RFE, RFA, MBN, and OCB. The Graphics Unit, under the continued supervision of Tuleda Johnson, will move from the Marketing and Program Placement office to the Communications office. The position of Director of the Office of Communications and External Relations was recently advertised, and I hope shortly to be able to announce the selection of the Director of this office.

The Office of New Media has been renamed the Office of Digital and Design Innovation to better reflect its role in the development and implementation of innovative projects, programs, and services across U.S. international media. The Office will continue to play a key role in expanding the use of the best core technology platforms, as well as assisting entities in executing global digital and brand strategies, but also build out the next generation of digital products that present our content in an increasingly complex media landscape. Rob Bole continues as the Director of this Office.

A Board Operations Staff will be formalized under the direction of the Board Secretary and General Counsel, Paul Kollmer-Dorsey, and will continue to support the Board in its meetings and other operations.

The Secretariat staff and the Analysis and Administration Division will be combined as the Administrative and Secretariat Operations Unit. The Unit will coordinate the development, approval and codification of Agency administrative policies in the form of the Broadcasting Administrative Manual and provide Secretariat services to the BBG, along with the Division’s current functions. Doris Garay-Nellius will head this Unit.

I have designated Jeff Trimble as IBB Deputy Director. Jeff will assist me in overseeing IBB operations, and will carry out special projects at my direction, including the ongoing work to create a BBG global news network, a core element of the new Strategic Plan.

While this merger is a significant step, it is only a part of an ongoing, longer-term restructuring process. In coming months we will continue to study and evaluate this new organization, with an eye toward making further changes to achieve greater efficiencies and otherwise improve our performance. I look forward to your continued cooperation and assistance as we move forward.

Regards,

Dick Lobo
IBB Director

New BBG Organizational Chart

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Architects of BBG’s failed China plan rewarded with new positions

Recognition of Voice of America broadcasts by BBG attributed to pressure from negative publicity

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:55:00 +0000

The announcement by the Broadcasting Board of Governors that at the open meeting scheduled for January 13 the Board will honor the 70th anniversary of the Voice of America and recognize the anniversaries of particular BBG language services is seen by BBG Watch sources as an indication of a possible change of policy due to negative publicity.

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Recognition of Voice of America broadcasts by BBG attributed to pressure from negative publicity

New Voice of America logo is old but its return may be a good sign, perhaps

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:53:42 +0000

There is little new about the new Voice of America logo.

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New Voice of America logo is old but its return may be a good sign, perhaps

Personnel Reshuffle at Voice of America may hasten the undoing of the place, BBG Watch commentator says

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:51:42 +0000

A BBG Watch commentator described the announced personnel reshuffle at the Voice of America in the following terms: “This is going to have no material impact on anything except to perhaps hasten the undoing of the place.” The obvious conflict of interest stemming from the fact that John Lennon and his wife Marie Lennon Skiba have long occupied top SES positions at the Broadcasting Board of Governors has been for years whispered about by BBG employees but nothing has been done to move one of them to another government agency.

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Personnel Resuffle at Voice of America may hasten the undoing of the place, BBG Watch commentator says

BBG seeks centralization of news output

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:50:50 +0000

The BBG Chairman Walter Isaacson and his executives love centralization and central planning. (They developed a Five-Year Strategic Plan — five-year plans, does that sound familiar?) Never mind that the surrogate broadcasters like Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty were established in West Germany in the 1950s as a counterbalance to the overly-centralized Voice of America (VOA) with its headquarters in New York and later in Washington, DC. BBG executives now want to undermine the independence and specialization of the surrogate broadcasters by merging them into a new large bureaucracy and creating a global news network.

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BBG seeks centralization of news output

Some Voice of America contract employees not paid since November

BBGWatcher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:47:18 +0000

Forget about Christmas shopping and paying your mortgage.

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Some Voice of America contract employees not paid since November