[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S11689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)

                            VOICE OF AMERICA

 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, as the people of Serbia approach a 
critical national election on January 21, 2007, I pay tribute to the 
journalists and broadcasters who have worked to provide an antidote to 
forces of extremism in the country. I especially congratulate the Voice 
of America's Serbian Service and recognize the 10-year anniversary of 
its first television broadcast. VOA's long-running work in Serbia has 
played a valuable role in the country's evolution and provided an 
important source of information during the darkest periods of Serb 
history. This contribution has been particularly evident as Serbia has 
undergone profound changes in the last 10 years.
  Open Studio, VOA's first daily television newscast, was launched on 
December 11, 1996, in the wake of massive demonstrations to protest the 
invalidation of election victories by opponents of Slobodan Milosevic. 
In the face of public outcry, the Milosevic regime worked quickly to 
silence independent media outlets in Serbia, including a small, vibrant 
radio station called B92. The student-run station had distinguished 
itself by broadcasting hard news about the wars in the former 
Yugoslavia and engaging in relentless criticism of the Government. 
VOA's Serbian Service responded to the Milosevic regime's attacks on 
media freedom by expanding its broadcast and providing extensive 
reports on the international reaction to the protests in Serbia. On the 
day Serb authorities finally shut down B92, VOA requested permission to 
help the station reach its audience via VOA radio waves. As a result, 
VOA Serbian launched a media solidarity project and began broadcasting 
reports prepared by B92 stringers. The solidarity project received 
widespread international attention, including press coverage by the New 
York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and many other respected media 
outlets.
  After VOA began providing assistance to B92, the Milosevic Government 
relented and permitted the station's radio service to resume 
broadcasting. B92's chief editor, Veran Matic, credited VOA's 
assistance and international pressure on the Milosevic Government with 
getting his station back on the air. B92 quickly became a symbol of 
freedom and resistance to ultranationalism during the balance of the 
Milosevic era. Today, the station is one of the most respected radio 
and television broadcasters in Serbia.
  VOA's Open Studio program has built on its early success and is now 
carried by 53 television stations in the region; 45 in Serbia and 
Montenegro, 6 in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and 1 each in Kosovo and 
Macedonia. VOA is the leading international broadcaster in Serbia and 
Montenegro today, reaching 16 percent of the country's population each 
week through its radio and television programming.
  By presenting American values to an audience that was predominantly 
anti-American, the Voice of America Serbian Service has been an 
important public diplomacy tool and helped promote United States 
foreign policy objectives in Southeast Europe. In keeping with the best 
traditions of the service's 60-year history, VOA has helped guide Serbs 
toward greater freedom and openness, and encouraged the country to come 
to terms with the difficult legacy of the Yugoslav wars. VOA's 
objective, comprehensive reporting and analysis has provided reliable, 
often indispensable information to the region's Serbian population.
  Events in Serbia during the last decade provide compelling evidence 
of how courageous journalism can serve as a catalyst for democratic 
change. As the region prepares to deal with new challenges, including 
potential political changes in Belgrade and Kosovo, there is an ongoing 
need to provide Southeast Europe with reliable information. Along with 
the important work of B92 and other brave Serb partners, I applaud the 
efforts of the Voice of America to convey the facts and represent the 
United States to the people of Serbia. I look forward to the VOA's 
continued success in its next decade of service.

                          ____________________