[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 2005]
[Pages 364-367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS

330 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20237

Phone, 202-203-4545. Internet, www.bbg.gov
Chairman                                          Kenneth Y. Tomlinson
Members                                           Joaquin F. Blaya, 
                                                          Blanquita 
                                                          Walsh Cullum, 
                                                          D. Jeffrey 
                                                          Hirschberg, 
                                                          Edward E. 
                                                          Kaufman, 
                                                          Norman J. 
                                                          Pattiz, Steven 
                                                          J. Simmons
    (Secretary of State, ex officio)              Condoleezza Rice
Executive Director                                Brian T. Conniff
    Deputy Executive Director                     Bruce Sherman
    Legal Counsel                                 Carol Booker
    Chief Financial Officer                       Janet Stormes
    Congressional Coordinator                     Susan Andross
    Senior Adviser for Communications             Howard Mortman
    Strategic Planning Manager                    Bruce Sherman
    Management and Program Analyst                John Giambalvo
    Chief Information Officer                     Ronald Linz, Acting
Director, International Broadcasting Bureau       (vacancy)
    Chief of Staff                                Janice Brambilla
Director, Office of Civil Rights                  Delia L. Johnson
Associate Director for Management                 Stephen S. Smith
Associate Director for Program Support            Gary Thatcher
Director, Office of Engineering and Technical     George A. Moore
        Services
Director, Voice of America                        David S. Jackson
    Chief of Staff                                Marie Lennon
    Associate Director for Language               Kelu Chao
            Programming
    Associate Director for Central                Ted Iliff
            Programming
    Associate Director for Operations             Mark L. Prahl
Director, Office of Cuba Broadcasting             Pedro V. Roig

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The Broadcasting Board of Governors ensures and safeguards the 
integrity, quality, and effectiveness of American international 
broadcasters. The mission of U.S. international broadcasting is to 
promote the open communication of information and ideas in support of 
democracy, and the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information 
worldwide. 

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The Broadcasting Board Governors (BBG) became the independent, 
autonomous entity responsible for all U.S. Government and Government-
sponsored nonmilitary, international broadcasting, by authority of the 
Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6501 
note), on October 1, 1999.
    The BBG encompasses all U.S. international broadcasting services, 
but the day-to-day broadcasting activities are carried out by the 
individual BBG international broadcasters: the Voice of America (VOA), 
Alhurra, Radio Sawa, Radio Farda, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/
RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Radio and TV Marti, with the assistance 
of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

Activities

Voice of America  The Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts on radio, 
television, and the Internet (www.VOAnews.com) in 44 languages. VOA 
focuses on countries that lack a strong, independent media. The VOA 
Charter requires that broadcasts be accurate, objective, and 
comprehensive; that they represent all segments of American society and 
present a balanced and comprehensive view of significant American 
thought and institutions; and that they clearly present the policies of 
the United States.
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.  The Middle East Broadcasting 
Networks, Inc. (MBN) is a nonprofit corporation that is financed by the 
U.S. Government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of 
Governors. MBN operates the Arabic-language Radio Sawa and Alhurra 
television networks.
    --Alhurra  Alhurra, Arabic for ``The Free One,'' is a commercial-
free Arabic-language satellite television channel in the Middle East 
devoted primarily to news and information. In addition to reporting on 
regional and international events, the channel broadcasts a diverse 
schedule of news, talk shows, debates, documentaries, and entertaining 
information programs on a wide variety of subjects from sports to 
fashion to technology, to millions of viewers every day.
    --Radio Sawa  Radio Sawa provides news, information, and a mix of 
Western and Arabic popular music on its 24-hour, 7-day-a-week FM and 
medium-wave radio stations throughout the Middle East. The Arabic-
language network broadcasts objective, balanced, up-to-the-minute news 
and news analysis along with interviews, opinion pieces, sports, and 
features on a wide variety of political and social issues.
Radio Farda  Radio Farda, which means ``Radio Tomorrow'' in Persian, is 
a joint effort of two BBG entities: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and 
Voice of America (VOA). Operated from Washington, DC, and Prague, Czech 
Republic, Radio Farda produces current news and information at least 
twice an hour, with longer news programming in the morning and the 
evening. Radio Farda also broadcasts a combination of Persian and 
Western music. The station operates 24 hours a day on medium wave (AM 
1593 and AM 1539), digital audio satellite, and the Internet, as well as 
21 hours a day on shortwave. Radio Farda complements the VOA's Persian-
language radio and television broadcasts into Iran.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty(RFE/RL) 
is a private, nonprofit, U.S. Government-funded radio broadcaster to 
Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Europe; the Caucasus; and Central and 
Southwestern Asia. RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of 
programming in 29 languages every week. All RFE/RL broadcasts are also 
streamed live and on-demand over the Internet at www.rferl.org. 
Transcripts are available from the Web site in both English and 
broadcast languages.
Radio Free Asia  Radio Free Asia(RFA) is the principal U.S. surrogate, 
BBG grantee, broadcaster in Asia. Founded in 1996, RFA broadcasts in 
nine languages to China, Tibet, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and 
North Korea. RFA broadcasts about 200 hours per week. RFA also audio 
streams broadcasts in all nine languages over the Internet.

[[Page 367]]

    RFA broadcasts news, information, and commentary and provides a 
forum for a variety of opinions and voices from within Asian countries. 
RFA broadcasts in nine languages on shortwave. Its broadcasts seek to 
promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the 
freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any 
medium regardless of frontiers.
Office of Cuba Broadcasting  The Office of Cuba Broadcasting(OCB) 
directs the operations of Radioand TV Marti, two broadcast services that 
provide Spanish-language news, features, and entertainment programs to 
Cuba. In accordance with the Broadcasting to Cuba Act of 1983, Radio 
Marti follows Voice of America journalistic standards and guidelines for 
presenting a variety of news and information in an accurate and 
objective manner.
    The station broadcasts 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, on medium wave 
(AM) and shortwave.
    TV Marti programming includes 4\1/2\ hours of daily newscasts as 
well as programs about public affairs, culture, music, sports, and 
entertainment. The station broadcasts commentary and information about 
events in Cuba and elsewhere to promote the free flow of information and 
ideas.
International Broadcasting Bureau  The International Broadcasting 
Bureau(IBB) is composed of VOA, OCB, and 12 support offices, including 
the Office of Engineering and Technical Services and the Office of 
Marketing and Program Placement. IBB is responsible for administrative 
and oversight functions for VOA and OCB, and provides marketing and 
transmission support for RFA and RFE/RL.

For further information, contact the Office of Public Affairs, 
Broadcasting Board of Governors, 330 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20237. Phone, 202-401-7000. Fax, 202-619-1241. Internet, 
www.bbg.gov.

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