CNNization of USG broadcasting leads to waste and abuse, Voice of America employees report

  • December 16, 2011
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has not yet received permission from Congress to de-federalize the Voice of America and Radio and TV Marti (read privatize but keep being funded by taxpayers – not likely Congress will grant it), but the process of fleecing American taxpayers and placing former CNN employees on the government payroll is well underway, concerned BBG employees have reported to BBG Watch. The BBG has already hired a number of former CNN employees to fill federal jobs and more such hires can be expected if the proposed privatization and the merger of the surrogate broadcasters: Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Sawa, and Alhurra TV — also proposed by the BBG — will be allowed to go forward

Voice of America during the martial law in Poland

  • December 16, 2011
Radio of the Martial Law republished from TedLipien.com Thirty years ago, on December 13, 1981, General Wojciech Jaruzelski had declared martial law in Poland, imprisoning Lech Walesa and other Solidarity Trade Union leaders. The Polish communist rulers placed the country under a complete information blockout, but thanks to radio programs in Polish from the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe (RFE) — both stations funded by the United States — people in Poland had immediate access to uncensored news and commentary

BBG PR team ignores Rep. Ros-Lehtinen message in support of Voice of America, refuses to issue press release

  • December 16, 2011
Sources have told BBG Watch that the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) public affairs office had refused numerous 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
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  • 1 minute read

Capitol Hill Reception brings together supporters of Voice of America broadcasts to China – BBG Watch

  • December 9, 2011
The video from the Capitol Hill reception to mark the 70th anniversary of Voice of America broadcasts to China includes statements from the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who hosted the reception and introduced an amendment to save these broadcasts from being cut by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), Congressman Chris Smith, and others. Link to video.
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  • 3 minute read

Chairman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs says Chinese people need Voice of America broadcasts – BBG Watch

  • December 9, 2011
In a special video message, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, congratulated the Voice of America (VOA) on the 70th anniversary of VOA broadcasting to China. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), a federal agency which manages VOA, tried to end all VOA radio and television broadcasts in Mandarin and Cantonese on Oct.

BBG Discussion of the 1.3 Million Dollar Deloitte Contract

  • November 11, 2011
As observed by Dr. Helle Dale of the Heritage Foundation, “despite having adopted a new strategic plan, the board then spent a good 10 minutes of its October 13 meeting discussing contracting an independent firm to perform a feasibility study of consolidation.” If consolidation of services is part of a plan already adopted—and to some degree already underway—” Dr
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  • 1 minute read

Putin goes after Radio Svoboda on Russian TV — CUSIB and BBG Watch

  • October 21, 2011
In a prime-time interview aired on October 17 with the heads of Russia’s three largest television stations, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that during the Cold War, his former employer — the KGB — viewed Radio Svoboda as a branch of the CIA engaged in spying in the former Soviet Union, the Committee for U.S.

BBG executives unnerved by Ashe’s interest in employee morale — BBG Watch

  • October 19, 2011
According to BBG Watch sources, Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) executives, including International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) senior staffers, were surprised by BBG member Victor Ashe’s public raising of the issue of employee concerns at the October 13 BBG meeting. Sources tell us they were even more surprised to receive a request from Ashe for a written report and a formal response on how they plan to address these concerns
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  • 2 minute read

Employees are expendable collateral — The Federalist — BBG Watch

  • October 18, 2011
More on the BBG Employee Survey by The Federalist In the October 2011 meeting of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the open session was made notable by remarks from Ambassador Victor Ashe, a member of the board. Ambassador Ashe commented at some length about the recent employee survey. He noted some slight improvements in the survey results and other observations on employee-related subjects (both career staff and contractors).
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  • 6 minute read

The “New” BBG Strategic Plan — The Federalist — BBG Watch

  • October 18, 2011
by The Federalist     On Friday, October 14, the Broadcasting Board of Governors put out a press release heralding its “new” alleged “strategic plan.”   Well, really, this isn’t something “new.”  It’s more a case of something being recycled and repackaged.  The goals are the same: the destruction of effective US international broadcasting.  Someone inside the Cohen Building must think they are being clever.
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  • 2 minute read

BBG’s Victor Ashe raises employee morale issues

  • October 15, 2011
In a rare move for a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), a struggling federal agency which oversees U.S. government-funded news and information broadcasts for foreign audiences, BBG Governor Ambassador Victor Ashe raised the issue of employee morale at the Voice of America (VOA), one of the broadcasting entities managed by the BBG. Speaking at an open BBG meeting on October 13, 2011, Ambassador Ashe acknowledged that despite a minor improvement in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey results for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, BBG remains near the very bottom among all federal agencies in terms of employee morale.
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  • 2 minute read

NGOs defend media freedom against Kim Jong-Il's regime

  • October 10, 2011
Free media NGOs and shortwave radio stations help to bring uncensored news to North Korea. One of them is Voice of America. VOA and its parent agency, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, however, are also criticized for promoting to what amounts to a North Korean propaganda video.

Newly-formed Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting vows to defend media freedom journalism

  • October 6, 2011
BBG Watch has learned that individuals associated with U.S. human rights, labor, and media freedom organizations have formed the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB) with the aim of working with the Administration, Congress and media to promote free flow of uncensored news from the United States to countries in which journalists are threatened or lack sufficient resources.

The Long Slow Crawl Up The Mountain — BBG Watch

  • October 3, 2011
The numbers are in for the 2011 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (formerly known as the Human Capital Survey). Once again, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) solidly maintains its position as one of the worst work environments in the Federal workplace. Here are some of the “highlights:” • 33rd of 37 in job satisfaction; • 35th of 37 on results-oriented performance culture; • 36th of 37 on talent management; and, • 37th of 37 on leadership and knowledgeable management

From BBG website – Pyongyang is a vibrant city and busy with activity

  • October 1, 2011
BBG Watch, which is not in any way affiliated with the Broadcasting Board of Governors, wonders who signed off on the press release on the BBG official website, BBG.gov, quoting Voice of America journalist Sungwon Baik, who just completed a rare reporting assignment to North Korea, as saying that the country’s capital city Pyongyang is “vibrant and busy with activity.” Relative to what? — BBG Watch wonders — the Gulag? What are they smoking, or have we missed the opening of a new shopping mall with chic boutiques in downtown Pyongyang?

‘America the Beautiful’ on Chinese TV

  • October 1, 2011
International media reported that Chinese state TV played the music of “America the Beautiful” (without lyrics) during the historic launch of the country’s first space laboratory. BBC: ‘America the Beautiful’ accompanies China rocket launch BBC reported that some Chinese people say that CCTV must have made a mistake with the music

BBG ‘s PR gurus come and go quickly, wrong strategy remains

  • September 30, 2011
Al Kamen reported in his Washington Post In the Loop column that longtime State Department employee Diane Zeleny, who several weeks ago got a new job as director of communications and external relations at the Broadcasting Board of Governors, announced that she is leaving her post. She told her colleagues that she will be leaving shortly to start a job as VP for Strategy and Communications at the Legatum Institute. The Institute is based in London, but she will work mostly from Washington with frequent trips to London and Dubai where Legatum has offices.

Director Ensor says VOA to China will not go silent on October 1

  • September 29, 2011
This email just in less than 10 minutes ago, from David Ensor, Voice of America Director. Colleagues in the China Branch, I want to take this opportunity to share information with you about the FY 2012 budget and its possible impact on the Mandarin and Cantonese Services. I have been working closely with other senior agency managers on developments relating to VOA China programs and can confirm for you today that the proposed reductions to the VOA Mandarin and Cantonese Services will not take place on October 1.

Forum restarted; Politburo Media Review launched

  • September 25, 2011
We have restarted BBG Watch Forum. There are still some bugs, but it works. We have also launched BBG Watch “Politburo Media Review.” The name is somewhat humorous but the purpose is serious
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  • 1 minute read

BBG management style

  • September 11, 2011
When did the BBG executives announce their decision to fire 45 VOA Chinese journalists? Chinese New Year Mao’s…