Congress – Page 8 – BBG and USAGM Watch

8 minute read

Voice of America English, Ukrainian and Russian services ignored Chairman Royce’s CNN interview from Kyiv urging use of energy leverage against Putin

April 24, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) failed to report on the interview Rep. Ed Royce…

5 minute read

Voice of America English News Continues to Ignore Congressional Visit to Ukraine, Call to Reform VOA

April 23, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary Even though U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and…

17 minute read

VOA had no correspondent with Biden, offered limited coverage of his visit to Ukraine, but re-posted Al Jazeera tweet

April 22, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary While re-posting a tweet from Al Jazeera, U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) did not…

11 minute read

Appeals from Congress to BBG to give radio to Ukraine and Russia serious consideration likely to be ignored by staff

March 31, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists, former Minister of Communications of Lithuania, and…

5 minute read

House Foreign Affairs Committee votes $10 million for RFE/RL and VOA surge in Ukraine

March 25, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), passed with…

1 minute read

Ukraine bill calls for increased RFE/RL and VOA broadcasts

March 24, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary According to Washington Examiner and The Hill articles, bipartisan legislation to aid Ukraine and levy…

5 minute read

Zombies at IBB – VOA Federal Agency

March 20, 2014

Commentary Executives running the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and the Voice of America (VOA) federal agency are a…

4 minute read

Voice of America has no reports on today’s talks in Kyiv by Senators Durbin, McCain, Murphy, others

March 14, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary Voice of America English news website has not reported on the talks in Kyiv today…

5 minute read

Voice of America not reporting on Biden’s planned visit to Poland and Lithuania, Voice of Russia and BBC are

March 14, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary In weekend mode, Voice of America is not reporting on Biden’s visit next week to…

4 minute read

Congressman Hultgren urges BBG not to cut RFE/RL broadcasts to Iraq and the Balkans

March 14, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary In their yet another attempt to hold on to their positions and budgets, International Broadcasting…

10 minute read

Congressman Duncan honors Ambassador Ashe for BBG service, BBG Watch reporting cited in Congressional Record

March 7, 2014

United States Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. from Tennessee, a member of the House Committee on Oversight and…

3 minute read

Voice of Russia reports on Ukraine statements from the White House, nothing yet on Voice of America

February 23, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary UPDATE, 7PM EST Sun. Feb. 23, 2014: Many hours after Deutsche Welle (DW), Voice of…

4 minute read

‘THE IMPLAUSIBLE MISSION’ – BBG employees’ union on massive violations of VOA Charter by VOA and IBB executives

February 11, 2014

‘THE IMPLAUSIBLE MISSION’ is the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) employees’ union commentary on massive violations of the…

3 minute read

OIG alleges massive Anti-Deficiency Act violations by IBB officials

February 10, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary The Department of State Office of Inspector General (OIG) has found that International Broadcasting Bureau…

5 minute read

Lost and Dead A New Level of Dysfunctional and Defunct – Part Two

February 2, 2014

International Broadcasting Bureau – Information War: Lost and Dead – A New Level of Dysfunctional and Defunct – Part Two…

6 minute read

Former member calls for urgent reforms at Broadcasting Board of Governors

January 27, 2014

BBG Watch Victor Ashe, a former Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland and…

Gambling U.S. federal style – Bingo at Voice of America while Ukraine burns lacking U.S. news

January 26, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary While U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) worldwide news operation has become defunct and fails…

6 minute read

Kerry v. Bieber at Voice of America – Bieber Wins

January 25, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary At the U.S. taxpayers’ funded Voice of America (VOA), international audiences can get either news…

5 minute read

U.S. considers VOA and RFE/RL programs to Ukraine ‘ very valuable’ and ‘very important’

January 17, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary The independent Committee For U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB – cusib.org) has issued a press release…

6 minute read

Voice of America’s main news website ignores strong U.S. condemnation of attacks on Ukrainian journalists

January 16, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary The Voice of America (VOA) English news website failed to report on a strong condemnation…

7 minute read

Why Voice of America Should Not Have Ignored Religious Freedom Message from President Obama to Orthodox Christians in Egypt

January 9, 2014

BBG Watch Commentary Tuesday, January 7, BBG Watch reported that the English-language website of the Voice of America…

30 minute read

United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 – 2014

January 1, 2014

US International Broadcasting Act 15. International Broadcasting a. United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 Title III of…

10 minute read

Voice of America ignored bipartisan statements on Ukraine from Biden and McCain

December 18, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary These days, the work of the Voice of America (VOA) in reporting to the world…

7 minute read

Russia Today and Voice of Russia report on Senator McCain’s trip to Ukraine, Voice of America does not

December 14, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary Russia’s state media outlet RT – Russia Today and media in Europe are reporting on…

5 minute read

Voice of America English website ignores Biden’s media freedom remarks in China

December 8, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary With the kind of news coverage the Voice of America provides these days, Lech Wałęsa…

Former Senator Christopher Dodd, President Lech Walesa, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf. Credit: Polish Embassy.

3 minute read

Waiting for VOA interview with Wałęsa

December 6, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary BBG Watch has learned that rather than arranging for news coverage of Lech Wałęsa’s return…

Polish Radio report on Wałęsa's visit to Capitol Hill Wednesday and screening of ' Wałęsa: Man of Hope.'

5 minute read

Voice of America ignores U.S. Congress screening of Wałęsa biopic, his return visit to Capitol Hill

December 5, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary When Lech Wałęsa was leading the Solidarity trade union in the 1980s, the Voice of…

BBG Global Audience Estimate From the FY 2012 Performance and Results Report. BBG admitted that FY2011 results were overestimated due to errors.

2 minute read

Voice of America’s audience in 2013 is nearly the same as in 1989

October 30, 2013

Voice of America’s audience in 2013 is nearly the same as in 1989 despite about 40% population growth,…

10 minute read

Congressional criticism of Voice of America programs to Iran should serve as a reality check for VOA Director David Ensor

August 8, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary Voice of America (VOA) Director David Ensor said on August 6, 2013 during an all-staff…

House Appropriations Committee draft FY 2014 bill would give BBG $724 million

July 27, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary As we reported earlier, Appropriations Committee in both the House and the Senate have finalized…

Senate Appropriations Committee opposes reductions in Voice of America services

July 26, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended to the full Senate that the Broadcasting Board of Governors…

Employee union of U.S. international broadcasters comments on a Congressional hearing, calls for trimming bureaucracy

July 1, 2013

The union representing Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) employees, AFGE Local 1812, commented on the June 26th hearing…

CUSIB calls for more Congressional hearings and reform of BBG, blames most problems on IBB bureaucracy

July 1, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary In a press release issued today, the independent and nonpartisan Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting…

1 minute read

U.S. International Broadcasting “Defunct”—Congress Finally Steps In by Helle Dale, The Heritage Foundation

July 1, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary Helle Dale, the Heritage Foundations Senior Fellow in Public Diplomacy studies, comments in the Heritage…

Broadcasting Board of Governors – Information War Lost – Dysfunctional, Defunct and Way Out Of Order – A Hearing on the Hill

June 29, 2013

Broadcasting Board of Governors – Information War Lost – Dysfunctional, Defunct and Way Out Of Order – A Hearing on the…

3 minute read

Congressional Panel Criticizes Management of US International Broadcasting, VOA reports

June 27, 2013

Congressional Panel Criticizes Management of US International Broadcasting Cindy Saine, Voice of America June 26, 2013 CAPITOL HILL…

5 minute read

Governor Victor Ashe welcomes House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Broadcasting Board of Governors

June 27, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Victor Ashe welcomed the House Foreign Affairs Committee…

5 minute read

U.S. Rep. Engel: Voice of America was instrumental during the Cold War and is instrumental now

June 27, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary In his opening statement at the House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “Broadcasting Board of…

5 minute read

U.S. Rep. Ed Royce draws a clear distinction between Voice of America and surrogate broadcasters

June 27, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary In an opening statement at the hearing Wednesday on reforming “Broadcasting Board of Governors: An…

2 minute read

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen – management of U.S. international broadcasting needs to change

June 26, 2013

Speaking at the conclusion of today’s House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on the Broadcasting Board of Governors…

4 minute read

BBG: Consider the Changing Landscape by BBG Governor Michael Meehan

June 25, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary In a Radio World article, BBG: Consider the Changing Landscape, Michael Meehan, one of the…

4 minute read

House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing – Broadcasting Board of Governors: An Agency “Defunct”

June 20, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a…

Radio Liberty and other independent journalists in Russia want BBG Governor Ashe to stay

June 18, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary When former Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) executives fired them without any warning,…

2 minute read

U.S. International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy Should Be Bipartisan – Helle Dale, Heritage Foundation

June 1, 2013

BBG Watch Commentary Helle Dale, a Heritage Foundation expert on public diplomacy, wrote that “the news that the…

CUSIB asks McConnell to keep Ashe as BBG member

May 22, 2013

In a letter to Senator Mitch McConnell, the independent and nonpartisan Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB –…

Every dollar that we give to VOA comes back to us with hundreds of dollars of goodwill

May 10, 2013

Congressman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee and co-chair of the Albanian…

Hushing America’s message in terrorism’s redoubt, Washington Times op-ed

April 29, 2013

In an op-ed in The Washington Times, former Voice of America manager Ted Lipien warns that bureaucratic infighting…

Russia Talking to Itself – journalists discuss media landscape and Radio Liberty

April 23, 2013

Kremlin control of the Russian media may not be absolute, though it comes pretty close, and the few…

Congress to Broadcasting Agency: Is Anyone Listening to Us? by Helle Dale

April 19, 2013

U.S. international broadcasting strategy again landed under congressional scrutiny in Wednesday’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, a Heritage…