Contempt in Congress for BBG executives who claim that almost no one in China listens to Voice of America radio on shortwave comes from both sides of the aisle. During the debate in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Brad Sherman D-CA, Congressman Connie Mack R-FL, and Congressman Chris Smith, R-NJ said that BBG “bureaucrats” should not be allowed to make the decision to cut VOA radio and TV to China. Rep. Mack commented on the BBG’s audience research, which claims low audience figures in China for Western radio stations, but which free media advocates describe as completely unreliable: “People in China or Cuba, as you can imagine, will not jump in joy and admit it [listening to Western radio stations]. If you say yes, in China or Cuba, the government will punish you. People are afraid for their own lives.” Rep. Smith pointed out that Intermedia, which the BBG uses to conduct audience research, “gets money from the BBG, and then gives money to contractors in Beijing to conduct the survey.”