BBG Watch is reposting a press release published on the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting website.

CUSIB is an independent NGO.

CUSIB PRESS RELEASE

November 13, 2013

CUSIB Logo-Name-Mission

CUSIB Director and BBG Chairman discuss U.S. international media outreach

West Coast-based Committee for U.S.International Broadcasting Director Ted Lipien had a meeting in San Francisco Wednesday, November 13, with Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman Jeff Shell. This continues a dialogue initiated shortly after Chairman Shell’s nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate when he met with CUSIB Executive Director Ann Noonan and CUSIB Advisory Board members in New York.

Ted Lipien said after their meeting in San Francisco on Wednesday:

“CUSIB applauds Chairman Shell’s strong leadership and his and the BBG Board’s efforts to improve U.S. international media outreach.

Peaceful power of words strengthens freedom and ultimately saves American lives. This makes U.S. international media under the BBG a public institution of great value, importance and concern to Americans. CUSIB will continue its support for the BBG’s mission of providing high quality surrogate journalism to countries without free media and telling America’s story abroad with news and information programs through the Voice of America.”

Jeff Shell
Jeff Shell
Ted Lipien
Ted Lipien

CUSIB has been urging greater adherence to Congressional mandates for BBG’s surrogate media outlets as well as to the Voice of America Charter to make surrogate media and VOA more effective in their respective roles.

CUSIB remains concerned about the growth of the agency’s bureaucracy in recent years that undermines independence of journalists and diverts resources from their core mission. Lipien said that CUSIB welcomes some of the recent management changes initiated by Chairman Shell and the BBG Board and those being planned to address these concerns.

Lipien and Shell also discussed CUSIB’s views on quality and impact of VOA news reporting.