BBG Watch Commentary
Newly-confirmed Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Chairman Jeff Shell announced at an open BBG Board meeting in Washington, DC on August 21, 2013 that Suzie Carroll has been appointed to serve as the Executive Director for the BBG Board.
Suzie Carroll has worked as Congressional Coordinator at the BBG’s Office of Communications and External Affairs. Her former office is headed by Lynne Weil who reports to the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) Director Richard Lobo. Shell thanked Weil and Lobo for releasing Carroll to take up the new position.
In her new job, Carroll will coordinate communications and operations for the Board.
Before Jeff Shell’s Senate confirmation, BBG members tried to hire a chief of staff for the Board to serve similar functions. But sources told BBG Watch that IBB executives successfully resisted attempts to create such a position. They reportedly feared that a BBG chief of staff might threaten their control over flow of information and force them to be more responsive to the Board’s requests. A highly respected former Congressional staffer whom BBG members had wanted to hire as the Board’s chief of staff gave up in frustration and found another job.
This time, the new BBG Chairman apparently was able to get the IBB executive staff to act on creating a new position which will be occupied by Suzie Carroll. The IBB executive staff did not dare to openly defy him. Eventually, BBG members also want to hire an agency CEO. Under a legislative proposal before Congress, the position of the IBB director would be eliminated if the CEO position is created.
Also see: BBG Chairman Jeff Shell: ‘Best way to showcase freedom and democracy is by free media’, BBG Watch.
Also see: BBG Governor Matt Armstrong: ‘Agency is a tremendously important part of our foreign policy and for the United States in general’, BBG Watch.
Also see: BBG Governor Ryan Crocker: ‘Insuring that our weave with the State Department and other relevant federal entities is solid and appropriate’, BBG Watch.
Also see: BBG Chair Jeff Shell says all new BBG members ‘want to be here,’ honors Victor Ashe and other recent former members for their service, BBG Watch.