BBG Watch Commentary

Jay Carney White House Briefing 1-31-14In yet another display of incredible mismanagement and news reporting crisis, the U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) is not reporting on Friday’s comments by White House press secretary Jay Carney on Dmytro Bulatov, a missing Ukrainian opposition activist who resurfaced on Thursday night with signs of having been severely beaten and tortured.

In response to a question from a journalist, Carney said:

JAY CARNEY: “we were appalled by obvious signs of torture — torture — inflicted on protest leader Dmytro Bulatov, who was found yesterday after having been missing for a week. We are deeply concerned by increasing reports of protestors disappearing and being beaten and tortured, as well as by attacks on journalists.

It is especially concerning that some of these reports have suggested the involvement of security forces. It is urgent that the government use all available resources to investigate these horrific crimes and hold accountable those responsible.

As we have said repeatedly, a political solution is the only way to resolve this crisis, and we urge the government and President Yanukovych to continue to work with the opposition to find the compromises that are so critical to achieving this. A political solution must respect the right of all people to express themselves freely and peacefully.

It would also include a new government that can bring political unity, win the confidence of the Ukrainian people, and give the people a voice in the future of their country by strengthening democratic institutions and making the reforms necessary to achieve economic prosperity.

It is critical that the government take immediate steps to build confidence with the people of Ukraine, including by pulling back riot police and releasing those protesters who have been detained.”

While the Voice of America keeps silent on the White House press secretary’s statement on Ukraine, parts of it were quoted by Deutsche Welle, CNN, ABC News, Huffington Post, Channel News Asia, Kuwait News Agency, and dozens other international and U.S. media outlets.

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Ukrainian and Russian services did report on Jay Carney’s statement. Both VOA and RFE/RL are overseen by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

Al Jazeera (Middle East edition website) reported on the White House statement as well as on another news story missed by Voice of America, an appeal by a Ukrainian opposition leader to the West for economic help for Ukraine.

As of midnight EST, Saturday, February 1, 2014, there are no references on the Voice of America English news website to the White House spokesman’s comments yesterday afternoon on the apparent torture of a Ukrainian opposition activist and the situation in Ukraine. It appears that other VOA language services are also not reporting on this statement.

As of midnight EST, Saturday, February 1, VOA Ukrainian Service Facebook page has not been updated for the last nine hours, and VOA Russian Service Facebook page for the last three hours. Their websites also do not have any news on the White House spokesman’s Friday comments on the torture of a Ukrainian activist.

The Voice of America is also not reporting on U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt’s statement Friday condemning attacks on journalists:

GEOFFREY PYATT: “I would note in particular my government’s ongoing concern as I have said publicly on several occasions about the recent uptick in attacks on journalists, in apparently politically motivated disappearances and attacks on civil society and human rights groups. It’s incredibly important that these crimes not be forgotten and that the government use all of the investigative tools at its disposal to discover what happened and to hold those accountable who are responsible for these terrible crimes.”

The VOA English news website also did not report on an earlier statement by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on the abduction and torture of AutoMaidan activist Dmytro Bulatov:

U.S. EMBASSY KYIV: “We are extremely relieved that AutoMaidan activist Dmytro Bulatov was found alive, but shocked and outraged at the torture inflicted upon him by his abductors. In order to ensure that it is taken seriously in its efforts to eliminate violence, the Government of Ukraine must take full responsibility for the timely investigation, capture, and prosecution of those responsible for this heinous crime.

We remain deeply concerned by reports of the other 27 missing protesters and continue to urge the Government of Ukraine to find those who are missing and bring the perpetrators of all those who have disappeared to justice. In this way, Ukraine can send a clear message that violence against critics of the government and those who are working towards a modern, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine will not be tolerated. Ambassador Pyatt welcomes the assurances Minister of Justice Lukash and other members of the government made to the diplomatic community on this issue and anticipates that concrete actions will be taken by the government on resolving these cases.”

Voice of America English news website is also not reporting that a senior Ukrainian opposition leader has called for the West to give more support to help solve his country’s political crisis. BBC reported that Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the Munich Security Conference in Germany that Ukraine needed ‘a Marshall Plan, not martial law,’ referring to the post-World War Two US aid programme for Europe.”

VOA has not updated its report on Ukraine for many hours (at least not since 4:00 PM EST, Friday).

Broadcasting Board of Governors member Matthew Armstrong is currently in Kyiv with Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty president and CEO Kevin Klose.

Armstrong, representing the governing board that oversees RFE/RL and VOA, called the attacks by Ukrainian law enforcement officials “reprehensible” and said, “The BBG condemns in the strongest terms violence targeting journalists in Ukraine. Our support is unwavering for our RFE/RL and VOA colleagues in the field. We urge that perpetrators of violence against them, as well as those who ordered such behavior, be held accountable for their actions.”

VOA has not reported on Armstrong’s statement.

Klose and Armstrong met with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, who called for investigations of attacks on journalists and urged police and security forces, “to fulfill their professional duty to respect and secure the right of journalists to work safely.”

At a BBG board meeting last December, Armstrong sharply questioned Voice of America director David Ensor about numerous failures in VOA news reporting. Ensor blamed it on inadequate resources, but critics say that the news reporting crisis at VOA is largely caused by mismanagement and lack of leadership on the part of Ensor and his top deputy Steve Redisch who holds the title of VOA Executive Editor.
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Press Briefing by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, 1/31/14

MR. CARNEY: Absolutely.

Andrei.

Q Thank you, Jay. When people look at the recent events in Ukraine, one argument that you often hear is go try attack a policeman — a police officer in New York or in D.C. and see what happens to you after that. And I know that you keep calling for the protests to be peaceful, but we all know that in reality they are anything but peaceful most of the time. So my question to you — and I think I know your answer, but again I want to hear it — what is the difference between attacking a policeman in New York and attacking a policeman in Kiev?

MR. CARNEY: Andrei, we, as a principle, oppose violence by any side in a situation like this, and we’ve made that clear. But since you raised it, I would note that we were appalled by obvious signs of torture — torture — inflicted on protest leader Dmytro Bulatov, who was found yesterday after having been missing for a week. We are deeply concerned by increasing reports of protestors disappearing and being beaten and tortured, as well as by attacks on journalists.

It is especially concerning that some of these reports have suggested the involvement of security forces. It is urgent that the government use all available resources to investigate these horrific crimes and hold accountable those responsible.

As we have said repeatedly, a political solution is the only way to resolve this crisis, and we urge the government and President Yanukovych to continue to work with the opposition to find the compromises that are so critical to achieving this. A political solution must respect the right of all people to express themselves freely and peacefully.

It would also include a new government that can bring political unity, win the confidence of the Ukrainian people, and give the people a voice in the future of their country by strengthening democratic institutions and making the reforms necessary to achieve economic prosperity.

It is critical that the government take immediate steps to build confidence with the people of Ukraine, including by pulling back riot police and releasing those protesters who have been detained.

Q So basically, you have repeated again that you lay all the blame with the government, and none of the blame with the protestors who, again, may have a legitimate grievance, but they do use violent tactics, including torching police officers, torching police vehicles. That seems to be —

MR. CARNEY: Our position all along — Andrei, I think you’re misstating our position, which is for peaceful protest and free expression to be allowed to take place. And we have been entirely consistent in that view and in expressing that view.

Q Thanks, Jay.

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