In a political discussion last night, I was called to educate myself on a recent petition by the Voice of America which, I was told, charged the US government with censoring the content of the VOA. So, I accepted the challenge and scoured the Internet in search of clues...

The VOA was created just after the attack on Pearl Harbor (Feb. 1942) to be a 'propaganda' tool of the US government. Since inception, the main goal of the agency has been to broadcast America's values and position on world events to other countries (most of whom are oppressed by opposing governments).

The VOA is 'run' by the Broadcasting Board of Governors

"On October 1, 1999, the Broadcasting Board Governors (BBG) became the independent, autonomous entity responsible for all U.S. government and government sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting. This was the result of the 1998 Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act (Public Law 105-277), the single most important legislation affecting U.S. international broadcasting since the early 1950s."

As I was reading up on the VOA, I kept asking myself how it could be true that our government chose to censor its own 'propaganda' tool...especially in Iraq and Iran. Why would 'George Bush' take VOA off the air in these places where it would seem that getting America's message out to the people of these countries could only benefit America's (his) cause?

After reading several articles and the VOA petition, I have come to the conclusion that this VOA petition is NOT against our US government or George Bush. It is, in fact, a cry for help from the employees of VOA to get this organization back to its fundamental goals and values. They are asking the Congress to check the BBG's latest programming policies.

A couple of articles are worth noting:
From 2002...an article from Newsmax.com that addresses basically the same thing that the 7/2004 petition criticizes.

Also From 2002...an article from enterstageright.com...

"USIA no longer exists, having been replaced by a Broadcasting Board of Governors that is even now dominated by Clinton holdovers.

The unfortunate and unfair departure of Bob Reilly as the VOA's director demonstrates why it is time for the Congress and the Administration to reexamine the so-called reforms of the United States' international broadcasting operations that were instituted during the administration of President Clinton.

Events came to a head when the newly installed, Bush-appointed chairman of the BBG, Ken Tomlinson, asked for Bob Reilly's resignation. He received it. But it does not say much for the Administration or Tomlinson that they did not stick up for their own director, but simply bent to the will of this Clinton-dominated board. Bob Reilly was selected and vetted by the Bush White House. Then, the Clinton-dominated Board forces him to resign and hires a replacement who was neither vetted nor nominated by the White House."

The above articles were both written in 2002 by outside news sources that challenged the new VOA programming. This was 2 years BEFORE the petition by VOA employees.

Check out the actual petition and the pro (Alan Heil) and counter (Kenneth Y. Tomlinson) statements of VOA and BBG representatives, respectively.

I have to wonder if Tomlinson is just bowing to the majority decision of the BBG or if he is actually in favor of these programming changes? In either case, I have to agree with the petitioners on this one.

However, I think I need to set the record straight with my 'challenger'. Maybe his source was the Washington Post:

VOA Staff Members Say Government Losing Voice

More than a third of the Voice of America's staff has signed a petition accusing the federal government of "dismantling" the international broadcasting agency, while financing a pair of newer, semi-private and separate media operations that the staffers said do not live up to VOA standards.

Brian Faler

Washington Post, 14 July 2004

Where does this reporter get his information from? Maybe HE should educate himself.

Posted by Wendy at July 25, 2004 12:37 PM