Defense Bill Would Abolish BBG Governing Board

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A must-pass defense authorization bill that emerged from a recent House-Senate conference included a provision that would restructure the Broadcasting Board of Governors to concentrate power in a new expanded CEO position, according to the conference report. The bill would eliminate the nine-member board that oversees the Broadcasting Board of Governors and give the CEO new powers. BBG oversees government-backed, nonmilitary international media outlets including VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. That would likely mean a name change since the bipartisan broadcasting board of governors is what is being eliminated.

In testimony before Congress last year, the board chair and the CEO of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, both familiar names in broadcasting and cable circles, asked Congress to give the group's CEO position more power and to allow BBG more flexibility to fund its operations. That CEO is John Lansing, former head of CTAM and Scripps Networks. Jeff Shell, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, is board chair. On the eve of the release of the conference report, President Obama was sending his new nominee to chair that nine-member BBG oversight board to the Senate.


Defense Bill Would Abolish BBG Governing Board