The Fading Voice of Liberty

[Commentary] The new oversight structure Congress set up in 1995 to manage international broadcasting from the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty —the Broadcasting Board of Governors— is deeply flawed.

The result has been management chaos and paralysis, and decisions about broadcasting that wasted money and, worse, squandered crucial opportunities to reach both friends and enemies abroad at a time of great international turmoil. Aware of many of these problems, Congress is again seeking to reform international broadcasting. Putting the Broadcasting Board of Governors out of business should be a top priority. Incremental changes will never solve the BBG's built-in problems and contradictions. Starting over means eliminating the board, and putting all U.S. international broadcasting into a single nonfederal organization under professional management. The objective is a single organization, with professional leadership and management, and strong connective tissue to America's strategic center—logically the National Security Council—with strong input from Congress. There must also be a sturdy firewall against political interference in U.S. international broadcasting's journalistic mission.

[Wimbush served on the Broadcasting Board of Governors from 2010-12 and was director of Radio Liberty from 1987-93.]