President Obama Sends Broadcasting Board of Governors Chair Nomination to Senate

President Barack Obama has sent the nomination of Richard Stengel to the Senate to replace Jeff Shell as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. That came as Congress is considering a bill that would abolish the board. Actually, while Stengel succeeds Shell, he would be assuming the unexpired term of Susan McCue, who resigned. That term would expire in August 2017.

Stengel has been the under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs at the State Department since February 2014 and before that was managing editor of Time. Shell's day job is chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. Shell made news last summer when he was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport and denied entry into the country despite having a passport and visa, according to BBG. BBG is the independent agency overseeing government-backed international media outlets including VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks