Last month, the Senate confirmed a new CEO for the United States Agency for Global Media — the governing body of Voice of America, Radio Marti, and others. Several comments by the new leadership have been published which question the mission, success, and value of the agency. This is an unfortunately negative occurrence that undermines global confidence in the agency, surely demotivates its employees, and could jeopardize its effectiveness.
It is critical that we continue to build on the legacy of the USAGM and its subsidiaries as unbiased and nonpartisan voices of freedom, democracy, and human rights throughout the world.
Voice of America began in 1942 as a means of combating Nazi propaganda. It is the best known of all the organizations under the supervision of USAGM, and it has a storied history of successfully nurturing the spread of democracy around the world. Its mission is clear: provide a message of truth, hope, and inspiration to citizens of countries that are communist, authoritarian, or otherwise adverse to U.S. foreign policy interests. To accomplish this mission, VOA must continue to be an independent and fact-based reporting medium that is not swayed by politics or partisanship. Through its work with Radio Free Europe, voices of freedom and stories of life in a democracy were significant parts of bringing down the Iron Curtain and the Soviet Union — and in the important work of establishing democratic governments in the newly evolving former Eastern Bloc countries.
In the early 1990s, I personally witnessed the power of VOA’s messaging in Hungary and Romania. I have personally stood on dingy apartment balconies from which hopeful citizens would risk their personal security to tune in to VOA. I have seen the primitive transistor radios that these people leaned out from those balconies to hear about freedom and have spoken with them directly about the effect of our broadcasts. Furthermore, for decades, Radio Marti has been penetrating the Cuban airwaves to counter the disinformation and propaganda of the Castro regime. We need to replicate this success around the world.
Iran has been another great success of the USAGM and its subsidiaries. While Iran remains under oppressive, theocratic rule of the mullahs and their Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, every month, more and more uprisings take place in support of freedom and human rights, and more citizens are speaking up against the government. Eventually, due to the high market share (26%) which VOA’s Farsi broadcasts have in Iran, the people there will again know freedom. In fact, research shows a significant and growing asymmetry between the government and the Iranian people. VOA contributes materially to this.
Similar positive and important results are documented in VOA’s work throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Voice of America must continue to be the forward-thinking agency which it has been, with the resources and backing of the U.S. government to deliver a strong and consistent message in support of American values. In order to reach all ages and demographics, the internet, radio, and television all need to be part of a coordinated strategy. Broadcasting stories about life and events in the U.S. are highly instructional to their listeners in these challenged and anti-US countries.
To continue to spread appreciation for our democratic principles and the values that have made our nation the example for all who seek freedom, the USAGM must have the resources it needs and the backing of our government. The information coming from USAGM must be truthful — not a U.S. version of state-run news agencies in authoritarian countries, such as North Korea’s Korean Central Broadcasting Committee or Russia’s Pravda. Truth is the foundation of credibility.
As the world struggles with Chinese influence, Russian reemergence, and oppressive human rights violations in the Middle East and Latin America, we need the USAGM now more than ever.
Francis Rooney, a Republican, represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and previously served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2008.
