[Senate Hearing 111-349]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
S. Hrg. 111-349
U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING INTO THE WAR ZONES: IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL
OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS,
HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY,
AND GLOBAL WOMEN'S ISSUES
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
OCTOBER 15, 2009
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/
index.html
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana
RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin BOB CORKER, Tennessee
BARBARA BOXER, California JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
JIM WEBB, Virginia ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
EDWARD E. KAUFMAN, Delaware
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
David McKean, Staff Director
Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director
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SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND
ORGANIZATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY,
AND GLOBAL WOMEN'S ISSUES
BARBARA BOXER, California, Chairman
RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
EDWARD E. KAUFMAN, Delaware JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
(ii)
?
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Blaya, Hon. Joaquin, governor and chair of the Middle East
Broadcasting Network Subcommittee, Broadcasting Board of
Governors, Washington, DC...................................... 9
Joint prepared statement..................................... 12
Hirschberg, Hon. D. Jeffrey, governor and chair of the Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty Subcommittee, Broadcasting Board of
Governors, Washington, DC...................................... 5
Joint prepared statement..................................... 12
Kaufman, Hon. Edward E., U.S. Senator from Delaware, opening
statement...................................................... 1
Simmons, Hon. Steven J., governor and chair of the Voice of
America Subcommittee, Broadcasting Board of Governors,
Washington, DC................................................. 7
Joint prepared statement..................................... 12
Wicker, Hon. Roger F., U.S. Senator from Mississippi, opening
statement...................................................... 3
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
Responses of Joaquin Blaya, Jeffrey Hirschberg, and Steven
Simmons to questions submitted by:
Senator John F. Kerry........................................ 30
Senator Richard G. Lugar..................................... 37
Informational maps and graphs:
Performance Indicators for BBG Broadcasters-Iraq............. 45
BBG Transmission Capabilities to Afghanistan and Pakistan.... 46
BBG Transmission Capabilities to Iraq........................ 46
BBG Broadcasts in Afghanistan................................ 47
(iii)
U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING INTO THE WAR ZONES: IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009
U.S. Senate, Subcommittee on International
Operations and Organizations, Human Rights,
Democracy, and Global Women's Issues, Committee
on Foreign Relations,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in
room SD-419, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Edward E.
Kaufman, presiding.
Present: Senators Kaufman, Shaheen, and Wicker.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD E. KAUFMAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM DELAWARE
Senator Kaufman. This afternoon I am honored to chair the
International Operations and Organizations Subcommittee hearing
examining the work of the Broadcasting Board of Governors in
war zones, specifically Afghanistan and Iraq. International
broadcasting is an issue I care deeply about, especially given
my 13 years on the board.
The U.S. international broadcasting began during the early
years of World War II when Voice of America broadcast into
areas formerly under Nazi occupation. The programs began by
saying: ``Daily at this time, we shall speak to you about
America and the war. The news may be good or bad. We shall tell
you the truth.''
This proud tradition of journalistic integrity has
continued to this day as the BBG's entities, consisting of
Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free
Asia, Radio and TV Marti, and the Middle East Broadcasting
Network, broadcast in 60 languages--that is 60 languages--to an
estimated weekly audience of 175 million people globally.
I joined the BBG in 1995 as a charter member when it was
placed in the U.S. Information Agency, or USIA. In October
1999, 10 years ago this week, Congress established the BBG as
its own independent Federal agency with a board appointed by
the President and confirmed by the Senate. The impetus for this
decision was to preserve the so-called firewall, separating
policymakers from broadcasting. This is why the broadcasting
entities report directly to the board, which is comprised of
four Republicans and four Democrats, as well as the Secretary
of State.
As such, there is a clear delineation between those making
programming decisions and those shaping policy, which is
critical for maintaining journalistic integrity. In my view,
the independence and autonomy of the BBG is the key to its
success. This is what allows the BBG to fulfill two primary
goals central to its mission. First, it serves as a credible
source of balanced news reporting, and second, it demonstrates
the true meaning of a free press internationally.
Without the firewall, journalists may engage in self-
censorship or propaganda or government officials may attempt to
sell a particular policy, as has happened in past
administrations. This is why it is so essential that the BBG
continue to follow the VOA Charter which affirms its role in
``serving as a consistently reliable and authoritative source
of news which is accurate, objective, and comprehensive.'' And
the charter is over here on my left. The charter applies to all
of BBG broadcasting entities.
Today we will examine the BBG's work in war zones, namely
Afghanistan and Iraq, and consider listenership, which is the
strongest indication of successful programming. If you do not
have a large audience, you cannot have impact. That alone is
not what is required, but you also have to have successful,
strong programming. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the BBG has
launched several programs that have cultivated a wide audience.
In both countries, the BBG has created sources of credible news
and information readily accessible to the local population, in
some cases for the first time in their history.
In this sense, the role of broadcasting in war zones is
particularly critical because it creates channels of
communication with and among the population, which plays a role
in winning hearts and minds.
This is why I hope we can take a closer look at two key
questions about U.S. international broadcasting in Afghanistan
and Iraq. First, who is listening? And second, what are we
saying? Also, because we are looking at two different wars in
two distinct stages, I would add, what lessons can we learn
from our past experiences that can be applied to both countries
today?
To answer these and other questions, we have governors
chairing the BBG subcommittees which have oversight
responsibility for the three broadcasting entities operating in
Afghanistan and Iraq. We are lucky to have them here today
because all three witnesses bring extraordinary experience to
international broadcasting.
First, we have Joaquin Blaya, who chairs the Middle East
Broadcasting Network Subcommittee of the BBG, which oversees
all broadcasting targeted to the Middle East. Governor Blaya
brings a wealth of experience to the board, chairman of Blaya
Media, Incorporated. He has held a number of senior management
positions with media companies. He served as the chair of Radio
Unica, a Spanish language radio network, and as CEO of
Telemundo Group, as well as President of Univision, the world's
second-largest and largest Spanish language media companies.
The chair of the BBG Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Subcommittee is Jeff Hirschberg. Jeff has extensive experience
in the public and private sectors, especially as it relates to
the former Soviet Union. Jeff is currently Director of the
U.S.-Russia Business Council, former director of the U.S.-
Russia Investment Fund, and a former director of the Center for
Democracy. He is also a board member of Freedom House, the
nongovernmental organization which supports the expansion of
free press globally.
Finally, we have Steve Simmons, chairman of the
subcommittee that oversees the Voice of America. He was
chairman and CEO of Simmons/Patriot Media and Communications,
LLC. At its height, the New Jersey company served approximately
350,000 cable subscribers in 20 States. In 2006, Steve was
recognized by Cable World as U.S. Independent Cable Operator of
the Year for Patriot's operational success and advanced
technology.
I want to thank all three witnesses for being with us
today. We look forward to the testimony.
I would also recognize other employees with the BBG that
are here, the leaders of the BBG: Dan Austin, who is the
director of Voice of America; Brian Conniff, the president of
Middle East Broadcasting Network; Jeff Trimble, the
Broadcasting Board of Governors executive director; Bruce
Sherman, BBG's strategic planning and research; Tish King; and
Susan Andross.
Finally, I want to acknowledge Senator Boxer's generous
offer to let me chair this hearing and Senator Wicker's support
in being here today.
I now turn it over to Senator Wicker for his opening
statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ROGER F. WICKER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MISSISSIPPI
Senator Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Kaufman, for
convening this hearing to evaluate the effectiveness of the
Broadcasting Board of Governors' operations into Iraq and
Afghanistan. This entails identifying the challenges the BBG
has faced and continues to face in broadcasting to Iraq and the
extent to which they have applied those lessons to their
activities in Afghanistan.
I recognize and appreciate Senator Kaufman for his
particular expertise in regard to this issue. His service as a
member of the BBG during the Clinton and Bush administrations
was characterized by expertise and competency. Arguably there
is no one better to evaluate and oversee the BBG's ability to
advance the Nation's public diplomacy in conflict areas. And I
am delighted that Senator Boxer has allowed him to chair today.
Public diplomacy is defined as the U.S. Government's
outreach to foreign populations. It is distinguished from the
exclusive contact with foreign governments that has
characterized traditional diplomacy. Public diplomacy
represents an indispensable component of any viable foreign
policy. This proposition ought to be and has been embraced by
both sides of the aisle. Saying that is easy, however. Putting
it into practice is considerably more difficult.
A May 2009 GAO report describes the U.S. Government as
spending more than $10 billion on international communication
efforts since September 11, 2001. But international public
opinion polling has highlighted negative attitudes toward the
United States despite our Government's public diplomacy
efforts. It is my hope that this hearing will shed light on
this phenomenon and identify steps that will effectively turn
this dynamic around.
The BBG necessarily has to walk a fine line in order to
justify its taxpayer dollars. It must demonstrate that it is
effectively contributing to the U.S. national interest. It is
not the job of the taxpayer to ensure that international
audiences are informed of current issues, no matter how
laudable that might be. The BBG must demonstrate that it
primarily serves the interest of the United States citizens
and, consequently, justifies the $682 million budget.
At the same time, however, the BBG needs to cultivate a
reputation for quality journalism. Foreign audiences will
clearly reject broadcasts that they perceive as political
propaganda. It is not an easy task to fulfill both of these
requirements and to do so simultaneously
This problem is all the more difficult when broadcasting
into war zones and particularly insurgencies. Any
counterinsurgency effort will involve a proportion of the
population that no public diplomacy strategy will reach or
persuade. There will also be a percentage of the population
that, depending on their circumstances, will act either for or
against U.S. military and political objectives. We saw this in
Iraq's Anbar Awakening, and General McChrystal's military
strategy affirms this to be true in Afghanistan.
I am interested in knowing what role the BBG perceives
itself as having in an effective counterinsurgency and how it
goes about implementing this role. I am also interested in
knowing what metrics the BBG has for evaluating its success in
this role.
Of course, the BBG does not act alone. The Departments of
State, Defense, and USAID each have their own substantial
public diplomacy responsibilities in these war zones. It is
clear that these agencies have separate roles and the BBG has
justifiably emphasized its independence from these other
agencies in order to avoid being seen as simply a propaganda
tool. That said, it is also important that there be a
comprehensive strategy clearly delineating each agency's
respective responsibilities and competencies in developing
appropriate mechanism coordinations between them.
I would be interested in hearing whether there have been
specific Governmentwide strategies and coordination mechanisms
developed for the Iraqi and AfPak context. I hope the witnesses
will address this in their testimony.
I would like to conclude on a note of realism. In a 1998
``Today Show'' interview, Matt Lauer asked Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright about the possible use of force against
Iraq. Secretary Albright famously replied, ``If we have to use
force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable
nation. We stand tall and we see further than other countries
into the future, and we see the danger here to all of us.''
Secretary Albright was correct then and her statement
continues to be relevant. The fact of the matter is that the
United States international interests and responsibilities
frequently require it to adopt unpopular positions overseas and
particularly in counterinsurgency situations. America's
international prominence necessarily entails a degree of
international unpopularity that we need to learn to live with.
This does not at all undermine the need for an effective
diplomacy strategy, and in fact, it reinforces it. But it is a
fact that needs to be accounted for in our strategic planning
and in our larger foreign policy development.
So, Mr. Chairman, I welcome our panel of witnesses, and I
look forward to their testimony. Thank you, sir.
Senator Kaufman. Thank you, Senator Wicker.
Now we have the statements from the panel, starting with
Jeff Hirschberg, followed by Steve Simmons and Joaquin Blaya.
STATEMENT OF HON. D. JEFFREY HIRSCHBERG, GOVERNOR AND CHAIR OF
THE RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY SUBCOMMITTEE, BROADCASTING
BOARD OF GOVERNORS, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Hirschberg. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Wicker.
Thank you for the opportunity to be before you today.
For the last 7 years, the three of us have had the distinct
privilege of supporting the efforts of U.S. international
broadcasting. We are delighted to have done so.
First, in order to proceed, I want to recognize the most
important ingredients to good programming, which is the
professional skills and courage of our journalists. Without
these dedicated individuals, there would be no competent
organization.
It is our pleasure here today to speak to the role of
United States international broadcasting in advancing United
States national interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our hope
is that by the end of this hearing, your questions and concerns
will be satisfied.
Our Nation continues to face the threat of violent
extremism. There is consensus inside and outside Government
that we cannot prevail against the extremists through force
alone and that it is of critical importance to engage audiences
whose attention we and our adversaries both seek.
In our shared testimony today, which has been filed with
the committee, we will outline our programs and our
performance. Our performance measures track the agency's
journalistic mission and focus on three things: audience reach,
news reliability, and audience understanding.
Mr. Chairman, we recognize your service on the Broadcasting
Board of Governors and you have expressed to us and remind us
over the years, as you have today, that the BBG's independence
is critical to preserving the credibility of our audiences. You
protected the board's duty to safeguard our broadcasters'
editorial integrity and the board does act as a firewall
against any Government office that would seek to determine our
broadcasters' on-air content.
This simple idea that truth serves the national interest
has had profound consequences not just in World War II, but
during the cold war when our news products from Voice of
America and Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcasts
helped end Soviet totalitarianism.
This month, as has been stated before, marks the 10th
anniversary of the independence of the U.S. international
broadcasting under the auspices of the BBG, a period of
remarkable growth where we have seen our audience size go from
under 100 million to over 175 million people worldwide.
At the commencement of the BBG's independence in 1999, Vice
President, then-Senator, Joe Biden, gave the keynote speech and
highlighted the ongoing importance and mission of U.S.
international broadcasting with these words. ``Every day, U.S.
international broadcasters provide news and information about
America and the world to millions of people living in societies
not yet free or that struggle to consolidate recently won
freedoms. The news that you provide, whether about America or
about events in foreign lands, empowers your audiences.''
Today in Iraq and Afghanistan, VOA and RFE/RL and our newer
broadcasters, Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television, are serving
citizens caught up in tribal and sectarian strife and violent
extremism. They serve a host of critical functions by doing the
following things: fostering respect for human rights;
strengthening civil society, rule of law, and transparency
through their programming; stemming religious and ethnic
intolerance; combatting hate media; and communicating American
policies, values, and culture to their audiences.
With respect to reaching Afghanistan, our U.S. Commander,
General McChrystal, has stated that effective communication is
vital to ``the operational center of gravity; the continued
support of the Afghan people.'' We at the BBG believe that we
are constructively engaging the Afghan people.
VOA and RFE/RL join together in Afghanistan to produce a
coordinated 24/7 stream of programming in Dari and Pashto,
transmitted by a high-powered AM from Kabul and five local FMs
in major cities across the country. Cross-border shortwave
ensures a listenable signal nationwide. In addition, VOA
broadcasts a daily hour-long TV program in Dari and Pashto over
Afghanistan State Television. Together RFE/RL and VOA are the
No. 1 broadcasting entity in Afghanistan in audience-reach,
according to independent analysis.
VOA, according to its mission, focuses on coverage of news
and policy debates concerning Afghanistan taking place in
Washington, news in Afghanistan with a strong United States
angle, and regional and international news.
RFE/RL slightly differently stresses its trademark local
news coverage, capturing all aspects of the insurgency and
microreporting on issues such as health, education, women's
issues, and other topics.
Both of these broadcast entities together reach 56 percent
of Afghan adults, 15 years of age and older, every week, a
regular audience of nearly 10 million people, surpassing all
other media, foreign and domestic.
RFE/RL's combined Dari and Pashto service is by itself the
most popular media outlet in the country. It is also the
service Afghans say they turn to first--first--for news and
information and the ones Afghans said they most preferred for
news about the recent elections.
More particularly, we are attracting the really hard-to-
reach audience. On a daily basis, RFE/RL and VOA together reach
26 percent of those who say they strongly oppose the Afghan
Government. So we are reaching all audiences.
But the BBG's impact goes well beyond numbers, and I would
like to turn now to Steve Simmons, chairman of the VOA
Committee of the board, to discuss the flavor of the
programming and its impact.
STATEMENT OF HON. STEVEN J. SIMMONS, GOVERNOR AND CHAIR OF THE
VOICE OF AMERICA SUBCOMMITTEE, BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS,
WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Simmons. Thank you, Governor Hirschberg.
It is good to be here, and I want to join in recognizing
Senator Kaufman's service on the board for 9 years. We sat next
to each other for most of those years, and it was a pleasure
and a privilege to work with him on all of these issues.
As you heard, audience numbers in Afghanistan are extremely
high. But impact also can be seen in personal stories of
listeners, program interactivity, and in the depth of the ideas
shared in the programming. Let me give you a few examples.
Showing the power of VOA and RFE/RL's combined reporting
was their wall-to-wall coverage of the recent Afghan
Presidential election, which there has been so much debate
about in the newspapers and in our media here. During that
election, RFE/RL interviewed all 41--yes, all 41--candidates,
every one of them, in on-air forums in which Afghan citizens
had the opportunity to call in with questions. In an
unprecedented development, RFE/RL's Dari and Pashto service
cohosted with the Afghan State Television the only Presidential
election debate that President Karzai attended. The service
director, Akbar Ayazi, served as the debate's sole moderator.
From Washington, VOA reported on the Obama administration's
Afghan policy and the positions of Members of Congress and
other top United States officials toward the election. VOA
managing editors traveled to Kabul to report live and cohost
call-in shows. VOA stringers added to RFE/RL local reports with
coverage from polling stations and locations throughout the
country.
RFE/RL programming routinely addresses Islam responding to
the knowledge that Islam is the No. 1 issue for Afghans. These
programs discuss the religious implications of suicide bombings
and terrorism and the nature and aims of the Taliban and al-
Qaeda, giving the Afghan people a deeper understanding of the
conflict in which they are engaged.
Both RFE/RL and VOA closely monitor human rights in
Afghanistan. When the Afghan Parliament passed a law
restricting the rights of Shia women, VOA TV broadcast a
special program featuring both opponents and supporters of the
law.
During a recent VOA call-in show with the Afghan Minister
of Education, a disabled student called saying he was unable to
attend school because he did not have a wheelchair. The next
day the Ministry of Education arranged for the caller to
receive a wheelchair.
Again, these are just kinds of programs that impact the
lives of our listeners.
Let me now address our newest programming to the critical
Afghanistan/Pakistan border region which, as we know, is the
epicenter of Taliban and al-Qaeda operations.
Propaganda plays a major role in the extremists' campaign
for dominance. Radio is the dominant medium in the Afghan/Pak
border region. Through radio, the insurgents pour out their
disinformation and their lies and their threats. But radio is
also the means by which BBG broadcasters can counter their
propaganda, not with propaganda of a different sort but with
objective, comprehensive journalism that conveys factual,
balanced news and information.
BBG broadcasts in Dari and Pashto blanket Afghanistan, and
our Urdu programming serves Pakistan nationwide. For the
Afghanistan/Pakistan border area, we initiated in 2006 a
dedicated service by the Voice of America in the unique
regional Pashto dialect called Deewa Radio. Senator Wicker
asked about our role in this fight we are undergoing in that
region, and this radio broadcast responding to administration
priorities is one of the things we created to participate and
hopefully help in that region.
This Radio Deewa station we created focuses on local issues
and produces 9 hours of daily programming, including live news,
current affairs, call-in shows, and music. It transmits its
signal via AM, FM, and shortwave.
An early study by the U.S. Agency for International
Development suggested Deewa had a wide following. We see robust
audience reaction every day in some 400 listener phone calls to
on-air discussion programs. We cannot possibly take them all,
so the lights on the phones are just lit up as people try to
call in to talk to the hosts and the people on the show and to
have their voices heard.
The feedback indicates that local Pashto speakers, mostly
in Pakistan, but on the Afghan side of the border as well, seek
engagement. They want their voices heard. Deewa, which in
English means light, is giving them a voice.
One listener in the Swat Valley said Deewa Radio is ``the
only source of information.'' Many listeners in the regions of
Waziristan, Swat, and Bajaur have told the station that they
plan their activities around Deewa's broadcasts.
Key to Deewa's success is what has worked so well in
Afghanistan: news and information tailored to the audience's
needs and interests. The station maintains a network of some 25
local stringers who file a steady stream of reports on such
topics as Pakistan's military campaign against Taliban forces
and those displaced by Taliban threats or combat.
Earlier this year, to complement Deewa, Congress endorsed
new RFE/RL Pashto broadcasts for the border region. Working in
cooperation with VOA's Deewa Radio, the new Radio Azadi will
broadcast 6 hours daily. With reporters on both sides of the
border and throughout Pakistan, the news service will reach out
to combat the radical broadcasting going on in that area.
And finally, I should also point out that Radio Aap ki
Dunyaa, VOA's Urdu language broadcast, reaches all of Pakistan,
including the critical border region. So through Deewa, through
our new RFE/RL broadcasts, and through the Aap ki Dunyaa Radio
signal, we are putting, we think, a pretty strong flow of
programming into the Afghan/Pakistan border region.
With that, I will turn to Governor Blaya, who will talk
about broadcasting to Iraq.
STATEMENT OF HON. JOAQUIN BLAYA, GOVERNOR AND CHAIR OF THE
MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORK SUBCOMMITTEE, BROADCASTING
BOARD OF GOVERNORS, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Blaya. Thank you. I would like to recognize Senator
Kaufman's contributions as the voice of conscience of the BBG
for so, so many years.
Let me talk about broadcasting to Iraq. Our success in Iraq
is reflected in part in huge audiences. Every week, 73 percent
of Iraqi adults, some 9.5 million people, listen to or watch
one of the four BBG broadcasters serving the country, including
Alhurra television, Radio Sawa, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free
Iraq, and VOA Kurdish.
Alhurra is the fourth leading television channel among
hundreds of channels available by satellite and locally with 32
percent daily and 64 percent weekly reach. It is also among the
Iraqis' top choices for news and information on television.
Radio Sawa is the most listened-to radio station in Iraq
with 23-percent weekly reach and is among Iraqis' top three
sources for news on the radio.
Radio Free Iraq, with 10-percent weekly reach, is among the
top five radio stations for news.
In addition, VOA Kurdish reaches 12 percent of its target
audience weekly.
The challenges to broadcasting in Iraq have been
significant.
Our progress is due principally to three factors. First, we
set up local operation including news bureaus. Second, we
secured local transmission for both radio and television,
including FM and television stations in major cities in Iraq.
And third, BBG broadcasters have sustained 24/7 news and
information coverage pegged to developments and issues on the
ground in Iraq and in sync with the needs and preferences of
Iraqi audiences.
Local presence and feel, excellent domestic distribution
and highly relevant news and other programming has been the
formula that has won a wide Iraqi following.
At the same time, our broadcasters give Iraqis
comprehensive regional and international news, including in-
depth coverage of United States society, culture, and policies.
Indeed, reporting on the United States is a competitive
advantage for the BBG broadcasters with news from Washington on
United States-Iraq policy and plans and particularly directly
relevant to Iraqi citizens.
BBG's strategy stresses a multimedia approach and leverages
the unique strengths of each of the four broadcasters to target
discrete Iraqi audience segments with custom-tailored content.
Alhurra Iraq. Most Iraqis get their news from television
and thus a strong television presence in Iraq is important for
the BBG. Alhurra Iraq is a 24/7 news and information channel
that targets Iraq news-seekers 25 years of age and older with
rich, local content and coverage of the region and the United
States.
More than 30 percent of Alhurra Iraq's schedule is specific
to Iraq, including prime time broadcast hours from 7 to 10 p.m.
when the channel's premier newscasts, Iraq's news program of
record, airs.
Driving Alhurra Iraq's national coverage is its large
Baghdad bureau and network of in-country correspondents. They
speak the local dialect and grasp their fellow citizens' hopes
and hardships. Their stories can be uniquely empowering.
When the Iraqi Government threatened to destroy the homes
of Iraqis who lacked property deeds, Alhurra investigated with
on-camera interviews of the responsible officials, who then
reversed course, sparing thousands from homelessness.
When injured Iraqi soldiers were denied medical care and
insurance, Alhurra broke the story, leading to the first-ever
Iraqi hospital for wounded veterans.
And when a young boy lost his parents and his leg in a
bombing, Alhurra told the story, prompting Iraq's Minister of
Work and Social Affairs to place him in an orphanage with
coverage of his medical costs.
Such stories might seem ordinary, but in Iraq, with no
tradition of press freedom, they are, in fact, glimpse of a
nascent fourth estate.
Alhurra's newest innovation is Al Youm, a live, 3-hour
daily news magazine that originates simultaneously from Dubai,
Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem, and Washington. It is patterned on
the popular format of the ``Today'' show in the United States
but designed to air in the evening. Al Youm combines the latest
news from three continents with a mix of health, entertainment,
sports, technology, business, and other features.
Al Youm bridges divides among the countries of the region
and between the region and the United States. Indeed, it
connects cultures in a way few Arab outlets are disposed to
doing. Its reporting offers breadth of coverage seen nowhere
else, like a recent news report on Darfur with views of
officials in Khartoum and Cairo and a report from Jerusalem on
Israel's program of asylum for Darfurian refugees.
In-depth coverage of the United States is built into Al
Youm and carried forth across the Alhurra network. News reports
and in-depth programs like ``Inside Washington'' provide Iraqi
viewers with an unparalleled look at the United States
political process, including interviews with the figures that
impact policy, people as diverse as Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia and New York Times Thomas Friedman.
Alhurra's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election
showcased its U.S. reporting strengths. The network carried
live reports and talk shows from the key primary States, wall-
to-wall reporting from both Republican and Democratic political
conventions, and live coverage of election day activities and
election night returns.
Radio Sawa is Alhurra's companion network, and for Iraq, it
also produces a dedicated programming stream that provides
comparable Iraq-specific news as well as short information and
interactive features tailored to the tastes of young Iraqis.
FM Radio is an intimate local medium. Sawa's local presence
and feel have been essential to its staying power. Its
transmitter network has grown from one in Baghdad in 2003 to 14
nationwide today. Its music, chosen for its specific appeal to
Iraqis, keeps the station's sound fresh. And its local news
originates from the same Baghdad hub that serves Alhurra Iraq.
Contrary to the behavior one might expect of young people
tuning in first for music, Sawa listeners pay attention to the
news.
Every day Sawa interacts with its audience posing a
question through its Sawa Chat feature on topics such as family
life, democracy, and the arts. Listeners call in to voice their
opinions and their views are aired throughout the following
day.
Radio Free Iraq is a news and information service focused
on Iraq transition to democracy. It specializes in political
reporting to complement the broad-based news and information
and mass audience engagement of Alhurra Iraq and Radio Sawa.
Like Radio Sawa, RFI is a local broadcaster in Iraq. It
airs 17 hours of programming daily nationwide on its own
network of FM transmitters.
Typifying Radio Free Iraq's news reporting is its coverage
of the ongoing dispute over Iraqi elections. Iraq is scheduled
to have parliamentary elections this January 16, but a new
election law has yet to be passed. RFI has been on top of the
story, exploring the controversy over closed versus open party
lists, seeking out popular opinion, and covering the debate in
Parliament.
As one director of RFI put it: ``In Iraq opinions are so
intolerant of one another and there are so many news
organizations that belong to political groups and deliver those
groups' political agendas. We are committed to trying to
present as many points of view as we can and put them in a
civilized debate.''
Voice of America Kurdish. It is the only broadcaster,
indeed, the only Western broadcaster, to serve Kurdish-speaking
Iraqis, which are anywhere from 15 to 18 percent of the
population. They serve in their own language. VOA airs 4 hours
daily of programming in two dialects to the Kurdish region in
northern Iraq, also reaching Kurds in neighboring countries of
Iran, Turkey, and Syria.
VOA Kurdish provides its target audience with a service
tailored to their needs and sensibilities as a minority within
greater Iraq. The news is broad-based covering developments in
Iraq, the Middle East and the world, but reflects the Kurdish
agenda. Programs feature panel discussions with Kurds in the
greater Middle East region and the diaspora. Music is both in
Kurdish and American.
Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, BBG broadcasters are an
independent, yet integral part of the United States Government
communication effort that seeks to advance United States
national interests in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the
world. Our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has yielded
important lessons for broadcasting effectiveness. First, we
play a critical role especially in countries like Iraq and
Afghanistan that lack adequate press freedom and credible
alternative media. Second, we succeed when, A, we deliver the
news our audiences want and need to make informed judgments
about their societies and, B, when we deliver
our content via the media our audiences prefer and they can
easily access.
We will be very happy to entertain questions.
[The joint prepared statement of Mr. Hirschberg, Mr.
Simmons, and Mr. Blaya, follows:]
Joint Prepared Statement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, as
Delivered by Jeffrey Hirschberg, Joaquin Blaya, and Steven Simmons
Mr. Chairman, it is our pleasure to be here today to speak to the
role of U.S. international broadcasting in advancing U.S. national
interests in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This is an opportune moment to address you. Our Nation continues to
face the threat of violent extremism. In Iraq and Afghanistan, our
Government has deployed a wide range of strategic assets to meet the
challenges to U.S. national security and to the safety and well-being
of the Iraqi and Afghan people.
There is consensus inside and outside government that we cannot
prevail against the extremists through force alone, and that it is of
critical importance to engage audiences whose attention we and our
adversaries both seek.
We will in our shared testimony today address the success of U.S.
international broadcasting in Iraq and Afghanistan, citing copious
research and other impact measures.
It is also an opportune moment to appear before you as this month
marks the 10th anniversary of the independence of U.S. international
broadcasting under the Broadcasting Board of Governors. This has been a
period of remarkable growth in the scope and impact of BBG operations.
With generous support from Congress, our funding has increased from
$400 million to over $700 million, and our global audiences have grown
from under 100 million to nearly 175 million.
We recognize, Senator Kaufman, your service on the Board and your
many contributions to the BBG's accomplishments.
You often reminded us that the BBG's independence is critical to
preserving credibility with our audiences. We must have the latitude to
do the news straight up. Audiences will readily detect a slant or a
hidden agenda, and they will tune out as a result.
But independence is not enough. As you also consistently urged, one
of the Board's key duties is to safeguard our broadcasters'
journalistic integrity by being a firewall between them and any
government office or private party that would seek to determine their
on-air content.
U.S. international broadcasting rests on the principle that truth
serves the national interest--not the absolute truth as professed by
ideologues and extremists but the objective truth that stems from
balanced, factual news reporting.
This simple idea has had profound consequences. Accurate,
comprehensive news from VOA during World War II contributed to the
defeat of German Nazism. Then, during the long cold war, the same news
product from VOA and Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcasts
helped stymie and ultimately end Soviet totalitarianism.
At the commemoration of the BBG's independence in 1999, our Vice
President, then-Senator, Joe Biden, gave the keynote speech and
highlighted the ongoing importance and mission of U.S. international
broadcasting with these words: ``The struggle in which media play a
critical part is never-ending. That struggle is the fight to protect
and promote freedom.''
He continued: ``Every day, U.S. international broadcasters provide
news and information about America and the world to millions of people
living in societies not yet free or that struggle to consolidate
recently won freedoms . . . The news that you provide, whether about
America or about events in foreign lands, empowers your audiences.''
Today, in Iraq and Afghanistan, VOA and RFE/RL, and our newer
broadcasters, Radio Sawa and Alhurra TV, are serving citizens caught up
in tribal and sectarian strife and violent extremism.
Being in practice a free, professional press in support of freedom
and democracy is the shared mission of all BBG broadcasters.
We know we have succeeded when freedom and democracy have taken
hold, as they did during the 1990s across what had been traditional
target areas for U.S. international broadcasting--Central and Eastern
Europe. That is our long-term desired effect.
En route to this goal, we serve a host of critical functions. These
include:
Fostering respect for human rights;
Strengthening civil society, rule of law, and transparency;
Stemming religious and ethnic intolerance;
Combating hate media; and
Communicating what America stands for--our policies, values,
and culture.
Our performance measures track our mission and focus on audience
reach, news reliability, and audience understanding.
REACHING AFGHANISTAN
U.S. Commander for Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal, has described
the current state of affairs in the country in these terms: ``The
situation in Afghanistan is serious . . . We face not only a resilient
and growing insurgency; there is also a crisis of confidence among
Afghans . . . '' Effective communication, he argues, is vital to ``the
operational center of gravity: The continued support of the Afghan
people.''
What we at the BBG can say is that we are leveraging all our assets
to support the mission of constructively engaging the Afghan people.
VOA and RFE/RL join together in Afghanistan to produce a
coordinated 24/7 stream of programming in Dari and Pashto, transmitted
via high-powered AM from Kabul and via five local FMs in major cities
across the country. There is also cross-border shortwave to ensure a
listenable signal nationwide. In addition, VOA broadcasts a daily hour-
long TV program in Dari and Pashto over Afghanistan State Television.
RFE/RL and VOA are together the number one broadcasting entity in
Afghanistan in audience reach.
VOA plays to its strengths as a U.S.-based broadcaster focused on
coverage of news and policy debates concerning Afghanistan taking place
in Washington, news in Afghanistan with a strong U.S. angle and
regional and international news.
RFE/RL stresses its trademark local news coverage, capturing all
aspects of the insurgency and microreporting on health, education,
women's issues, among other topics at the top of the Afghan people's
news and information agenda.
Showcasing the power of VOA and RFE/RL's combined reporting was
their wall-to-wall coverage of the recent Afghan Presidential election.
RFE/RL interviewed all 41 candidates in on-air forums in which
Afghan citizens had the opportunity to call in with questions. In an
unprecedented development, RFE/RL's Dari and Pashto service cohosted
with Afghanistan State Television the only Presidential election debate
that President Hamid Karzai attended. The service director, Akbar
Ayazi, served as the debate's sole moderator.
All in all, RFE/RL allowed listeners throughout Afghanistan to
escape personality based elections and to examine the candidates in the
context of the issues of the day.
From Washington, VOA reported on the Obama administration's Afghan
policy and the positions of Members of Congress and other top U.S.
officials toward the election. To enhance overall BBG coverage, VOA
managing editors traveled to Kabul to report live and cohost call-in
shows. VOA stringers added to RFE/RL local reports with coverage from
polling stations and locations throughout the country.
Beyond special events coverage such as the Afghan elections, VOA
and RFE/RL address every aspect of Afghan life day in and day out.
Among its many programming focus areas, RFE/RL routinely addresses
Islam (which research shows is the number one issue for Afghans), the
religious implications of suicide bombings and terrorism, and the
nature and aims of the Taliban and al-Qaeda--in the station's
commitment to giving the Afghan people a deeper understanding of the
conflict in which they are engaged.
Both RFE/RL and VOA closely monitor human rights in Afghanistan.
When the Afghan Parliament passed a law restricting the rights of Shia
women, VOA TV broadcast a special program featuring both opponents and
supporters of the law. Senator Barbara Boxer and Melanne Verveer, the
U.S. Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues, were among those
who participated.
The effect of BBG broadcasting in Afghanistan is that RFE/RL and
VOA have won the loyal following of the Afghan people. Together they
reach 56 percent of all Afghan adults (15 years of age and older) every
week--a regular audience of nearly 10 million people--surpassing all
other media, foreign and domestic.
RFE/RL's combined Dari and Pashto service is, by itself, the most
popular media outlet in the country. It is also the service Afghans say
they turn to first for news and information, and the one Afghans said
they most preferred for news about the recent elections.
More particularly, though, when we look at whether we are
attracting the really hard-to-reach audiences--namely, the insurgents--
we see that, on a daily basis, RFE/RL and VOA together reach 26 percent
of those who say they strongly oppose the Afghan Government.
But BBG impact goes well beyond the numbers. During a recent
appearance on a VOA call-in show with the Afghan Minister of Education
about new textbooks for Afghan schools, a disabled student called and
said he was unable to attend school because he didn't have a
wheelchair. The next day, VOA's program host got a note from the Afghan
Ministry of Education saying it arranged for the caller to receive a
wheelchair.
The upshot is this: BBG broadcasters are delivering the goods.
While the insurgency remains a force, it is also true that
overwhelmingly Afghans do not support the Taliban, and hold the Taliban
accountable for much of the chaos and violence in Afghan society. At
the same time, Afghans remain broadly supportive of their government
and of U.S. troop presence in the country.
We cannot claim our broadcasts are directly responsible for these
attitudes. But we are hard pressed to imagine what the situation in the
country would be like without the factual, relevant, and credible
reporting RFE/RL and VOA produce.
BROADCASTING TO IRAQ
BBG broadcasters perform an independent but integral role in the
overall U.S. mission in Iraq.
Despite abundant media, press freedom in Iraq reflects the
country's status as a recovering war zone. Freedom House rates Iraq
``not free'' and places it 148 out of 195 countries worldwide.
Reporters without Borders cites recent improvements for journalists but
notes that since 2003 there have been 77 kidnappings, of which 23 ended
in murder--including, we sadly recall, two correspondents of RFE/RL's
Radio Free Iraq. Domestic media tend to be tools of specific Iraqi
sects and factions. Independent journalists risk their lives every day.
Our success is reflected in part in huge audiences. Every week, 73
percent of Iraqi adults--some 9.5 million people--listen to or watch
one of the four BBG broadcasters serving the country, including Alhurra
TV, Radio Sawa, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq, and VOA Kurdish.
Alhurra is the fourth leading TV channel among hundreds of channels
available by satellite and locally with 32 percent daily, and 64
percent weekly reach. It is also among Iraqis' top choices for news and
information on TV. Radio Sawa is the most listened-to radio station in
Iraq, with 23 percent weekly reach, and is among Iraqis' top three
sources for news on the radio. Radio Free Iraq, with 10 percent weekly
reach, is among the top five radio stations for news. In addition, VOA
Kurdish reaches 12 percent of its target audience weekly.
The challenges have been significant. At the start of the conflict
in Iraq, we had no established broadcasting platform in the country--no
local facilities, no in-country transmission, no significant national
audience. Broad anti-Americanism deepened after the war began, posing
significant credibility hurdles. At the same time, Iraqi and foreign
media outlets proliferated, intensifying competition.
Our progress has been due principally to three factors. First, we
quickly set up local operations, including news bureaus. Second, early
on we secured local transmission for both radio and TV, including FM
and TV stations in major Iraqi cities--important to Alhurra's early
ability to gain market share while satellite dish ownership spread. And
third, BBG broadcasters have sustained 24/7 news and information
coverage, pegged to developments and issues on the ground in Iraq and
in synch with the needs and preferences of Iraqi audiences.
Local presence and feel, excellent domestic distribution, and
highly relevant news and other programming--this has been the formula
that has won BBG broadcasters their wide Iraqi following.
At the same time, our broadcasters give Iraqis comprehensive
regional and international news, including in-depth coverage of U.S.
society, culture, and policies. Indeed, reporting on the United States
is a competitive advantage for BBG broadcasters with news from
Washington on U.S. Iraq policy and plans that are directly relevant to
Iraqi citizens.
BBG strategy stresses a multimedia approach and leverages the
unique strengths of each of the four broadcasters to target discrete
Iraqi audience segments with custom-tailored content.
ALHURRA IRAQ
Most Iraqis get their news from TV, and thus a strong TV presence
in Iraq is important for the BBG. Alhurra Iraq is a 24/7 news and
information channel, and an off-shoot of the Alhurra network for the
broader Middle East. Alhurra Iraq targets Iraqi news-seekers 25 years
of age and older with rich local content and coverage of the region and
the United States from the pan-Arab stream.
More than 30 percent of Alhurra Iraq's schedule is specific to
Iraq, including primetime broadcast hours of 7-10 p.m., when the
channel's premier newscast, Iraq's news program of record, airs.
Driving Alhurra Iraq's national coverage is its large Baghdad
bureau and network of in-country correspondents. They speak the local
dialect and intuitively grasp their fellow citizens' hopes and
hardships. Their stories can be uniquely empowering:
When the Iraqi Government threatened to destroy the homes of
Iraqis who lacked property deeds, Alhurra investigated with on-
camera interviews of the responsible officials, who then
reversed course, sparing thousands from homelessness.
When injured Iraqi soldiers were denied medical care and
insurance, Alhurra broke the story, leading to the first-ever
Iraqi hospital for wounded veterans.
And, when a young boy lost his parents and his leg in a
bombing, Alhurra told his story, prompting Iraq's Minister of
Work and Social Affairs to place him in an orphanage with
coverage of his medical costs.
Such stories might seem ordinary. But in Iraq, with no tradition of
press freedom, they are in fact a glimpse of a nascent Fourth Estate.
Complementing Alhurra Iraq's national coverage is programming from
Alhurra's pan-Arab stream that also stretches the boundaries of freedom
of speech and tolerance. Equality and Women's Views, weekly programs,
address taboo topics like polygamy and spousal abuse. Eye on Democracy,
also weekly, examines sensitive subjects like Islam and democracy and
human rights in the Arab world.
Alhurra's newest innovation--both for the pan-Arab stream and
Alhurra Iraq--is Al Youm (``Today''), a live, 3-hour, daily news
magazine that originates simultaneously from Dubai, Beirut, Cairo,
Jerusalem, and Washington. Patterned on the popular ``Today'' show in
the United States but designed to air in the evening, Al Youm combines
the latest news from three continents with an eclectic and engaging mix
of health, entertainment, sports, technology, business, and other
features.
With every broadcast, Al Youm bridges divides among the countries
of the region and between the region and the United States. Indeed, it
connects cultures in a way few Arab outlets are disposed to doing. And
its multisourced reporting offers breadth of coverage seen nowhere
else--like a recent news report on Darfur with views of officials in
Khartoum and Cairo, and a report from Jerusalem on Israel's program of
asylum for Darfurian refugees.
In-depth coverage of the United States is built into Al Youm and
carried forth across the Alhurra network. Alhurra is the only Arabic-
language television network with correspondents dedicated to the White
House, Congress, Pentagon, and State Department. News reports and in-
depth programs like ``Inside Washington'' provide Iraqi viewers with an
unparalleled look at the U.S. political process, including interviews
with the figures that impact policy, people as diverse as Supreme Court
Justice Antonin Scalia and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman.
Alhurra's coverage of the 2008 Presidential elections showcased its
U.S. reporting strengths. The network carried live reports and talk
shows from the key primary states, wall-to-wall reporting from both
Republican and Democratic political conventions, and live coverage of
election-day activities and election-night returns.
Commenting on Alhurra's election coverage, the popular pan-Arab
newspaper Al Hayat wrote, ``With the heated elections race in the
United States, Alhurra distinguished itself as the most professional
and active satellite TV channel among all the Arabic-speaking satellite
channels . . . ''
RADIO SAWA
Radio Sawa is Alhurra's companion network, and for Iraq, it also
produces a dedicated programming stream that provides comparable Iraq-
specific news as well as short information and interactive features
tailored to the tastes of young Iraqis and designed specifically for
the station's contemporary Arabic/Western music format.
Radio use overall in Iraq has been declining in recent years in
tandem with the rise of TV and as such, most Iraqi radio stations have
lost audience. However, Sawa's listenership has dropped much less than
others.
FM Radio is an intimate local medium. Sawa's local presence and
feel have been essential to its staying power. Its transmitter network
has grown from one in Baghdad in 2003 to 14 nationwide today. Its
music, chosen for its specific appeal to Iraqis, keeps the station's
sound fresh. And its local news originates from the same Baghdad hub
that serves Alhurra Iraq.
While Iraqis turn to TV first for news, they also listen to news on
the radio. Sawa's format is meant to attract younger audiences who
would not otherwise consume news. And it works.
Extensive research to test what Sawa listeners do when the news
comes on reveals that the vast majority either pay equal or greater
attention--contrary to the behavior one might expect of young people
tuning in first for music.
Attracting and holding audience for the information content is
important to maximize the value of programs like Sawa's Straight to the
Point, which includes interviews with Iraqi decisionmakers and senior
officials answering questions about the most prominent security,
political or social issue of the day.
Indeed, Sawa pushes the envelope on its format to incorporate the
maximum amount of value-added content without alienating the audience.
Interaction with the audience plays a key role. Every day, Sawa
poses a different question to its audience through its Sawa Chat
feature on topics such as family life, democracy, the arts, etc.
Listeners call in to voice their opinions, and their views are aired
throughout the following day.
Sawa Chat exemplifies the open discussion of ideas and creates
community around shared views. In doing so, it adds another component
to Radio Sawa's profile of a station uniquely Iraq and yet one modeling
a free press that conveys a popular, democratic spirit taking hold
across Iraq.
RADIO FREE IRAQ
Radio Free Iraq (RFI) is a news and information service focused on
Iraq's transition to democracy. It specializes in political reporting
to complement the broad-based news and information and mass audience
engagement of Alhurra Iraq and Radio Sawa.
Like Radio Sawa, RFI is a local broadcaster in Iraq. It airs 10
hours of programming daily nationwide on its own network of FM
transmitters.
Typifying RFI's news reporting has been its coverage of the dispute
over Iraq's elections. RFI has been on top of the story, exploring the
controversy over ``closed'' versus ``open'' party lists, seeking out
popular opinion, and covering the debate in Parliament.
In a similar vein, RFI's reporters have been deeply engaged in
covering the bitter controversy over Iraq's efforts to pass a new oil
and gas law. It has looked not only at the problems within Iraq but
also the dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government
over control of energy resources in northern Iraq. RFI has provided in-
depth analysis on the energy issue from some of the best national,
regional and international experts.
On this, as with RFI coverage generally, it explains how the
leading issues of the day fit into the bigger picture in a way local
Iraqi media, with more limited resources and partisan leanings, could
not do.
As one director of RFI put it: ``In Iraq . . . opinions are so
intolerant of one another, and there are so many news organizations
that belong to political groups and deliver these groups' political
agendas . . . We are committed to trying to present as many points of
view as we can, and put them in a civilized debate.''
This is RFI's contribution to the BBG's aim of empowering audiences
and, in turn, to Iraq's transition to more free and democratic society.
VOA KURDISH
VOA is the only U.S. broadcaster--indeed, the only Western
broadcaster--to serve Kurdish-speaking Iraqis (15-20 percent of the
Iraqi population) in their own language. VOA airs 4 hours daily of
programming in both the Sorani and Kurmanji dialects to the Kurdish
region in northern Iraq, reaching as well Kurds in neighboring
countries of Iran, Turkey, and Syria.
VOA Kurdish provides its target audience with a service tailored to
their needs and sensibilities as a minority within greater Iraq. The
news is broad-based, covering developments in Iraq, the Middle East,
and the world, but reflects Kurdish interests. Programs feature panel
discussions with Kurds in the greater Middle East region and in the
diaspora. Music is both Kurdish and American.
Novel in the universe of BBG programs is the Kurdish service's
children's program, Shining Star, which addresses topics ranging from
the environment to education and hygiene. Kurdish children and their
parents from all over the world contact the program to participate.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari
have expressed their appreciation to VOA for taking the lead in
presenting objective, balanced and comprehensive news and information
for Kurdish audiences in the Middle East.
VOA Kurdish is also available via the Internet, and increasingly
its stories are redistributed via the Web.
REACHING THE AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN BORDER REGION
The epicenter of Taliban and al-Qaeda operations lies in the
Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. From there, the Taliban organize
and launch offensives against the people of Afghanistan and U.S. and
NATO forces. Also from there, they have begun aggressive, routine
assaults on key Pakistani targets, including the attack on Pakistan's
military headquarters in Rawalpindi last weekend.
Propaganda plays a major role in the extremists' campaign for
dominance. Indeed, the Taliban aims to project power and control as
much as actually to wield power and control. As Admiral Michael Mullen,
Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff has written, ``Each beheading,
each bombing and each beating sends a powerful message or, rather, is a
powerful message.''
Taliban propaganda traffics in lies and outright distortions.
Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and
Pakistan, has told the story of a Pakistani Ambassador kidnapped by the
Taliban who challenged his captors in dialogue to show him where in the
Koran suicide bombings were justified. When they retrieved a copy, they
handed it to him, because they were illiterate. They had heard suicide
bombings justified by Taliban propagandists on the radio.
As Ambassador Holbrooke has urged: The insurgents' propaganda
``needs to be dealt with head on. We can't concede the battle to the
Taliban.''
Radio is the dominant medium in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
region. Through radio, the insurgents pour out their disinformation and
hate. Radio is the means by which BBG broadcasters can and will counter
their propaganda--not with propaganda of a different sort, but with
objective, comprehensive journalism that conveys factual, balanced news
and information.
BBG broadcasts in Dari and Pashto blanket Afghanistan, and our Urdu
programming serves Pakistan nationwide. For the Afghanistan-Pakistan
border area, we initiated in 2006 a dedicated service by the Voice of
America, in the unique regional Pashto dialect, called Deewa Radio.
Deewa focuses on local issues and produces 9 hours of daily
programming, including live news, current affairs, call-in shows, and
music. It transmits via AM, FM, and shortwave, with text and audio
available on the Internet. Of the 9 hours of programming, 3 were
recently added in a surge to provide a morning program to complement
Deewa's nighttime hours.
Data on Deewa's audience from the BBG's first audience survey in
the region are just now coming in. An earlier study by the U.S. Agency
for International Development suggested Deewa had a wide following. We
see robust audience reaction everyday in some 400 listener phone calls
to on-air discussion programs.
This initial feedback and other qualitative research indicate that
local Pashto speakers, mostly in Pakistan but on the Afghan side of the
border as well, seek engagement--they want their voices heard.
Certainly the back-drop is Taliban propaganda, but also the relative
isolation in which the region's inhabitants live with little
opportunity for political expression. Deewa is giving them a voice.
One listener in the Swat Valley said Deewa Radio was ``the only
source of information'' there. Many listeners in the regions of
Waziristan, Swat, and Bajaur have told the station that they plan their
activities around Deewa's broadcasts.
Key to Deewa's success is what has worked so well in Afghanistan--
news and information tailored to the audience's needs and interests.
The station maintains a network of some 25 local stringers who file a
steady stream of reports such topics as the Pakistani military's
campaign against Taliban forces and those displaced by Taliban threats
or combat.
But it is not only political news that interests the audience.
Focus group research in Pakistan among Deewa listeners shows they want
a broad-based information service that touches on social and cultural
issues and developments as well. The research also shows that
Pakistanis who otherwise dislike the United States will listen to
broadcasts under the VOA brand--provided they observe strict
objectivity.
Those who are internally displaced as a result of Pakistan's
military campaigns against the Taliban also find a voice in Deewa. A
refugee in the Swabi Mansoor camp said during a recent program, ``If
Deewa was not here, (we, refugees) would have been disgraced,
destroyed, unknown to the world. It is Deewa which talks about (our)
problems . . . ''
As a result of their uncompromising reporting, VOA stringers have
been repeatedly threatened by Taliban militants--and some of the
threats have been realized.
In July, the home of VOA Deewa reporter Rahman Bunairee was blown
up by men declaring their allegiance to the Taliban and claiming
retaliation against reporting by VOA. Mr. Bunairee escaped to Islamabad
and eventually to the United States, where we now hope to continue his
service to Deewa.
Deewa has done and will continue to do its excellent work. With the
rise in the insurgency and its increased propaganda efforts, however,
further BBG support for broadcasting to Afghanistan-Pakistan border
region is on its way.
Earlier this year, to complement Deewa, Congress endorsed new RFE/
RL Pashto broadcasts for the border region. Working in cooperation with
Voice of America's Deewa Radio, the new Radio Azadi will broadcast 6
hours daily. With reporters on both sides of the border and throughout
Pakistan, and with a bureau, security permitting, in Peshawar or
another city, the new service will reach out and begin to combat the
radical broadcasting in Pakistan.
Once fully operational, Azadi will have the capacity to send
headlines and breaking news to listeners via mobile phones and SMS text
messages. Cell phone ownership is widespread in both Afghanistan and
Pakistan, and while less so in the border region, the new text
messaging capacity will nonetheless let the BBG engage people well
beyond the reach of insurgent broadcasters.
We at the BBG are deeply aware of what is at stake across
Afghanistan and Pakistan and are committed to ensuring that the people
of the region have continuous access to timely and accurate news about
the events around them. Through our dedicated services, we provide the
antidote to the violent messages and lies of the insurgency.
CONCLUSION
BBG broadcasters are an independent yet integral part of a global
U.S. Government communication effort that seeks to advance U.S.
national interests. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, there are scores of
State and DOD public diplomacy and strategic communication activities.
And yet U.S. international broadcasting has a distinct niche--objective
journalism.
Our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has yielded important
lessons for broadcasting effectiveness. First, we play a critical role
in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan that lack adequate press freedom
and credible alternative media. Second, we succeed when (a) we deliver
the news our audiences want and need to make informed judgments about
their societies, and (b) we deliver our content via the media our
audiences prefer and can easily access.
This is a simple formula but one that requires deft, professional
execution.
At the end of the day, to recall the words of Vice President Biden
at the commemoration of the BBG's independence in 1999, what we seek is
to empower our audiences in their struggle for freedom and democracy.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, our objective journalism arms our
audiences against fear-mongering and propaganda of sectarianism and
violent extremism. Consistent truth telling will, over time, trump fear
and propaganda.
We would be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Senator Kaufman. Great. Thank you very much for that
testimony.
You know, when we first started broadcasting in the Middle
East, U.S. international broadcasting, a lot of people said no
one will listen to our broadcasting and no one will trust our
broadcasting. Numbers like 56 percent in Afghanistan and 73
percent in Iraq are really quite extraordinary.
First, I would like your comment on, Is that truly
extraordinary? And second is, Why do you think people listen to
this broadcasting in such large numbers? And how important is
it to have an audience of this size to fulfill your mission?
Mr. Blaya. Well, as a domestic commercial broadcaster,
generating audiences is the first indication that your
programming is having an impact. The numbers for Iraq speak for
themselves. The penetration that U.S. international
broadcasting has in Iraq is beyond anyone's expectations.
Distribution also has been a very important element of the
success of our radio and television operations in Iraq. But
fundamentally, we are providing people with the news and
information that they want, with access to local information
that they might not get from services that are sectarian or
government-sponsored. I think the formula is the formula that
has worked traditionally over half a century of U.S.
international broadcasting.
Senator Kaufman. Mr. Hirschberg.
Mr. Hirschberg. Let me add one more thing. When you take a
look at the independent research and you go to a place like
Afghanistan and you see that when the questions are asked, are
our programming and our broadcasts credible or mostly credible,
you are in the 90th percentile and above combined on those two
things as opposed to not credible or inherently not credible.
They are either mostly credible or partly credible. That is an
extraordinary comment upon the quality of the broadcasts and
the reach and an indication as to why people listen because
they find them credible and they find them independent.
Senator Kaufman. Mr. Simmons.
Mr. Simmons. Just to add to that, I also reinforce the
point that Governor Blaya made about distribution. Our country
has made a sizable investment in the transmission capability
for our programming, and without it, we simply would not have
this kind of an audience in Afghanistan that you referred to.
So we have a medium wave, which is a large AM broadcast. We
have FM broadcasting. We have television broadcasting. And I
think the ability to access the population is a critical
component of why our audiences are so high.
Of course, I completely agree with my colleagues on the
need for--the programming itself is--and I will say a second
thing that was not mentioned, which is research is also
critical to having a large audience. We have an extensive
research program at the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Just
like when you run for office, you want to have good polling
organization to look at what the issues are, we as broadcasters
need to know what issues are of concern to the audience we are
trying to reach. And then when we do our programming, are there
things that they do not like or that we could change, whether
it is in the format or the issues we cover. So I think
research, which has been done extensively in both of these
countries, is important.
And then third, of course, as my colleagues have said, is
having good, objective journalism which in a lot of these
places that we broadcast to around the world, especially in the
ones we are talking about, has been hard to find, and we offer
it.
Senator Kaufman. Just a broad thing. How does this
broadcasting of the Broadcasting Board of Governors reflect the
foreign policy of the United States? What is the process you go
through?
Mr. Hirschberg. First of all, we are in contact with other
branches of the Government, especially the State Department. We
have a formal process at the BBG, as you know. Once a year, by
statute, we consult with the State Department on the
administration's priorities and where they would like to see us
broadcast and where it may be not so important for us to
broadcast. And we have a formal review process every year to
determine which languages we broadcast in and which we should
not broadcast in anymore and what the reach is of those
language services, what the impact is of those language
services, all in connection with the implementation of our
strategic plan for 2008 to 2013.
It is an iterative process. It is more than just once a
year. We are in constant touch with the State Department and
other branches of the Government, and we do have people in our
professionals on the BBG staff who do sit in on policy
discussions at the National Security Council and other places
in the Government.
Senator Kaufman. Can you spend a few minutes and just talk
about how you maintain broadcasting quality?
Mr. Blaya. Senator, I know this was, while you were at the
BBG, always one of your main concerns, and you were the first
person that described to me how it is that this was done. So I
have it in front of me and I will go in details because of the
importance that you have always placed on it.
First of all, the United States was the first country that
broadcast in the languages of the audiences that it wanted to
reach, versus a BBC that was all in English.
Second, it was essential that we have the native language
capabilities, and that means up through the management chain,
the regional division directors and editors all speak the
native language.
The second point was the editorial controls and guidance,
which were established years ago. We rely on the expertise and
judgment of language service heads and line editors to ensure
that the news met the highest standards of professional
journalism.
Third, we have a performance review process which includes
independent audience market research. We undergo rigorous
annual review performed by an office separate from the language
service itself. This review incorporates a wide range of
research inputs produced independently by BBG global research
programs.
Fourth, we have specific program evaluations. We
commission, when circumstances warrant, leading schools of
journalism, as we have recently done with Missouri and
Washington University and other expert bodies, to conduct
specific in-depth programming evaluations. Over the years,
these extraordinary reviews have provided incredible
information and assessments of selective services, including
MBN Russia and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
Senator Kaufman. Thank you.
Senator Wicker.
Senator Wicker. Thank you very much. I appreciate the
testimony so far.
This is a hearing about broadcasting into war zones. Our
goal in the war zones is to be successful in our military
efforts.
Put yourself in a town meeting in Dover or Tupelo and the
taxpayers are asking about a budget of $682 million of taxpayer
dollars and help us formulate an answer as to how we measure
success in the use of the funds, particularly in Afghanistan
and in Iraq. We have testimony today that truth serves the
national interest. I think the taxpayers might be justified in
saying show me how that concretely serves the national
interest.
I have heard you say today we are giving the people the
news and information they want, a laudable goal. How does that
help Americans in Dover and Tupelo? How does that justify the
expenditure?
``A broad penetration,'' ``reach,'' ``credible
broadcasts.'' Has it benefited our war effort at all? In the
time we have been in Afghanistan, have we seen positive
political trends toward the United States? Have we seen
positive military trends because of what the BBG is responsible
for? Have we won any hearts and minds?
Mr. Simmons. With respect to--well, first of all, I think
it is a good question and I think it is a question that should
be asked about all of the programs that our Federal Government
spends money on; $600-plus million is a lot of money.
I think that in terms of the situation in Afghanistan, we
have seen the Taliban/al-Qaeda forces using the media to
propagate information that is not accurate, using radio
stations, illegal radio stations, to broadcast information that
distorts what is happening on the ground and what is happening
in their country, that distorts the role of the United States
and distorts the role of the Karzai government. And I think by
our efforts, we act as a counterweight to that.
I would point you to polling data. We can supply it offline
to you and the committee that does indicate that the attitudes
of the Afghan people toward what American forces are doing are
positive and what the Taliban/al-Qaeda are doing are negative.
Senator Wicker. This would be what polling company?
Mr. Simmons. This is a polling that we research, that we
hire researchers for.
Senator Wicker. Commissioned by the BBG.
Mr. Simmons. Correct, yes.
Senator Wicker. OK. Well, I ask unanimous consent that Mr.
Simmons be allowed to supplement his answer with that
information.
Senator Kaufman. Without objection.
Senator Wicker. Go ahead.
Mr. Simmons. So I think we play a role by doing that and
providing accurate information in that war zone.
And in the border region, just quickly, there have been a
number of stories about the same phenomenon going on on the
Pakistan side of the border with the Taliban. We hope that
Radio Deewa, which has now gotten increased distribution in the
last few months, will play a similar role there as well.
Mr. Hirschberg. Let me add to that. Just let me start with
Alhurra television for a moment in Iraq before I go on to
Afghanistan.
Prior to 2004, when it came to television in the Middle
East, the United States was not on the playing field. We were
up and running within 5 months of funding on a 24/7 stream for
the 22 Arab-speaking countries and to Iraq and a separate
stream for Iraq, as Mr. Blaya has testified about.
It would be unfortunate----
Senator Wicker. That was at the request of the State
Department, no doubt.
Mr. Hirschberg. That was at our initiative.
Senator Wicker. Your initiative, OK.
Mr. Hirschberg. And Radio Sawa, prior to 9/11, was at our
initiative as well, although RFE/RL to the border regions of
Afghanistan and Pakistan in this go-round is a congressional
initiative that was basically sponsored by Senators Lieberman
and Kyl, the additional funding for that $10 million.
We were nowhere on the field then. Our competitors, just by
way of example, are expending an extraordinary amount of money
to compete our broadcasts. Al Jazeera has--although we do not
know quite what the number is, but we expect it is north of
$300 million--45 bureaus to do their broadcasts. We have four.
The Russians have upped their spending on international
broadcasting in Arabic and other languages. It has been
reported recently that the Chinese Government has committed $6
billion to communications.
The BBG does not do messaging. Our broadcasters do not do
messaging. So if you are asking for a one-to-one correlation as
to whether or not for every dollar we spend we can change
hearts and minds, we cannot do that for you. We cannot give you
that. That research is not available to us.
But what is available to us is that we know we have an
impact. We know that people like our broadcasting. We know that
people listen to our broadcasting. We know that people call
into our broadcasting. We know that they participate. We know
that we are engaging their publics in a way and through
targeted research that has never been done before. So from that
standpoint, we think that indirectly we do have that kind of
impact that you are looking for.
Mr. Blaya. Now, let me add to that, Senator, because if we
did not exist, MBN would have to be created. And I will give
you just three recent reports, for example, even though I will
start from the very beginning that you do not talk about
competition. You do not use your time to talk about your
competitor, but in this case I will because it brings the point
that Governor Hirschberg was describing home.
In a recent case, Samir al-Kuntar was convicted in an
Israeli court for murder of an Israeli policeman, Eliyahu
Shahar, a 31-year-old, Danny Haran, and Haran's 4-year-old
daughter. He spent nearly 3 decades in prison before being
released as part of the Israeli-Hezbollah prisoner swap. Al-
Kuntar was considered a national hero by some Lebanese, and he
was given a hero's welcome upon his return. Al Jazeera threw an
on-air birthday party for the released Lebanese terrorist.
On one of the post popular shows that Al Jazeera has on a
regular basis--it is called ``Opposite Directions''--the host
repeatedly claimed that 98 percent of Americans hate muslims
without providing any source or statistics.
And I should stop there because I could give you a list of
things that occur on a regular basis on the main voice in the
Middle East, therefore, the importance of us providing the
other side of the story and the news that people would never
hear if we were not there.
Senator Wicker. Thank you very much.
Senator Kaufman. Senator Shaheen, can I just ask one point
before you question?
Senator Shaheen. Sure.
Senator Kaufman. In these areas, where would people hear
U.S. policy on any issues if U.S. international broadcasting
was not there?
Mr. Blaya. Well, let us go back to the 2008 election in
which Alhurra and Sawa did extraordinary coverage of the whole
electoral process in the United States, providing a window as
to how democracy operates with extended coverage of local
elections to the national stage, to the Republican and
Democratic conventions, providing a window to many of the
societies as to how a democracy operates and how we can have
divergent points of view is an extraordinary case of allowing
them access to something that they will never see in the worlds
they live in.
In the case of the newest show of the Alhurra television
network, Al Youm, which I covered earlier, as important as it
is to provide news and information about the world and the
United States, this show is serving as a unique platform in the
region for voices of modernity, discourse, different opinions,
for Arab nations to be able to talk among themselves on issues
of interest, of women's rights, of freedom and democracy, of
human rights, things that we take for granted in the United
States but will not be seen. You will not see issues of women's
rights in Al Jazeera. You will not see them in Arabiya. We
serve as a unique platform in the region not only for us
telling those audiences our perspective, but for them to tell
their new perspectives and ideas to each other.
Senator Kaufman. Thank you.
Senator Shaheen.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all
for appearing here.
I would like to follow up a little bit more with what
Senator Wicker has raised relative to how do you measure
success of the broadcasts. You have talked about some of the
anecdotes and about your own internal efforts to research among
the population what the listening audiences are.
Are there other ways that you should be thinking about to
measure success, and what are those? And are you looking at
doing anything else in the future?
Mr. Simmons. Well, the measures that we look at are, first
of all, what is the reach, how many people do we reach. So
audience-measure is very important. Second, we look at what the
audience thinks about our broadcasting, are we reliable, are we
trustworthy. So I think in those two areas, we can have a
pretty good measurement of how many people are listening and do
they think we are trustworthy.
Third, in answer to yours and also Senator Kaufman's
question, one of the Voice of America's mandates is we are to
cover American foreign policy and we are to cover America and
its institutions and its people. And there is so much
misinformation about America in a lot of the places we
broadcast to about what our policies are and who we are as a
people, that we consider it important to convey programming
that sets the record straight with our policy and sets the
record straight with what the American people think.
For example, Governor Blaya pointed out Al Jazeera
broadcasts. We are not 98 percent anti-Muslim. We run shows on
VOA on a regular basis about how muslims live in America, and
we profile them and try to make it sort of a reality show to
show that there is not the kind of situation for them that is
perceived abroad.
So those are some of the ways we measure impact. It is
difficult to--and I will just close and hand it over to my
colleagues. But it is difficult to, as Governor Hirschberg
said, sort of say you are changing attitudes in a particular
place because the attitudes toward America and what we are
doing are affected by so many different things.
Senator Shaheen. Sure.
Mr. Simmons. I mean, if people do not like our attitude
toward an Arab country or whatever policy, whatever we
broadcast--I mean, they are going to continue to have that
attitude.
Senator Shaheen. Let me just follow up on one of the things
you said. Excuse me, Governor Hirschberg.
You talked about do people trust what they are hearing in
the broadcast. How do you determine that, given the difficulty
of polling research in places like Afghanistan where it is very
hard to be in touch with your audience on the one hand and, on
the other, to determine any sort of objective sample for who is
listening?
Mr. Hirschberg. Senator, I am delighted you asked the
question. We are in touch with our audience. We are in touch
with them and interact with them through our programming on a
daily basis.
But the manner in which we measure not just impact and
reach but understanding as well is through independent
research. We contract with Intermedia and they contract with
A.C. Nielsen, IPSOS, and other independent research
organizations to conduct their research for us. If we did this
ourselves internally, nobody would believe us. So we do have
independent organizations that go out and research this for us.
And the research measures things that we have already talked
about and it informs our programming. If we need to change
programming, modify it if we have to look for new audiences or
reach audiences in different ways, our research does that as
well. So it is independent of us.
Senator Shaheen. So who makes those programming decisions?
Mr. Hirschberg. Our professional journalists make those
programming decisions and the language services. As board
members, we do not.
Senator Shaheen. You talked about the broadcast directed at
the border regions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. How much of
greater Pakistan is listening to the programming?
Mr. Simmons. Well, the board took the initiative several
years ago to create a program that would reach all of Pakistan.
At the time, we had a very small audience. And we first created
a radio network called Radio Aap ki Dunyaa, which in Urdu means
Your World Radio. And it is an AM signal, and now it reaches
all of Pakistan. It has about 6 million listeners that listen
at least once a week. Radio is more popular in the rural areas.
So that is where that is focused for the most part.
And then we said, well, we want to look at the urban areas,
and we created a television program called ``Beyond the
Headlines'' which runs every night five nights a week for half
an hour on GEO, which is the most popular cable network in
Pakistan. And that also reaches close to 6 million viewers at
night.
So together they reach between 11 million and 12 million
people every week.
We have recently--and by recently, real recently, in the
last few weeks--agreed with the Pakistan Broadcasting
Corporation to carry the radio station not just on this AM
network, but on FMs throughout the country. So I think the
audience will increase.
So that is the mechanism and those are the audience
figures. We do not have exact audience figures for the border
region, which you asked about. We are the only international
broadcaster now reaching that region in Pashto, which is the
language spoken there. And we are doing research right now. So
we will have that answer for you. But everything we get back is
it is widely listened to and widely respected. Again, it is the
only international broadcaster that is really bringing this
news comprehensively in a balanced way.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you. My time has expired, Mr.
Chairman.
Senator Kaufman. Are you using the same techniques in
general that were used during the cold war and the Second World
War?
Mr. Hirschberg. You mean the same techniques for----
Senator Kaufman. Same types of techniques.
Mr. Hirschberg. No. The world has changed. We have an
Internet, which we did not have then. We have television which
we did not have then. We have SMS which we did not have then.
We have podcasting which we did not have then. We have Internet
streaming which we did not have then.
The goal of the BBG is to deliver appropriate programming
on multimedia independent platforms wherever we can do so. In
some places of the world, we have the resources to do all it.
In other parts of the world, we only have the resources to do
one of those delivery platforms, and in some parts of the
world, only one delivery platform is appropriate because the
rest of it, for the most part, does not exist. So it really
depends upon which country we broadcast to or which language
service we are talking about.
Senator Wicker. May I interject?
Senator Kaufman. Sure.
Senator Wicker. How many of those exist in Afghanistan?
Mr. Hirschberg. Radio is the most popular medium by far.
Senator Wicker. Internet at all?
Mr. Hirschberg. I think it is roughly 3 to 4 percent maybe.
Not even that high? It is not even that large?
Senator Wicker. Cell phones?
Mr. Simmons. Cell phones are about--in Afghanistan,
Internet is not a factor. So we cannot really use that
mechanism. Almost 50 percent of the population is estimated to
have a cell phone. We are right now working on methods to reach
the audience that uses cell phones. One thing that we have to
keep in mind is there is a very large illiteracy rate in
Afghanistan. So we cannot do texting as much as we might think.
So we are looking at, can we do audio streaming and that kind
of thing in addition to texting.
Senator Wicker. And hardly any television.
Mr. Simmons. We do have television in Afghanistan. It is
not as popular, as Governor Hirschberg indicated. Over 90
percent of the population owns a radio. About 49 percent own a
television. So we do about an hour per night of television,
which we just began a couple of years ago, called TV Ashna. It
is popular, and we get a significant amount of viewing from it.
But most of our listenership at this point in Afghanistan still
comes from radio.
Senator Kaufman. Spend a few minutes, because I think
Senator Wicker has asked a very, very important question, about
what do you say when you are in a town meeting in Tupelo or any
other town.
So during the cold war, there were questions about the
effectiveness of U.S. international broadcasting. What did we
find after the cold war was over in terms of people's reaction
to how effective United States international broadcasting had
been to bring about changes in the former Soviet Union?
Mr. Hirschberg. Well, if you talk to Mikhail Gorbachev,
Boris Yeltsin, Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel, any number of the
people that we have talked to over the years, you know the
effectiveness of U.S. international broadcasting because it has
been widely credited with helping end the totalitarianism of
that period. And indeed, in 1993, Boris Yeltsin gave Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty a special decree to broadcast in Russia as
a result of that, and that, unfortunately, was revoked by
President Putin some 10 years later. But, nonetheless, for the
10 years that it was there, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty had
a special place in Russia. Voice of America had a special place
in Russia and in the former Soviet Union as well, a very
special place.
And not just anecdotally, but when you have the number of
people that even today come up to governors of U.S.
international broadcasting or our broadcast entities and say
that--you have to be of a certain age now--but say that during
those years they would miss everything but one of our
broadcasts, you know the effectiveness it has had.
We are experiencing around the world today the same type of
reaction to U.S. international broadcasting. You know, Senator
Wicker, I am from Oshkosh, WI, not from Tupelo, MS, but I have
to answer the same types of questions. And I look at U.S.
international broadcasting and part of the problem with U.S.
international broadcasting is it does not have a wide domestic
constituency. That is because of Smith-Mundt, we are prohibited
from broadcasting within the confines of the continental United
States. But I think our constituencies in Congress and in the
countries that we broadcast to, in the State Department, within
the military who understand what we do are very high and very
strong.
Senator Kaufman. Can you kind of tell us what the
difference is between broadcasting like PSYOPs where you take a
basic message that the Government has and put it out as opposed
to the kind of broadcasting we do in terms of effectiveness and
which one would be more effective in your opinion in
Afghanistan and Iraq?
Mr. Hirschberg. Well, I really would prefer not to comment
on the Department of Defense's PSYOPs.
Senator Kaufman. No. I am not talking about the Department
of Defense's PSYOPs, but just the concept of broadcasting
propaganda.
Mr. Hirschberg. Well, I think people lose their taste for
it after a while once they recognize what it is. Our mission
statement is very simple and it is in a sentence. For those
that have not remembered it or need a reminder like I do, I am
going to tell you what it is, and it is in one sentence. ``To
promote freedom and democracy and to enhance understanding
through multimedia communication of accurate, objective, and
balanced news, information, and programming about America and
the world to audiences overseas.''
We are a straight journalistic organization that provides
objective news and information and balanced news and
information in the American tradition. And we believe that when
we do that, our research figures and our audience figures show
the audiences to which we broadcast and communicate find us
credible.
Senator Kaufman. And how would you characterize the
movement of free press around the world? Are most countries
getting freer in their press and do not need as much of what
the U.S. international broadcasting does, or is it more?
Mr. Hirschberg. It is in retreat. Free press is in retreat
around the world. In one of my other iterations, as you know, I
am a trustee of Freedom House, and our latest analysis for
freedom in the world in 2009, nations in transition, 2009, all
shows a retreat of press freedom in the world; not enhancing
press freedom in the world.
So in my personal view and I think in the view of all of us
on this board, our existence is mission-critical to U.S.
strategic and foreign policy interests, and it would be a shame
to have it diminished in any way.
Senator Kaufman. How important is it to broadcast in the
local language?
Mr. Hirschberg. In certain places in the world, it is
absolutely critical because in the vernacular for the surrogate
broadcasters, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio Free
Asia, in some cases Mideast Broadcast News, and in some cases
places in the world, Voice of America provides that function as
well. And so does Office of Cuba broadcasting. But it is
critical because those populations do not--there is no free
press in most of these places, and they do not obtain from
their own press, from their own media domestic sources balanced
and objective news and information about their own populations.
That was true in the Soviet Union. It is true today in other
places of the world in which we broadcast.
Senator Kaufman. Governor Simmons.
Mr. Simmons. Just to quickly add that I completely agree
with Governor Hirschberg. I would just add that there still is,
we believe, an important role for English to be broadcast
around the world, and in certain places we maintain our English
broadcasts because there is an audience there. We think it is
important to keep it on the Internet. So, yes, we need to
emphasize and put most of our focus on the vernacular
languages, but we still feel there is a role for English.
Senator Kaufman. Senator Wicker.
Senator Wicker. Thank you, and I appreciate your in-depth
answers to all of these questions.
Let me just ask some brief questions, sort of a cleanup.
Are we getting all of the cooperation from the Governments of
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan with regard to access rights?
Anyplace we have asked to broadcast which we are not getting
full cooperation?
Mr. Simmons. I will speak about the Afghanistan/sort of
Pakistan region, and I will let Governor Blaya speak about Iraq
or the Mideast if you want to broaden it because the question
was broad, a little bit.
We have gotten cooperation, but there have been challenges.
For example, right now we have a transmitter that is vital to
broadcasting to the border region. We have spent funds on it.
We can have this transmitter turned on, Senator, in a matter of
weeks, and the Minister of Information in Afghanistan is
holding us up and not allowing us to do this despite the
agreement previously to allow us to do it.
Senator Wicker. A member of the Karzai administration.
Mr. Simmons. Correct. Exactly correct. And we have asked
repeatedly. The State Department has asked repeatedly on our
behalf. And it is very disappointing, given the sacrifice that
this country is making in the Afghan theater in terms of
resources and blood, to have this kind of lack of cooperation
from a member of the Karzai government. So that is one area----
Senator Wicker. What justification do they offer?
Mr. Simmons. None really. It is just bureaucratic delay. We
are not given any real rationale. It is sort of paper
shuffling, to be honest. If there was an explanation, at least
we could have a debate about it. I mean, it has been approved
up until the stage of being turned on. So there was some
discussion about them wanting to control everything that went
out on the transmitter so that if there was anything ``anti-
Afghan''----
Senator Wicker. That would be different from what we have
agreed to in every instance. Would it not?
Mr. Simmons. Yes. We cannot be at the whim of a bureaucrat
to sort of tell us you cannot broadcast that. We have to be
independent journalists, and we broadcast throughout
Afghanistan, as we have talked about before, without that
measure. For whatever reason, this is being thrust our way at
this point with this particular transmitter.
Senator Wicker. Are there any informal fees that need to be
paid or are being requested?
Mr. Simmons. I will let my brother----
Mr. Hirschberg. Absolutely not, not by us. So the answer to
that is ``No.'' The State Department is the transmitter----
Senator Wicker. So that is never raised by another
government because they know that it is absolutely out of the
question.
Mr. Hirschberg. Well, they know that it is forbidden under
the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In every one
of the BBG contracts for transmission, whether it is from the
International Broadcasting Bureau or any of our other entities,
there is a statement in the agreements that no fees have been
paid. So we get a commitment on that. That is not the problem
here.
I must say the State Department has been extremely helpful
to us. Ambassador Holbrooke has been personally very helpful to
us, and right now we are just stymied. We cannot get that
transmitter turned on.
Mr. Simmons. And I also might add that the Congress was
generous, as has been mentioned before, in authorizing and
appropriating $10 million for a service that is to use that
transmitter. Enough said, but that is the situation there.
In Pakistan, generally in the border region--Pakistan now
has opened up a lot for us. So under President Musharraf, we
had a lot of regulations that were very difficult. It is still
a difficult place in terms of freedom of information, but at
least we are now able to lease these new FMs I talked about
throughout Pakistan and broadcast news.
Otherwise, I think we, in Afghanistan, have had pretty good
cooperation, aside from what we just talked about.
Do you want to talk about Iraq, Governor Blaya?
Mr. Blaya. Well, Iraq and the Middle East is a different
picture. In spite of the fact that they are closed societies
and nondemocratic, through the magic of satellite, you have
open distribution in the whole region for television and
obviously through our FM stations in-country, as I described.
The one country in the Middle East, a major player in the
Middle East, where we do not have access is Egypt. Not the
over-the-air transmission, the satellite transmission on
television, but the opportunity to originate locally through FM
or AM stations within-country.
Senator Wicker. Well, I really did not expect that question
to require that extensive of an answer, but I appreciate that.
Let me just ask: Voice of America had a seminar in Kabul,
as I understand, on October 7. How out of the ordinary is that?
I was surprised to learn that we did anything other than
broadcasting, but I was told that Voice of America did a 2-day
seminar on counternarcotics. Do we hold other seminars on other
topics? Is my information correct there?
Mr. Simmons. We had a seminar financed by a State
Department grant on narcotics, and we have--are you asking
about programming on narcotics or seminars or----
Senator Wicker. Well, I was just surprised to learn that
you were doing anything other than broadcasting; and holding
this seminar, a 2-day seminar on counternarcotics, would seem
to me to be a bit of an expansion of your mission. And so I
thought I would let you respond to that on the record.
Mr. Simmons. Yes. My understanding, Senator, is that the
seminar was actually to train journalists on how to cover the
issue of narcotics. So it was related to media training.
Senator Wicker. Very well.
And then finally, public diplomacy is approached by three
other agencies, State, Defense, and USAID and in different
ways. I am told that under the statutes and the way that State
is organized, the public diplomacy activities of State, DOD,
and USAID are coordinated by Richard Holbrooke, the Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. To what extent are
you all in on that discussion? Is Mr. Holbrooke and is his
office part of the coordination effort that might include the
BBG, as well as State, DOD, and USAID?
Mr. Hirschberg. If the question is, Are we in the room from
time to time? the answer is ``Yes.'' If the question is, Does
the State Department or Ambassador Holbrooke suggest
programming or content to us? the answer is ``No.''
Senator Wicker. They suggest coverage and the area of the
world where they would like you to be, but they do not
suggest----
Mr. Hirschberg. Content.
Senator Wicker [continuing]. The content.
Mr. Hirschberg. That is correct.
Senator Wicker. Thank you very much.
Senator Kaufman. Thank you, Senator Wicker. I really
appreciate you being here, and you have brought a lot to this
discussion.
I just want to thank everyone for participating today.
Hopefully we will do this again in another area of the world.
Obviously, in Afghanistan and Iraq, since we have our troops in
harm's way, this is the most important thing that we can
possibly be working on. I think it is really extraordinary that
when you have two countries where you have 56 percent of the
people in one country and 73 percent of the people in the other
country listening to U.S. international broadcasting on a
regular basis and getting both sides of every discussion, also
programming about the United States and especially in an area
of the world which, as was stated by the board, more and more
it is becoming the case where there is no statement of our
policy--many places in the world, they hear nothing about what
American policy is; what American policy has done.
I have just got to tell a short story. And that is I was in
China right after the missile hit the Chinese Embassy in
Belgrade, and people say, well, why is it important to be
broadcasting into China? Obviously, China does everything to
stop us from broadcasting.
But I was in China. I spoke to a lot of people and people
in the government, and the constant refrain I had about the
missile and the Belgrade Embassy was, OK, we understand
accidents happen. But why did President Clinton never
apologize? I said, President Clinton went on national
television in the United States and around the world and
apologized at great length, but no one in China ever heard the
apology. In many of these places of the world, if it was not
for U.S. international broadcasting, the people would never
hear what any of our public officials have to say on absolutely
anything.
So I think that, in addition to being the model of a free
press in every country of the world that we broadcast into,
people at least know what a free press is. In many places in
the world, they have never had a free press. They have no
understanding of free press. When you talk to their
journalists, they have no idea what a free press is. So another
important factor.
But I want to thank you for what you do, and I know what an
incredible sacrifice all, past and present, BBG broadcasters
have made. Blanquita Cullum cannot be here today, but we have
had a number of folks over there who have made a contribution.
So I want to thank you all.
I will leave the record open until 4 o'clock tomorrow,
Friday, October 16, for any additional questions or statements
that people want to make.
With that, I adjourn the hearing.
[Whereupon, at 3:55 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
----------
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
Responses of Joaquin Blaya, Jeffrey Hirschberg, and Steven Simmons,
Broadcasting Board of Governors, Washington, DC, to Questions Submitted
for the Record
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR JOHN F. KERRY
Question. The BBG's 2008-13 strategic plan calls on the BBG to
cooperate more closely with U.S. Government agencies engaged in public
diplomacy. This would mark a significant departure from past practice.
Why did the BBG choose to make this change and what steps is the BBG
taking to work more closely with U.S. public diplomacy?
Answer. U.S. international broadcasting has always been engaged
with the broader U.S. Government public diplomacy community. Under
USIA, the Voice of America carried out its role under its charter that
prescribed accurate, objective, and comprehensive journalism. Today,
under the BBG, this journalistic mandate is prescribed for all BBG
broadcasters. Yet the U.S. International Broadcasting Act did not
intend that the broadcasters become ``unmoored'' from the broad
objectives of American policy. The Secretary of State's membership on
the BBG board, with the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public
Affairs acting as her designee, provides for active participation by
the State Department in BBG board meetings and decisionmaking. The
Under Secretary receives all memoranda and other communications sent to
board members.
The BBG also recognizes that U.S. international broadcasting is a
vital USG public diplomacy program, albeit one with a distinct role:
objective journalism. In any given country or market, especially in
conflict zones, BBG broadcasting is but one of often many USG
communications activities. It benefits the BBG, and the U.S. Government
as whole, for the agencies carrying out these activities to know what
one another is doing and how each is contributing to overall USG aims.
In furtherance of the strategic plan objectives, the BBG has become
over the last several years actively engaged in interagency planning
for public diplomacy and strategic communications and has taken the
lead in sharing research data and analysis. The BBG has a seat at the
table for the weekly Interagency Policy Committee meetings chaired by
the National Security Council and is otherwise active in numerous
governmentwide strategic coordination efforts. For the last several
years, the BBG has cochaired an interagency research working group, has
developed a Web-based, searchable database of BBG global audience and
market data for governmentwide access, and has cosponsored
communication research seminars on the priority countries of
Afghanistan and Pakistan (with more planned for the future) to inform
PD/SC strategy for practitioners and policymakers alike.
Question. Despite some recent improvements in program quality,
Alhurra has been widely criticized for being ineffective at reaching
Middle Eastern audiences. According to critics, the Alhurra brand is
now so tarnished that the United States should stop spending tens of
millions of dollars each year on this broadcasting outlet. How do you
respond to these critics? How likely is it that this tarnished brand
can penetrate an incredibly competitive media market in the short to
medium term?
Answer. According to international research firms including
ACNielsen, Alhurra has a weekly reach of more than 26 million people.
Alhurra is penetrating the incredibly competitive media market across
the Middle East. As noted in our testimony before the committee,
Alhurra is the fourth leading TV channel in Iraq among hundreds of
channels available by satellite and locally with 32 percent daily, and
64 percent, weekly reach. Alhurra is among Iraqis' top choices for news
and information on TV. This is not an indication of a tarnished brand
in a competitive marketplace. Research also states that audiences find
the programs trustworthy, and increase their understanding of America.
For example in Iraq, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Alhurra's weekly
audience finds the news to be credible. A majority of those who watch
Alhurra have also reported that Alhurra has increased their
understanding of U.S. policies (64 percent) and increased their
understanding of current events (66 percent). These measures are
derived from surveys taken by independent research organizations such
as ACNielsen.
When the Middle East Broadcasting Networks were formed, there was a
pressing need to revamp U.S. broadcasting to the 22 countries of the
Middle East. At that time, VOA shortwave broadcasts to the region
reached a very small audience (approximately 2 percent). Today, we are
broadcasting 24/7 via radio and television and have transmission
agreements to broadcast locally in countries such as Iraq, Jordan,
Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Djibouti, and Cyprus, as well as via
satellite on NileSat, ArabSat, and EutelSat.
Confusion over the reach of Alhurra may stem from citations from
other research that is designed to measure the ``most popular''
stations in the Middle East, rather than to measure sustained
viewership. These polls do not probe frequency of media use, and thus
do not derive an audience measure. Instead, they ask what station the
viewer tunes to first. In contrast, the BBG gauges audience reach and
addresses actual media consumption. Millions of Arabs for whom Alhurra
is not their first choice for international news nonetheless watch the
channel. Indeed, BBG research shows that Arabs routinely consult
multiple sources, far more than two, for news and information.
While it is a rare instance in which the programming of a U.S.
international broadcasting entity, broadcasting in any medium, ranks
among the most popular broadcasters in a particular market overseas,
this happens to be the case for Alhurra in Iraq and for RFE/RL in
Afghanistan. Alhurra figures among the top 20 stations in each of the
14 markets where the BBG has done research--except in Saudi Arabia,
where it is 21st.
Question. At a time when other critical broadcasts are being cut
(for instance, VOA Russia just days before the war with Georgia) could
U.S. broadcasting agencies spend these resources more effectively on
other activities, such as supporting independently generated content
that could be broadcast on local satellite channels? Should we be
spending our resources on putting more U.S. policymakers on programs
that are widely watched throughout the Arab world, instead of creating
a weaker competitor?
Answer. Having radio, television, and Internet programming on the
air 24 hours a day provides a consistent source of accurate news and
information and a place to turn for context and explanation of the
United States and its policies. This opportunity is not limited to when
we are able to book a USG official on air, or when the foreign-owned
station will air it.
The BBG funds programming that must meet its journalistic
standards, and that can be distributed via channels that it can
control. Certainly the USG can, and does, fund the creation of
independently generated programming that can be placed on local
channels. We are not aware of any research that tracks the
effectiveness of such programming, or the frequency with which such
placements are made. We do not see this as an either/or proposition,
but very different communications strategies. And there is room for
both.
Alhurra and Radio Sawa have substantial audiences in the Arab
world. Radio Sawa continues to be one of the top-rated radio stations
in countries where it can be heard via FM transmitters. Alhurra is the
third most popular pan-Arab news channels in the region, exceeding the
audience of BBC-Arabic, Russia Today, France24 and all other
nonindigenous pan-Arab news channels. Alhurra and Sawa news reports are
increasingly picked up by prominent local media and utilized either on-
air, in print, or posted on the Internet. Within 24 hours of Alhurra's
interview with Secretary of State Clinton on November 3, there were
over 30 media pickups by other press organizations in or covering the
region, including by the BBC, AFP, Elaph, Alquds, Almanar, Assafir, Now
Lebanon, Alwatan, Palestine Voice, and Iraq of Tomorrow. This is a
strong impact indicator. In an important marketplace such as the Middle
East it is important not only to have USG voices throughout the media,
but also to control when the interview airs and the context of the
interview. The media in the region is not truly independent; it is
strongly influenced by Arab governments, either directly or indirectly.
America needs its own voice in the Middle East.
There have been reductions in some areas of U.S. international
broadcasting, such as to Russia, and increases in investment to the
Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. To a large extent, the
changes to broadcasting to Russia reflect realignments of the agency's
broadcast strategy, as well as market realities. The BBG has two
broadcast services that provide programming in Russian: VOA and RFE/RL.
Only a few years ago, these broadcasts were carried over a robust
network of AM and FM ``affiliate'' stations--private stations with
which the BBG cultivated a relationship to carry VOA and RFE/RL
programs. These stations were key to delivering programming in a
marketplace where shortwave broadcasts were drastically declining in
popularity. During the Putin years, these affiliates were threatened
with the loss of their broadcast licenses if they continued to
broadcast the programming of VOA and RFE/RL. Some 90 BBG AM and FM
affiliate stations were reduced to, literally, a handful. After an
evaluation of the new broadcast realities, the agency proposed to
migrate VOA toward an Internet delivery platform, (utilizing audio and
video feeds) given the growth of that media in the region. RFE/RL
continues to broadcast 19 hours daily via shortwave. Radio broadcasting
in the Georgian language has been increased.
The agency believes it is important to adjust its broadcast
strategies given changes in the broadcast marketplaces and media
environments, to maximize the ability of our broadcast entities to
reach their intended audiences, and to reflect changes in U.S. policy
priorities. With respect to the most recent broadcast advances under
the BBG--broadcasting to the Middle East, to Iran, and the AfPak
region--the USG actively supported the new investment necessary to
mount and sustain a communications link to these critical areas.
The BBG continuously assesses its resource allocation strategy
against U.S. policy priorities. Changes are made to make the most of
limited resources. International broadcasting continues to be one of
the most cost-effective public-diplomacy tools given its realized and
potential impact.
Question. The BBG has been described as an organizational jumble of
broadcasting entities, each its own independent human resource offices,
finance offices, and management structures. What could the BBG be doing
to streamline operations and spend more of its funds on broadcasting
rather than administration? In addition to operating more efficiently,
would a more streamlined operation also be more effective in terms of
developing and implementing a U.S. broadcasting strategy? Would that
also help improve morale among workers?
Answer. The U.S. International Broadcasting Act consolidated U.S.
broadcasting entities within a single agency, but left intact the
different federal and corporate grantee structures. Given that the
federal agency (encompassing VOA and OCB) must follow government laws
and regulations with respect to hiring, contracting, and other matters
that the grantees may not be required to follow, some separate
administrative functions are required.
Since becoming an independent federal agency, the BBG has
streamlined engineering operations and services, as well as marketing
and affiliate offices--both consolidated under the IBB. The agency has
also streamlined certain broadcast services, by eliminating services in
Eastern Europe where media freedom is well developed. In other
streamlining efforts, the agency has reduced the number of broadcast
entities that serve a single market. Such streamlining efforts
recognize the underlying principle in the U.S. International
Broadcasting Act that establishes professional broadcast ``standards
and principles'' for all of the broadcast entities under the BBG. These
principles, which utilize the VOA Charter as their foundation, provide
for a uniformity of professionalism and journalistic standards for all
BBG broadcasters, and allow for a broad-based journalistic role for all
entities.
The agency has also encouraged the sharing of exclusive and other
interviews and news stories among broadcast entities in order to
leverage the ability to produce more powerful programming across the
broadcast entities. This is a recent development that, over time,
should promote a broader culture of partnership across the entities,
and an appreciation of U.S. international broadcasting as a cohesive
unit.
Whether further streamlining of operations and/or programming would
improve employee morale is uncertain. To date, efforts to streamline
programming or operations often result in concerns that the agency is
seeking to weaken a specific broadcast entity, when in fact the
strategic goal is to strengthen U.S. international broadcasting as a
whole.
Question. The Middle East Broadcasting Network has come under
scrutiny from the Inspector General and consumes an enormous budget.
Why is this separate entity, which employs significant numbers of
outside contractors, necessary? Could we not rely on the experienced
staff of Voice of America, which attracts significant viewership in
Afghanistan and Iran?
Answer. The Office of Inspector General is currently doing a
routine inspection of MBN, just as it does with all BBG entities. MBN's
current OIG inspection has been incorrectly written up in the press as
if OIG were investigating an allegation or complaint. These reports are
inaccurate.
Several years ago, OIG did a review to determine whether sufficient
editorial processes were in place to ensure that programming aired was
consistent with MBN's Journalistic Code of Ethics and they commended
Alhurra for ``taking significant steps to tighten its procedures and
policies in order to protect its credibility that is critical to
fulfilling its mission.'' Such reviews are not unique to MBN. OIG
performed an inspection of VOA's Deewa Radio earlier this year to
examine editorial procedures and safeguards.
When the Middle East Broadcasting Networks were formed, there was a
pressing need to revamp U.S. broadcasting to the 22 countries of the
Middle East. At that time, VOA broadcast via shortwave to a very small
audience (less than 2 percent). After 9/11, calls for a strong response
to engage significant audiences in the region were intense, and
proposals to establish the new service under VOA or RFE/RL were
evaluated. The BBG, the administration and Congress determined that the
most effective means to meet the requirement most efficiently was to
establish a new grantee.
MBN, a grantee organization similar to RFE/RL and RFA, operates
under the same journalistic standards under the U.S. International
Broadcasting Act. It is a full-service broadcaster to the region
carrying out the act's program mandates with respect to presenting the
policies of the United States, as well as providing local news and
information to Middle Eastern audiences.
Television is a more expensive medium than radio, but it is
currently the medium of choice for audiences seeking news in the
region, with research showing that nearly 90 percent of the region's
population relies on television to receive their news. As a public
diplomacy tool with the ability to affect the perspectives of millions,
television broadcasting to the Middle East is a cost-beneficial
investment.
Question. As the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
approaches, we are reminded of the importance of Voice of America in
keeping hopes of freedom alive in the Eastern bloc. The Voice of
America still plays an important role, but the media landscape has
changed dramatically in the last 20 years. What do you need to be as
effective as possible in Iraq and Afghanistan, to maximize your reach,
using, for example, mobile technology which is so important there?
Answer. As in broadcasting to other areas, broadcasting to Iraq and
Afghanistan require sustained investment and an ability to reach
audiences with quality programming in the vernacular language,
transmitted through the media the audiences use and prefer. For the
most part, this means providing transmission via radio and television.
But the Internet and mobile devices will play an increasingly prominent
role, and the agency is testing these markets and increasing its
capability to utilize them. BBG programming can currently be heard via
mobile device. But in certain markets, the use of mobile devices for
audio use is still limited, too expensive, or both.
There are three main factors to maximizing reach via cellphones.
First, good audience and market research is critical to know precisely
who is using cell phones, to what extent, and how--as well as to
understand the capabilities and services of local cell phone companies.
SMS for personal messages is generally ubiquitous, but do users also
receive news via SMS messages? Do they pay for such messages? If not,
can news providers pay for and send them messages?
In Afghanistan, over 70 percent of the population is illiterate, so
text messages are less relevant than voice messages. In Iraq, some 22
percent of cell phone users listen to the radio and 17 percent access
the Internet on their phones. The phone is thus an enabler of parallel
media as opposed to being an entirely separate channel in its own
right. Second, adequate funding is required for sustained, daily
message service, where and when messages are appropriate. The cost can
run as much as two or three cents per message, and quickly adds up: one
daily, headline service to 100,000 users would be $2,000-$3,000. Third,
cooperation from local governments and telecommunications firms is
necessary. It is not always possible for foreign entities to have
unfettered access to local cell phone networks. VOA has not yet been
able to implement service in Afghanistan with funding from the State
Department for antinarcotics messages due to difficulties with Afghan
cell phone companies. Negotiations there continue.
Question. What is your relationship to local independent media
outlets, such as Moby Media and Tolo TV in Afghanistan which broadcast
programs that hold government accountable and introduce ideas such as
empowerment of women, often through narratives. Do you support local
media, or are you in competition with it? In followup, how do you
respond to claims that BBG outlets draw staff away from those local
entities due to their higher pay? Is that the right effect of our
engagement in these countries?
Answer. First, the BBG mandate is to provide accurate and objective
information to significant audiences abroad. We are not in competition
with local media, but we provide a Western journalistic model that is
unique in these areas. Neither do we provide grant assistance directly
to local media. BBG grants are limited to the radio and television
organizations over which the BBG has supervision, and which fall under
the journalistic requirements of the U.S. International Broadcasting
Act. The BBG does facilitate some journalism training programs, often
in coordination with USAID and State Department posts overseas. The
agency also may provide assistance to local stations that carry our
programming during a portion of their broadcast schedules. In these
cases, we may make a small payment to the station to pay for air time,
or we may provide a satellite downlink capability so that the station
may pull down our programming for rebroadcast.
For example, the BBG has had discussions with Tolo TV in the past
regarding the possibility of airing VOA programming on Tolo.
Unfortunately, their price for time on the air (which was priced by the
second) was prohibitive--up to $3 million to place a half-hour program.
Such a price would have made Tolo the most expensive affiliate
relationship the BBG has ever had. Overall, we have found that buying
air time in Afghanistan can only be accomplished at inflated prices,
partly because of competition from other USG agencies for air time.
BBG entities do not seek to draw staff away from local broadcasters
in Afghanistan. However, we do have a critical requirement for
journalists with local language skills and knowledge of the local
political and cultural scene to enhance our broadcasts and the
connection they make with audiences. Often, these skills are found in
local journalists or broadcasters. In the case of BBG broadcasting to
Afghanistan, the talents and knowledge of the RFE/RL and VOA staff have
made our broadcasts the most listened-to in the country. It is true
that VOA and RFE/RL have several current employees who once worked for
Tolo. About 4 years ago, RFE/RL hired a journalist from Tolo TV to work
in Radio Azadi's headquarters in Prague. In addition, two former Tolo
broadcasters are employed by VOA Afghan TV. VOA did not actively
recruit either broadcaster. Each responded to VOA's broad solicitation
for employment, and was selected.
The BBG provides occasional assistance to local broadcasters,
especially in the area of journalism training. In Afghanistan, RFE/RL
may provide assistance to media outlets if they request help and
support. For example, RFE/RL has helped state radio in training their
journalists. It has also provided internships to the faculty of
journalism. In 2007, RFE/RL had a 1-year affiliation with Ariana TV, in
which Radio Azadi programming was rebroadcast over the Ariana network.
But this affiliation was ended due to the inconsistent quality of
Ariana TV production.
VOA also provides some training opportunities overseas. Recent
activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan have focused on training local
VOA employees and stringers. In October 2009, VOA hosted a 2-day
seminar on narcotics trafficking in Afghanistan, where 90 percent of
the world's opium is produced. The series of workshops was designed to
educate VOA journalists working in Afghanistan to fully understand the
impact of narcotics addiction, treatment, and how illicit poppy
cultivation is funding the Taliban insurgency. It also explained new
and emerging U.S. policies to VOA journalists who are gearing up to do
special television and radio series on Afghanistan's narcotics problem.
The seminar brought together top Afghan officials, U.S. representatives
and experts on the drug trade, including Ahmad Beg Qaderi, General
Prosecutor from Afghanistan's Anti-Drug Force; General Daoud Daoud,
Deputy Interior Minister of Counter Narcotics; Mark Calhoun from the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; and Drew Quinn from the U.S.
Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section. Along with two days of briefings,
VOA journalists also visited the Nejat Center in Kabul, where treatment
programs are available for Afghans suffering from drug addiction and
HIV and AIDS. In October, the Afghan service aired special radio and
television segments on Afghanistan's narcotics epidemic.
Another training session funded by the State Department is planned
for November/December 2009 for VOA Afghan TV stringers in Dubai. Eleven
stringers will travel from Afghanistan to Dubai for a week of training
in camera and TV reporting.
In August 2009, Deewa Radio service chief Nafees Takar traveled to
Islamabad and Quetta to conduct journalism training for 21 Deewa
stringers. The stringers discussed VOA's journalistic standards and
practices, received hands-on training on how to file a story and how to
coordinate coverage efforts amongst themselves and with Deewa staff in
Washington.
BBG programming in Afghanistan is not in competition with local
media that utilize objective reporting techniques. We view our
broadcasts as complementary to these broadcasters. However, it is still
the case that even the more ``objective'' media in Afghanistan do not
meet the standards of objectivity required of BBG entities. The focus
and scope of much local Afghan media is on entertainment, while RFE/RL
and VOA are more focused on news, information, and the discussion of
ideas by serving as a platform for debate, and for interaction with
listeners through call-in shows. Special programs on women's issues,
youth, and religious tolerance provide ideas that are simply not a part
of the Afghan media environment on any consistent basis. Besides being
the most trusted and reliable radio, Azadi (RFE/RL) also offers public
service broadcasting that helps to provide answers to the daily
concerns of listeners and seeks to hold government, officials, warlords
and other powerful individuals in government and society to account. In
short, U.S. international broadcasting provides local coverage and
perspective on daily events, but with an international standard of
quality in terms of content, and with a higher standard of journalism.
By contrast, local media may advocate personal, political, social,
religious, ethnic, cultural and regional agendas which sometimes
conflict with ideas such as the empowerment of women and other
minorities, as well as the concept of Afghan national unity generally.
RFE/RL and VOA follow a two-source rule. Local media may allow reports
based on rumor, unreliable and unverifiable sources, and may suffer
from an absence of editorial checks and balances.
Question. Why is U.S. policy to spend millions of dollars on our
own broadcasts, as opposed to spending equivalent amounts in creating
cadres of citizen journalists, training local journalists to report
credible and quality programs, and providing financing to support real
investigative journalism by local reporters?
Answer. As noted above, we do not view U.S. international
broadcasting and support for indigenous broadcasters as being mutually
exclusive. The United States has engaged in international broadcasting
for over 60 years. These broadcast efforts help build democratic
institutions. BBG broadcasters also serve as an example of professional
journalism in the countries to which they broadcasting.
In Afghanistan, new indigenous stations are developing. However,
much of the local media, especially the privately owned outlets,
generally advocate specific agendas. The point of these outlets is not
objective journalism, but to advance the specific political, social,
religious, ethnic, or cultural interests of particular politicians or
warlords, or tribal or ethnic groups. In short, most local media
outlets are owned by individuals, groups and parties with specific,
partisan agendas. The reality of much Afghan media is that journalists,
whatever their personal beliefs, when working for such outlets are not
free to pursue objective news stories, regardless of their training. In
such an environment of media ownership, providing journalism training
to meet an objective standard is extremely valuable, but would be
unlikely to compensate for the absence of an unbiased media, as many
journalists would remain obliged to broadcast stories that serve their
employer's interests, rather than a standard of objectivity and the
broader goals of national unity and democracy.
In many areas, most media outlets are funded by the governments and
organizations that trained journalists would be investigating. To serve
the Afghan public with reliable, trustworthy news, requires media
outlets such as RFE/RL or VOA that are committed to accurate objective
journalism. This is accomplished through strict editorial policies and
an international standard of quality journalism marked by impartiality.
BBG journalists are helping citizens to have a better and clearer
understanding of news and information and its impact on their daily
lives. U.S. international broadcasting is able to stand above the
partisan, tribal, ethnic and religious divides of Afghan society.
Question. You mentioned polling figures in your statements. Please
provide an accounting of VOA, RFE/RL and MBN's annual expenditures on
polling? In your written statement, you state that RFE/RL and VOA
combined reach 26 percent of those who say they strongly oppose the
Afghan Government. Please provide a sample of VOA and RFE/RL's polling
questions used to determine that. In a followup, should we consider 26
percent audience a high figure? Does your reach fluctuate and, if yes,
can you explain conditions that create such a fluctuation?
The BBG spent $10.4 million in fiscal year 2009 for audience and
market research. That amount divides roughly equally into quantitative
(polling via surveys) and qualitative (focus groups, in-depth
interviews, etc.) studies. The approximately $5 million for polling
covers all BBG broadcasters, including VOA, RFE/RL, and MBN as well as
Radio Free Asia and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. The BBG manages
the research, with broadcast entity participation, to avoid duplication
of effort. In countries where more than one BBG broadcaster operates,
research is jointly fielded and shared. For example, all BBG survey
research in Asia done for VOA also serves RFA. The BBG has undertaken
no recent survey research in Cuba due to methodological and regulatory
constraints. In contrast, qualitative research, which addresses
programming content and presentation, is specific to each BBG
broadcaster.
The audience reach figure among those who strongly oppose the
Afghan Government is derived from correlating responses to questions
regarding media habits and attitudes. The standard BBG question to
gauge listening and viewing is: ``Apart from today, when was the last
time you heard (or watched) a program produced by (`x' station)?''
Response categories are yesterday, last 7 days, last month, and last
year. Attitudes are captured in political typologies developed by the
Intelligence and Research Bureau of the State Department, involving the
following questions:
How much confidence do you have in the following groups of
people? A lot, some, little or no confidence in--the National
government?
And how much confidence do you have in the following groups
of people? A lot, some, little or no confidence in--Your
provincial governor?
As you look toward the future, which system do you think is
best suited for Afghanistan?
1. The restoration of the Taliban government;
2. Constitutional government respecting Islamic principles;
3. A decentralized, federal and secular democratic republic;
4. A centralized and secular democratic republic; or
5. A constitutional monarchy?
Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose
or strongly oppose the presence of the following groups in
Afghanistan today? Taliban?
How favorably or unfavorably inclined are you personally
toward the Taliban? Very, somewhat, not very, or not at all?
Who would you rather have ruling Afghanistan today: the
current government or the Taliban?
The 26-percent audience number for Afghanistan of those who oppose
the Afghan Government and listen to BBG broadcasts is a strong but not
necessarily high number. It is supported by other indicators. Afghans
have long cited RFE/RL's Radio Azadi as one of their top sources of
news. In the July and August 2009 State/INR tracking polling in
Afghanistan, Azadi was the No. 1 source among all sources, foreign and
domestic.
The total weekly audience for BBG broadcasts in Afghanistan is 56
percent of adults, 15 years of age and older. This very high level is
nonetheless down somewhat from previous years, due mostly, the BBG
believes, to rising domestic radio competition. Since 2002, some 100
local FM stations have sprouted up across the country. InterNews has
actively supported this development, launching some 35 local stations
and supporting them with programming and station management assistance.
Barring a cataclysmic event, like the return of the Taliban, Afghan
indigenous media are likely to continue to prosper, further fragmenting
the radio market and corresponding audiences. Such progress would be a
positive sign, however, indicating gathering strength of indigenous
media.
Question. You stated in your written statement that, ``Every week,
seventy-three (73 percent) of Iraqi adults . . . listen to or watch one
of the four BBG broadcasters serving the country. . . . '' Please
explain how you arrive at that figure. You stated that Alhurra has a
32-percent daily reach; Radio Sawa has a 23-percent weekly reach, RFI
has a 10-percent weekly reach, and VOA Kurdish reaches 12 percent of
its intended audience.
Answer. BBG testimony also included Alhurra's weekly audience of 64
percent. That figure, combined with those of the other BBG broadcasters
in Iraq, yields the combined, unduplicated weekly reach number of 73
percent.
______
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR RICHARD G. LUGAR
Question. At Thursday's hearing, the question was raised on the
level of cooperation offered by the Afghani Government regarding U.S.
broadcasting efforts. Mention was made by the panel that the Afghani
Government has been sitting on a U.S. Government request to begin
transmission into the border areas from Afghanistan and that one
minister in particular was at issue. For the record, please provide the
committee with a history of the transmission facility in question--when
was the tower erected, what other facilities are on site, how much
total money has the U.S. Government spent both in construction and
upkeep costs of the facility. Please provide a map showing the location
of the facility and the potential/intended broadcast coverage this
facility could provide. Last, please outline the process and timeline
by which the United States has sought to obtain official Afghani
permission/license to operate the facility, including the ministry/
minister with whom the final decision, according to your remarks at the
hearing, has sat.
Answer. BBG has yet to receive a signed copy of the contract
modification that formally permits the startup and operation of the
Khost transmitter--a project that began in fall 2005. Radio Television
Afghanistan is the expected station operator. BBG continues to hear
encouraging information from the Afghan Ministry of Information, and
there have been signs of progress.
Engineers from Radio Television Afghanistan--the state broadcaster
also controlled by the Ministry--have been given tentative approval to
perform the final commissioning of the Khost transmitter. But the
Ministry of Information continues to block the contract for the
operation of the Khost facilities by Radio Television Afghanistan
(RTA).
The foundation for establishing transmission assets in Afghanistan
dates back to 2002. A bilateral agreement between the United States and
Afghanistan was signed on October 3, 2002. This agreement grants the
United States the right to broadcast both Medium Wave from Pol e Charki
(400 KW, 1296 KHz) and FM (100.5 MHz) from various provinces in
Afghanistan. This agreement was amended on May 4, 2006, to include
additional FM locations and granted the United States the right to
construct, install, and operate a 200 KW medium wave transmitter (621
KHz) in Khost, Afghanistan. The agreement and the amendment grant the
United States full use and exclusive rights to these frequencies.
Abdul Karim Khurram, Minister of Information and Culture of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, visited IBB/VOA Washington, DC,
headquarters in May 2008 to discuss a number of issues related to the
agreement. The Minister asked that the following language be added to
the bilateral agreement.
``Afghanistan shall have the right to terminate the transmission of
programs, after consultation on issues not exceeding 24 hours, that are
deemed detrimental to the national interests of Afghanistan.''
The BBG believed this language allowed the potential for Afghan
Government to attempt to censor the content of the broadcasts. Lengthy
negotiations continued, with the Minister finally agreeing to the
existing language contained in the bilateral agreement.
Once this agreement was reached, a contract for the operation of
the Khost facilities was sent to Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) for
signature (June 2009). Minister Khurram objected to the signing of the
contract. As of November 2009, the Minister continues to block efforts
to resolve this issue, in spite of efforts by U.S. Embassy Kabul over
the past 6 months to resolve the problem.
The Khost project was also a challenging one during its earlier
construction phase. Security costs and concerns, as well as
uncertainties of doing business in Afghanistan in an area of conflict,
were factors in slowing the construction schedule. Initially, we
expected to be on the air by the end of summer 2008. Key events in the
site construction include the following:
Fall 2005: BBG launches the project to install a high-powered
medium wave (MW) radio station, and seeks assistance from Radio TV
Afghanistan (RTA) in locating a site in the border region and in
operating the station. RTA could facilitate use of a site owned by the
Afghan Government, and the acquisition of a frequency and broadcast
license. The BBG had previously worked successfully with RTA in
establishing and operating a large MW transmission station in Kabul and
FM facilities throughout Afghanistan that currently broadcast BBG
programming to Afghan audiences. RTA agrees to allow BBG to establish a
new medium wave transmitter near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
region, and to operate the station for the BBG.
March 2006: BBG awards a letter contract to Harris Corporation to
procure the medium wave transmitter, antenna, and other equipment to be
sent to the site.
April 2006: RTA surveys potential sites and recommends the location
for the MW station.
May 2006: Amendment of the country-to-country agreement between the
United States and Afghanistan signed permitting the establishment of a
new MW transmitting station. Meanwhile, VOA's Radio Deewa begins
broadcasts to local populations through a new BBG constructed FM
transmitter installed in Khost, Afghanistan, by RTA.
August 2006: Because of security and logistical concerns associated
with constructing and operating a MW station in Khost and after
consultations with RTA about locating a more easily secured site, the
BBG gave serious consideration to moving the location for the station
to a different site in Khost.
September 2006: Formal contract issued to Harris Corporation for
the installation of a self-contained MW transmitting station, including
onsite power generator. Harris selects Antensan as its major
subcontractor to provide antenna tower materials and most of the onsite
installation.
November-March 2007: Harris Corporation and Antensan survey eight
potential medium wave transmitter sites identified by the Afghan
Government for suitability related to size, topography, soil
conductivity, and ability to secure. RTA requires BBG to focus on the
site it recommended in April 2006. RTA designates the necessary
personnel to operate the station at that location.
May-September 2007: Harris Corporation prepares a detailed
statement of security requirements and costs for the project and begins
negotiations with potential subcontractor, Olive Group, to provide
security and other logistical support. BBG seeks security assistance
from DOD. DOD commits to providing secure housing for the installation
team at the Tani District Police Station and logistics support in the
form of bottled water and MREs. BBG must make appropriate arrangements
locally for adequate security required by the installation team.
September 2007: BBG confirms the level of assistance BBG can expect
from DOD during the construction of the transmitting station at Khost.
Assistance will include additional convoy security during
transportation of equipment when DOD is already running a convoy
between the same locations.
October 2007: Olive Group raises its estimates for security support
requirements after meetings with U.S. military and local government
officials. BBG must seek other, potentially more cost-effective
alternatives to Antensan/Olive Group proposal in order to complete the
project. BBG informs RTA that the project is at risk unless they can
provide installation and security within the BBG's budget. RTA agrees
to develop a feasible installation proposal.
November 2007: BBG completes shipment to Afghanistan of all
equipment required for the medium wave transmitter installation.
Shipments include the transmitter, satellite receiver system (TVRO) and
program feed equipment, transmission lines and power cables, antenna
tower and foundation materials, electric power generators, and the
antenna tuning system. RTA provides secure storage of equipment in
Afghanistan until needed onsite.
January 2008: BBG arranges for local equipment installation and
construction of site walls, guard towers and other buildings, with
security to be provided by local guards and guaranteed by the Khost
Province Governor, Tani District Governor, local tribal chiefs, and
local police.
March 2008: BBG and Harris invite Antensan (headquartered in
Germany) to discuss options for assisting the project, given Antensan's
recent work on a NATO contract in Afghanistan. The subcontractor
presents a proposal for security that offers to meet the initial
contract terms. The proposal assumes RTA's role in operating and
maintaining the site.
April 2008: Harris and Antensan firm up revised installation
proposals within the BBG budget. BBG anticipates that this plan can be
under fixed-price contract by early May with the site operational by
late summer 2008.
October 2008: Three Harris Corp. subcontractor technicians, enroute
to Khost to complete final technical operations to bring the station
online, and two Afghan support personnel are reported missing. A local
tribal group appeared to be responsible. Negotiations for release of
the abductees take place through the Khost/Tani tribal leaders.
At the time of the abduction, the station was within 2 to 3 weeks
of being operational. After the abduction, the next months were spent
in reassembling a team to complete the installation, given the severe
security situation. Antensan issued a contract to Allied Machinery for
completion and commissioning of the fuel/generator/electrical systems.
The total cost of the Khost project to date is $4,896,627.
Please see the map, below, showing the location of the facility and
the potential/intended broadcast coverage this facility could provide.
[GRAPHIC(S)] [NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Question. What specific lessons did the BBG learn in Iraq that it
has applied in Afghanistan? Conversely, what did it learn not to do
based on its experience in Iraq?
Answer. As mentioned in our testimony, at the start of the conflict
in Iraq, we had no established broadcasting platform in the country--no
local facilities, no
in-country transmission, no significant national audience. In order to
reach audiences who received news and information via FM radio and
television, we had to establish and control the means of transmission.
We quickly set up local operations, including news bureaus, and secured
local transmission for both radio and TV, including FM and TV stations
in major Iraqi cities--important to Alhurra's early ability to gain
market share while satellite dish ownership spread. Finally, BBG
broadcasters have sustained 24/7 news and information coverage, pegged
to developments and issues on the ground in Iraq and in synch with the
needs and preferences of Iraqi audiences.
We know from our experience in Iraq, and through similar research
in other broadcast markets, that a local presence and feel, excellent
domestic distribution, and highly relevant news and other programming
is a strong formula for U.S. international broadcasting. At the same
time, broadcasts provide comprehensive regional and international news,
including in-depth coverage of U.S. society, culture, and policies--
especially those that are directly relevant to Iraq citizens.
In Afghanistan and in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, radio
is the dominant medium. Since 2002, VOA and RFE/RL have broadcast a 24/
7 radio stream in Dari and Pashto to Afghanistan, providing the local,
international, and U.S. news in a similar vein as we do in Iraq.
Knowing the importance of a local presence and feel, domestic
distribution, and providing highly relevant news as the basis of a
successful broadcast formula, the BBG initiated in 2006 a dedicated
service by the Voice of America, to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
area in the unique regional Pashto dialect, called Deewa Radio.
Deewa focuses on local issues and produces 9 hours of daily
programming, including live news, current affairs, call-in shows, and
music. It transmits via AM, FM, and shortwave, with text and audio
available on the Internet. We see robust audience reaction everyday in
some 400 listener phone calls to on-air discussion programs.
Key to Deewa's success is what has worked so well in Iraq and
Afghanistan--news and information tailored to the audience's needs and
interests. Some 25 local stringers file a steady stream of reports such
topics as the Pakistani military's campaign against Taliban forces and
those displaced by Taliban threats or combat.
Lessons-learned in other broadcast markets and throughout the
history of U.S. international broadcasting, including Iraq, show that
listeners, including those with an anti-American bias, will tune in to
U.S. broadcasting if it observes strict objectivity.
In general, we succeed when (a) we deliver the news our audiences
want and need to make informed judgments about their societies, and (b)
we deliver our content via the media our audiences prefer and can
easily access.
Question. In your testimony you stated ``Alhurra is the fourth
leading TV channel among hundreds of channels available by satellite
and locally with 32 percent daily and 64 percent weekly reach.'' Your
FY 2010 budget request said ``Alhurra is one of the five most popular
television services in Iraq, outpacing Al Jazeera.''
A. Reach, as I understand it is an advertising term most
often used in radio, and sometimes expressed in terms of
``effective reach'' and sometimes more specific terms, as in
``x minutes weekly reach.'' What do you mean by ``reach''? Can
you be more specific? Please provide the data to us, along with
that of the leading competitors. What is your ``effective
reach''?
B. Nielsen ratings, with which most Americans are familiar,
measures audience size for television. Does ``reach'' translate
to audience size? For example, last week Nielsen ratings leader
NCIS had 20.7 million viewers. Can you put your numbers in
terms we are more familiar with? How do you collect your data
on ``reach''?
Answer. First, we should note that all BBG research is conducted
under rules set forth by the European Society for Opinion and Marketing
Research (ESOMAR--a global, not just European, association, to which
all professional international survey research organizations belong)
and also follows the guidelines formulated by the Conference for
International Broadcasters' Audience Research Services (CIBAR), to
which all BBG broadcasters subscribe as well as all other major public
service internationals such as BBC, Radio France International, Radio
Monte Carlo, Deutsche Welle, and France 24.
In international usage, ``audience reach'' refers to the percentage
of the adult population or number of adults who tune in to a given
station--that is, the percentage or number of adults that a given
station ``reaches.'' Reach is further defined by reference to the
platform used--e.g., TV, radio, Internet, etc.--and the time period--
e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. The question used to measure
audience reach is the one noted above--``Apart from today, when was the
last time you heard (or watched) a program produced by (`x' station)?''
Weekly reach has been the standard measure for the BBG, BBC, and
the other government-supported international broadcasters for decades.
These broadcasters are noncommercial, so there is no need to gather
very specific time-period listening or viewing such as day-part
measures used for establishing advertising rates. Also, these
broadcasters are typically complementary to more dominant domestic
channels--that is, they are usually not the channels local audiences
turn to first--and thus a weekly measure is appropriate. This said, the
BBG gathers daily, monthly, and yearly audience-reach figures as well.
As you observe, ``effective reach'' is an advertising term--How
many people in a targeted group are exposed to an ad during a specific
time period? BBG audience-reach is a directly comparable measure in
that, again, it shows the number of people who have heard or seen BBG
content during the last week (or month, year, etc.). BBG research also
calculates reach among special target groups, such as those under 30 or
``best educated.''
ACNielsen's reach figures are based on a ``weekly cume,''' which is
the unduplicated number of people, (each viewer is only counted once no
matter how frequently s/he tunes in), who view the station or program
at least once during the course of a week. Here again, the BBG measure
is directly comparable. BBG numbers also refer to the unduplicated
number or percentage of adults who watch or view at least once during
the course of a week.
In fact, ACNielsen is the BBG's subcontractor for most countries in
the Middle East (save Iraq and Syria, where it does not operate). The
major difference between the Nielsen measure abroad for the BBG and
that of Nielsen in the United States is that, for the BBG, Nielsen
gathers information on length of viewing by asking the survey
respondent how long they usually watch the station--viewing is not
recorded electronically each time the viewer tunes in, as it is on the
United States (or other developed research environments where use of
diaries and other techniques is commonplace).
The basic audience-reach question has been standardized for use
across all countries surveyed and is the accepted research ``currency''
among CIBAR members. If BBG were asked by BBC or Deutsche Welle for its
reach number in a given country, it would expect to receive a response
such as ``the weekly reach of DW (in Arabic) in Iraq is 1.9 percent of
adults aged 18 or older.''
C. What percentage of Iraqis watch TV from a terrestrial
versus satellite broadcast?
Answer. Nearly all Iraqis have a satellite dish in their home: 96
percent have home access to satellite dish for television, whereas 27
percent have home access to cable TV.
D. What are the figures for the other leading competitors?
Answer. The chart below lists the weekly reach measures (percent of
adults 15+ in Iraq who watched each station in the past week--i.e.,
answered ``yesterday'' or ``in the past 7 days'' to the question,
``Apart from today, when was the last time you watched X station?'').
Al Sharqiya and Al Iraqiya are Iraqi stations that feature both local
news and entertainment. MBC is a pan-Arab entertainment channel with
daily news on regional and international events. Dubai TV and Abu Dhabi
TV broadcast from the United Arab Emirates; both stations have an
entertainment focus with some local, regional and international news.
LBC is a Lebanese station that broadcasts entertainment and news. Al
Forat's broadcasting caters to Iraq's largely Shia population, but its
political affiliations restrict its appeal. Alhurra, Al Jazeera, and Al
Arabiya are the only 24-hour news networks.
[GRAPHIC(S)] [NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Base: n=1,563 adults (15 and over) in all but five provinces in
Iraq, November 2008.
Question. What is the rest of the TV news market like in Iraq? You
mentioned the large number of competitors for TV news in the Arab
market. How would you measure the quality, freedom, and accessibility
of competitors? Is free media taking hold in Iraq?
Answer. Attached is a detailed report prepared by the BBG's global;
research contractor InterMedia for the Open Source Center based on BBG
Iraq research (BBG selectively authorizes such use of its data for
official government purposes). This study provides a comprehensive look
at the Iraqi media environment, including TV.
In its 2009 report on global press freedom, Reporters without
Borders rated Iraq 145th out of 175 countries, commenting that
``freedom of expression is far from attained in Iraq.'' Freedom House,
for its part, judges that the Iraqi media environment is ``not free''
and cites its two main challenges being ``the country's ongoing
security threats and government restrictions on investigating
corruption and abuses of power.'' The BBG observes in its everyday
journalistic practice in Iraq that media outlets often represent the
interests of specific sects or factions. Thus, despite the fact that
such outlets have proliferated since the fall of Saddam Hussein, access
to impartial, reliable news from domestic sources remains sharply
limited.
[Editor's note.-- The report ``InterMedia Open Source Center''
mentioned above was too voluminous to include in this printed hearing.
It will be maintained in the permanent record of the committee.]
Question. It seems as if many polls reflect negatively on the
popularity and competitiveness of Alhurra. What independent research
can you share with the committee regarding Alhurra's popularity and
competitiveness? As you may know, an April/May 2009 University of
Maryland/Zogby poll reported that Alhurra was picked by 0.5 percent of
respondents as their favorite TV news source--fewer than the 2 percent
who picked Al-Manar, and significantly fewer than the 55 percent who
picked Al Jazeera. Can you help us with an apples to apples comparison?
Answer. We believe the response provided to question 2(a) from the
committee responds to this question as well. We provide this
information again here.
According to international research firms including ACNielsen,
Alhurra has a weekly reach of more than 26 million people. Alhurra is
penetrating the incredibly competitive media market across the Middle
East. As noted in our testimony before the committee, Alhurra is the
fourth leading TV channel in Iraq among hundreds of channels available
by satellite and locally with 32 percent daily, and 64 percent, weekly
reach. Alhurra is among Iraqis' top choices for news and information on
TV. This is not an indication of a tarnished brand in a competitive
marketplace. Research also states that audiences find the programs
trustworthy, and increase their understanding of America. For example
in Iraq, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Alhurra's weekly audience
finds the news to be credible. A majority of those who watch Alhurra
have also reported that Alhurra has increased their understanding of
U.S. policies (64 percent) and increased their understanding of current
events (66 percent). These measures are derived from surveys taken by
independent research organizations such as ACNielsen.
Confusion over the reach of Alhurra may stem from citations from
other research that is designed to measure the ``most popular''
stations in the Middle East, rather than to measure sustained
viewership. These polls do not probe frequency of media use, and thus
do not derive an audience measure. Instead, they ask what station the
viewer tunes to first. In contrast, the BBG gauges audience reach and
addresses actual media consumption. Millions of Arabs for whom Alhurra
is not their first choice for international news nonetheless watch the
channel. Indeed, BBG research shows that Arabs routinely consult
multiple sources, far more than two, for news and information.
While it is a rare instance in which the programming of a U.S.
international broadcasting entity, broadcasting in any medium, ranks
among the most popular broadcasters in a particular market overseas,
this happens to be the case for Alhurra in Iraq and for RFE/RL in
Afghanistan. Alhurra figures among the top 20 stations in each of the
14 markets where the BBG has done research--except in Saudi Arabia,
where it is 21st.
Question. The Anennberg School study published in July 2008
conducted for the BBG about Alhurra contained some sharp criticisms and
recommendations. What action have you taken based on this study's
recommendations? Have you conducted any focus group work among Iraqi
audiences?
The agency closely examined the recommendations in the Annenberg
study. We believe a number of these are relevant to MBN's continued
success and will pursue strategies to address the issues raised. We
believe others are inconsistent with the agency's mission and statutory
mandate.
The Annenberg report recommended that MBN increase its coverage of
America, its values, and culture. Since that time, MBN has continued to
expand its U.S. coverage to include stories from around the U.S.
Programs like The Americans, Inside Washington and daily news reports
about issues that portray American values are a daily staple on
Alhurra. MBN/BBG has proposed further expansions of U.S. coverage that
are under consideration.
In addition, Annenberg recommended that Alhurra connect more with
its Arab audience. In March 2009, Alhurra launched Al Youm, a live 3-
hour program that originates from five countries in three continents
including Dubai, Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem and Alhurra's headquarters in
Springfield, VA. It brings together all areas of the Middle East (the
Gulf, North Africa and the Levant) and the United States, allowing
viewers to see how issues not only affect the people in their country,
but those who live in the countries around them. Themes have included
the global economic crisis, the impact of the Internet, child labor
laws and cultural diversity and development. Initial reaction
demonstrates that Al Youm is connecting with the audience.
The report also criticized Alhurra for a perceived bias in stories
as pro-American and pro-Israeli. Since the report was issued, MBN has
instituted a number of mandatory training programs for its journalists,
led by the chair of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
MBN reporters from the region were brought to MBN's Springfield
headquarters to benefit from the training.
Question. How do you determine the lifecycle of such a cost-
intensive program such as Alhurra Iraq? Would you want to phase out,
privatize, or perhaps transition the Alhurra operation to another
market, corresponding to the end of the U.S. force deployment and the
end of Operation Iraqi Freedom?
Answer. The agency evaluates the effectiveness of Alhurra-Iraq in
the same manner as it does any of the programs or entities under its
supervision. Television is an expensive medium relative to radio.
Targeted programming to a single market such as Iraq adds a cost
factor, requiring a strong physical presence in-country with staff and
technical assets. The development of a democratic and stable civil
society requires a free and fair press. Iraq's media has not developed
to the point of filling that need. Alhurra-Iraq fills that void. We
believe maintaining an effective method of communicating with Iraqis is
essential during and after the military pullout of Iraq.
Alhurra-Iraq has been recognized for its work to bring accurate and
objective reporting to the people of Iraq. In 2009, the Al Mada
Institute for Media, Culture and Arts awarded Alhurra 12 accommodations
for excellence in broadcasting including the best male and female
correspondents; first through third place for best political talk show;
and first and second place for best cultural show. Letters from the
Multi-National Forces and the head of the Iraqi Election Committee
thank Alhurra for balanced coverage of news in Iraq and fair reports on
the Iraqi elections.
At this time, we have not considered transitioning or broadening
the Alhurra-Iraq operation to another market.
Question. Has the Board considered restarting VOA Arabic service,
or one in Punjabi?
Answer. MBN programming carries out the agency's broadcast mission
in the Middle East, and serves the broad standards and principles for
BBG broadcasting as set out in the Broadcasting Act, including the
principle derived from the VOA Charter that ``United States
international broadcasting shall include a balanced and comprehensive
projection of United States thought and institutions . . . '' and
``clear and effective presentation of the policies . . . of the United
States Government and responsible discussion and opinion on those
policies.''
Just as VOA broadcasting serves its traditional broadcast role in
large parts of Africa, as well as providing those markets with
significant and valued local news and information, so does MBN serve
all of these roles, representing U.S. international broadcasting in the
Middle East. There are no plans at this time to initiate a new Punjabi
service.
______
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