PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO RADIO FREE EUROPE AND TO RADIO LIBERTY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 14, 2006
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: September 30, 1971
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
92n CONQRESB `~ ~Ii4TJSE OF ?REP1~ESE1~~~[VES ~ REPORT ~
1st Session _ - -~?-~=? No. 92-541 ~~~ r
PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO RADIO FREE EUROPE AND
TO RADIO LIBERTY
SEPTEbiBEx 30, 1971.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
11r.11IoRGA~, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
submitted the following
REPORT
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred the bill
(S. 18) to amend the United States Information and Educational
Exchange Act of 1948 to provide assistance to Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended
do pass.
The amendments are as follows
1. Strike out all after the enacting clause andirlser~t Yn lien thereof
the following
That there is established a commission to be known as the Comm#ssitn
on International Radio Broadcasting (hereinafter referred to as the "Commis-
sion") composed of nine members as follows
(1) Two Members oP the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
(2) Two Members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate.
(3) Two members appointed by the President from among officers and em-
ployees of the executive branch of the Government,
(4) Three members appointed by the President-from private life, including
experts in mass communication in the broadcasting field.
(5) The President shall designate one of the members appointed from private
life to serve as Chairman of the Commission. Any vacancy in the membership
of the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as in the case of the
original appointment.
SEC. 2. (a) It shall be the duty of the Commission tq review and evaluate
international radio broadcasting and related activities of Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty.
(b) The Commission shall submit its report to the President for transmission
to the Congress not later than November 30, 1972, setting forth. the results of its
findings and conclusions, together with such recommendations as it may deem
appropriate, including, but not limited to, reconutiendations with respect to future
management, operations, and support of such activities ; establishment of a cor-
porate or other entity to administer support for, or to conduct, such activities ;
and protection of the rights and equities of past and present employees of Radio
tree Europe and Radio Liberty.
Approved Far Release 2006112/16 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
(c) The Commission shall cease to exist ou July 1, 1973.
SEC. 3. (a) In addition to his function as head of the Commission, the Chair-
man of the Commission shall provide grants to support the broadcasting activi-
ties of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and submit to the President for
transmission to the Congress not later than November 30, 1972, and July 1, 1973,
reports, with financial appendices as appropriate, of each grant made and a state-
ment describing the utilization of each such grant.
(b) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Chairman for carrying out
the purposes of this section X36,000,000 for the fiscal Year 1972 and $38,520,000
for the fiscal year 1973. Except for funds appropriated pursuant to this section,
no funds appropriated after the date of the first appropriation pursuant to this
Act may be tnade available to or for the use of Radio Free Europe or Radio
Liberty. -
.SvEC. 4. (a) Members of the Commission who are Members of Congress or
officers or employees of the executive branch shall serve without compensation
for their services as members of the Commission. Members of the Commission
who are not Members oP Congress or officers or employees of the executive branch
shall receive per diem at the daily rate prescribed for level V of the Executive
Schedule by section 531G of title 5 of the United States Code when engaged in
the actual performance of duties vested in the Commission. All members of the
Commission, While away from their homes or regular places of business in the
performance of services for the Commission, shall be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons em-
ployed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under
section 5703 (b) of title 5 of the United States Gode.
(b) The Chairman of the Commission is authorized to appoint and fix the
compensation of such personnel as may be necessary. Such personnel may be ap-
pointed without regard to provisions of title 5, United States Code, covering ap-
pointments in the competitive service, and may be paiel without regard to the
provisions of chapter 51 anti subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating
to classification and General Schedu]e pay rates. Any Federal employee subject
to civil service laws and regulations who may be appointed by the Chairman
shall retain civil service status without interruption or loss of status or privilege.
In no event shall any individual appointed under this subsection receive as com-
pensation an amount in excess of the maximum rate for GS-18 on the General
Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(c) In addition, the Chairman of the Commission is authorized to obtain the
services of experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109 of title 5,
United States Code, bnt at rates not to exceed the maximum rates for GS-18 on
the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(d) Upon request of the Chairman of the Commission, the head of any Fed-
eral agency, is authorized to detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel
of such agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this
section.
(e) The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission on
a reimbursable basis such administrative support services as the Commission may
request.
Sic. 5. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums
as-may be necessary for its administrative expenses.
2. Amend the title to read as follows:
An Act to authorize the creation of a commission to evaluate international radio
broadcasting and related activities of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, to
authorize appropriations to the Chairman of the Commission, and for other
purposes.
The principal. purpose of y. 18, as amended by the Committee, is to
create a temporary mechanism for conducting ,t one-time study and
evaluation of Ila.dic Free Europe and Radio Lil>et~;y, and to provide
for interim financinm of those operations while the study is in progress.
To this end, the bill authorizes- the establislnnent of a tripartite com-
Approved Far Release 2006112/16 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
mission, composed of representatives of the legislative and executive
branches of the United States Government and of the public, and
scheduled to expire on July 1,1973.
The Commission will "review and evaluate international radio
broadcasting and related activities of Radio Free Europe and Radio
Liberty". Such review and evaluation, together with any recommen-
dations, are to be submitted to the President for transmission to the
Congress not later than November 30,1972.
Authorizations for appropriations to the Chairman of the Commis-
sion of $36 million -for fiscal year 1972 and of $38.520 million for
fiscal year 1973 will permit Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty to
continue operations pending completion of the study by the Commis-
sion and further action by the Congress.
Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XIII of the House rules, the committee
has examined the Executive request of $40 million for fiscal-year 1972
submitted during testimony before the committee. It recommends $36
million for fiscal year 1972 and $38.520 million for fiscal year 1973. The
entire program will be reviewed before the end of fiscal -year 1973.
Hence, any projection beyond that date is not possible.
On May 19, 1971, the Executive forwarded to the Speaker of the
House Executive Communication 740, together with a .draft bill "to
provide for the establishment of an American Council for Private
International Communications, Incorporated, to-grant support to the
activities of private American organizations engaged in the-field of
communication with foreign peoples." This drift .was introduced as
H.R. 9637 by the chairman of the committee on July 7, 1971. Repre=
sentative John S. Monagan also introduced the bill H.R. 10590. A simi-
lar, but not identical, bill (H.R. 9330) was also introduced by Repre-
sentative Ogden Reid.
Before the committee could consider these measures, the Senate
passed S. 18. That bill provides a grant of $35 million for fiscal year
1972 to be made by the Secretary of State for Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty.
The committee held hearings on these various proposals on Sep-
tember 14 and 21. It received testimony from Representative Ogden
Reid; Hon. U. Alexis Johnson, Under Secretary of State for Political
Affairs; and Hon. John A. Gronouski, dean, Lyndon B. Johnson
School of Public Affairs, University of Texas; and former Am-
bassador to Poland. It also heard from Col. Casimir I. Lenard,
executive director, Polish-American Congress, Inc. ; Prof. Roman
Karst, State University of New York ; Dr. Alexey Vasilevich Levin,
a nuclear physicist who left the Soviet Union in 1968 ; and Prof. Lubos
V. Hejl, former Czech economist now at the University of Rochester.
Following the hearings the committee held three executive ses-
sions. Oii September 30, 1971, by a vote of 23 to 1, it ordered re-
ported S. 18 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute to the
Senate bill.
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
4
BACKOROUND
Radio Free Europe (RFE) and Radio Liberty (RL) had their
inception in the years immediately following World War II, when
the Soviets gave every indication of establishing hegemony over East-
ern Europe and threatening Western interests. RFE was incorporated
in New York in 1950 and RL in Delaware in 1951. Until this past fiscal
year, the funding of each came from the Central Intelligence Agency.
In the case of_ RFE, small amounts were raised from private sources.
Continued funding from CIA sources has now been denied both or-
ganizations by Congress, and they are presently operating on a con-
tinuingresolution.
The basic issue before the Congress is to determine whether- these
radio stations should continue to be financed by-the Government and,
if so, how they should be financed.
S. 18, as passed by the Senate, amended the U.S. Information and
Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (the Smith-Mundt Act) which is
the basic authority for the activities of-the United States Information
Agency. The Senate language simply provided an authorization for
an appropriation for fiscal year 1972 of $35 million to the Secretary
of State. The bill was described as a stop-gap zneasure pending the
completion of studies on RFE and RL by the Library of Congress
and the General Accounting Office, both of which have been requested
bythe Committee on Foreign Relations.
The House amendment to the Senate bill may also be considered a
stop-gap measure in that it withholds final judgment on whether-and
how-to fund these stations. The House version calls for an inde-
pendent but comprehensive report and recommendations by a nine-
member Commission comprised of Members of the legislative branch,
the executive branch, and nongovernment experts. The Commission
will go out of existence after the completion of its study, but in any case
will cease to exist on July 1,1973.
In summary, the Senate bill and the House amendment do not com-
mit Congress to any particular course of action pending the comple-
tion of vari+~us studies. Both versions provide for interim funding-
the Senate for 1 year, the House for 2 years.
Radio Free Europe (RFE)
RFE operates under the direction of the Free Europe Committee,
Inc., with administrative headquarters in New York City. Operational
headquarters are in Munich from which it broadcasts an average of
15 hours per day to each of the five Soviet bloc countries-Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Rumania. RFE is registered
in Germany as a foreign nonprofit corporation and is licensed by the
German Government to operate transmitters. Major shortwave trans-
mitters in Portugal are maintained to overcome jamming efforts by the
Communist governments.
In its early years RFE engaged in psychological warfare; its broad-
casts were polemical and politically oriented. By the mid 1950's it
dropped this approach and developed a highly professional staff with
specialized linguistic and research capabilities. The focus is upon
objective and accurate news reporting and balanced commentaries.
The current emphasis is to give encouragement to the indigenous forces
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
5
of peaceful reform and to provide a mechanism for increasing within
authoritarian governments the public accountability of public officials
for their public acts.
About half of RFE's broadcasts consists of news, political commen-
taries, and press reviews. The balance consists of music, sports, and
other features. To provide the news material RFE subscribes to the
principal Western wire services, and about 1,600 publications, includ-
mg 900 of Communist .origin. It monitors a dozen Communist news
agencies and 40 radio stations in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and
Communist China. A research staff prepares reports and analyses of
Communist affairs which are also widely used by Western scholars,
journalists, and government officials. Of its current employee strength
of 1,648, about 1,150 are located in Germany and 350 in Portugga~l. For
fiscal year 1971 RFE's operational costs financed by the U.S. (Iovern-
ment were slightly less than $23 million, including $502,000 for sup-
port of the RFE Fund. About $1.5 million additional came -from
private sources. For fiscal ,year 1972 the administration estimates .that::
$24.4 million will be needed. The increase is due primari y to_ahe
changing relationship between the dollar and the German mark since
most expenditures are made in Germany.
It is estimated that within the five countries about half the popu-
lation over 14 years of age listen to RFE with some regularity. In a
statement submitted to the committee the president of RFE, Mr.
~'Villiaxn P. Durkee, observed
Continuous and comparative opinion sampling by profes-
sional European survey organizations among East European
nationals traveling in the West has provided data indicating
that a majority of this total are regular listeners (two or three
times a week), that young people are becoming a large part
of the audience, and that m its area RFE's total listenership
is about twice that of VOA or BBC.
Radio Liberty (RL)
RL is under the direction of Radio Liberty Committee tivith -ad-
ministrative headquarters in New York City. Broadcast headquar-
ters and research facilities are located in Munich; offices, studies, and
other facilities are located in Landon, Paris? Spain, and Taiwan.
RL broadcasts are directed to the Soviet Union 24 hours a day in
Russian and 17 other major languages that are spoken in that country.
Although its initial thrust tivas a on "liberation", it soon shifted
to "liberalization". Its broadcasts offer "positive alternatives" to the
Soviet system, couched in friendly tones, and for the most part, by
indirection ; for example, by explaining the workings of democratic
systems in terms understandable to Soviet citizens. News items -about
internal developments not carried in the Soviet press are picked up
from many sources, including correspondents, the monitorm~ of re-
gional radio broadcasts, and expert analysis of Soviet publications.
Programs also include the "cross-reporting" of developments in other,
more liberal Communist countries, information demonstrating how
non-Communist countries face problems relevant to those of the Soviet
Union, and programs that fill the gaps in Soviet coverage of its history
and culture.
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
6
A large portion of current broadcast materials comes from a source
unique to the Soviet Union. It is called "samizdat" (literally "seIf-
publishing") . These are unpublished manuscripts, painstakingly
copied or typed, to circumvent censorship. Mare than 1,000-such items
have already reached the West. They include everything from book-
length works to articles and essays dealing with political, social, and
economic problems ; "transcripts" of courtroom trials from which the
public has been barred ; and individual or group petitions by Soviet
citizens seeking redress of grievances. The emphasis of these works is
on reform, not revolution; the tone is nearly always restrained and
businesslike.-RL is the mayor channel for broadcasting samizdat mate-
rial to the Soviet Union.
In recent months RL has devoted an increasingg amount of its pro-
grams to the plight of Soviet Jews. j'Pidespread coverage has been
geven the regime's discriminatory practices, including criticisms of
Soviet anti-Semitism from Western Communist parties. Cultural pro-
grams have been featured, major Jewish holidays have been celebrated,
and Yiddish messages of greetings have been transmitted...
RL has about 930 employees, most of them abroad. Its fiscal year
1971 bxid~et is estimated at $13.7 million. For the current year it is
estimatedJat $15.6 million. Unlike RFE, RL has had almost no private
contributions.
The elaborate Soviet censorship system represents a determined
effort to isolate citizens from internal sources of knowledge as well as
from outside influence. Opinion sampling such as that used by RFE
is not possible as a method of determining the effectiveness of RL.
Evidence has to be derived from letters that filter out and interviews
with Soviet defectors and occasionally with Soviet visitors. No Iess
significant is the Soviet reaction to the broadcasts. This takes two
forms: First, continued jamming of every RL frequency at all times,
and second, public attacks by the Soviets on specific items transmitted
by RL. Most recent estimates are that of the 85 million radio re-
ceivers in the Soviet 17nion, 27 million are capable of receiving short-
wave. Despite the jamming efforts, a considerable portion of RL
broadcasts are heard.
RFE and RL provide the citizens of the Eastern European countries
with the services that would be rendered them by news accounts in their
own countries if censorship did not exist. They do not promote
violence or revolution. Accurate and uncensored news is offered in a
context familiar to the listeners. As one observer noted, "RFE and RL
serve as the primary channels to the intellectual mainstream of the
rest of the world."
1'he former Ambassador to Poland, I-Ion. John A. Gronouski, put
in perspective the role that these stations play. In his statement before
the committee he observed
It is not enough for the people of Eastern Europe to get
undistorted news of events ui other parts of the world, how-
. ever important this in itself may be. It is even more important
that they have access to information about events in their own
country other than that which those in control wish to make
known.
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
7
)N'or if the international community is to make progress
toward the East-West detente about which we all dream, this
will come about through pressure exerted on their own gov-
ernments by an informed citizenry. We have seen this happen
time and again in our own country. It will not happen in
Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union unless alternative
sources of information are available to the people of those
countries than those controlled by their own political leaders.
This is the role that is effectively, responsibly, and uniquely
filled by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
The House version directs the Commission to include in its recom-
mendations aconsideration of the "protection of the rights and equities
of past and present employees of Radio Free Europe and Radio
Liberty." Pending the submission of such recommendations, the House
language will give some measure of assurance to the employees as to the
importance which the committee attaches to their work. They con-
stitute avaluable resource that should not be hampered by lowered
morale while the Commission is making its study.
RELATION TO VOxCE OF AMERICA (VOA)
The committee considered whether VOA could perform the role
that RFE and RL perform. The common denominator in their opera-
tions is that they are engaged in radio transmission. As the commit-
tee explored this approach, the following points emerged
-VOA is the radio arm of the U.S. Information Agency. As such,
its function is to report and interpret U.S. life and policy. To
identify a government agency with programs such as those broad-
cast by RFE and RL could only make more difficult any detente
with the Iron Curtain countries.
-RFE and RL provide a service that is made necessary by virtue
of the heavy censorship that exists in the Iron Curtain countries.
-VOA broadcasting is a worldwide activity. While the news con-
tent is tailored to particular national audiences, it cannot provide
the range of informational services provided by RFE and RL.
-Closely related to the latter point is the fact that the audiences
of RFE and RL have developed a particular identity with those
stations because of the highly localized content and appeal of
their programs. It is doubtful that any other organization, espe-
cially one identified as an agency of another government, would
have the credibility of the extstmg organizations.
-VOA lacks the physical facilities to carry out the sustained broad-
casts of RFE and RL. RFE, for example, uses 80 frequencies
assigned to it by the German Government. Both organizations
have their major transmitting facilities in Germany where they
are licensed by the German Government as foreign nonprofit
organizations. If RFE and RL relinquished their frequenctes,
they would not automatically be transferred to any successor. In
Germany and Portugal the physical equipment of RFE and RL
could be sold; in Spain, it would revert to the Spanish Govern-
ment. In Taiwan the transmitters belong to the Government of
the Republic of China while the antennas are owned by RL. To
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
retain these facilities any successor organizations to RFE and
RL would have to engage in complicated and time-consuming
negotiations with each of these governments with the ultimate
outcome very uncertain.
The committee recognized that complicated ~~olicy and operational
issues are involved in seeking an answer to th2s approach. They can-
not be resolved quickly. While it did not reject the absorption of RFE
and R~L by VOA, the committee thought it desirable to defer a deci-
sion on this matter until it had the benefit of the several studies au-
thorized by the Ilouse and the Senate.
Section 1 provides for the establishment of a Commission on Inter-
national Radio Broadcasting to consist of ttivo Members of the U.S.
Douse of Representatives appointed by the Speaker; two Membexs
of the U.S. Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; two
officers of the executive branch appointed by the President; and three
members appointed by-the President from private life, including ex-
perts in mass communication in the broadcasting field. One of the
members appointed from private life is to be designated by the Presi-
dent as Chairman of the Commission. Any vacancy ui the membership
of the Commission is to be filled in the same manner as in the case of
the original appointment.
Section 2 directs the Commission to review and evaluate interna-
tional radio broadcasting and related actvities of Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty. It also requires the Commission to submit a report
to the President for transmission to the Congress, not later than
November 30, 1972, setting forth its findings and recommendations
with respect to such matters as the future management, operations, and
support of the activities of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty;
the establishment of a corporate or other entity to administer support
for, or to conduct, such activities; and the protection of the rights
and equities of former and present employees of the two organizations.
Section 2 further provides that the Commission shall cease to exist
on July 1,1973.
Section 3 authorizes the appropriation to-the Chairman of the Com-
mission of $36 million for the fiscal year 1972 and $38.520 million far
the fiscal ,year 1973 for grants to support the broadcasting activities
of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. The Commission is required
to submit reports to the President for transmission to the Congress on
the utilization of such grants not later than November 30, 1972 and
July 1, 1973. Section 3 also provides that except for funds appropri-
ated pursuant to the authority contained therein, no funds appropri-
ated after the date of the first appropriation pursuant to this act may
be made available to or for the use of Radio Free Europe. or Radio
Liberty.
Section 4 deals with the powers of the Commission, compensation
of its members, and various housekeeping matters, as follows
Subsection 4(a) provides that members of the Commission who are
Members of Congress or officers or employees of the executive branch,
shall serve without additional compensation. The remaining members
Approved Far Release 2006112!16:CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
 Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3
of the Commission shall receive per diem at the daily rate prescribed
for level V of the Executive Schedule when engaged in the actual
performance of duties vested in the Commission. All members of the
Commission, while away from their homes or regular places of busi-
ness in the performance of the Commission's work, shall be allowed
travel expenses prescribed in section 5703(b) of title 5 of the United
States Coda
Subsection 4(b) authorizes the Chairman of the Commission to ap-
point and fix the compensation of such personnel as mad be necessary.
Such appointments may be made without regard to civil service regu-
lations. Aceiling equivalent to the maximum rate for GS-18 is placed
on the compensation that may be paid to any employee of the Com-
mission. Aprovision is also included to protect the status and priv-
ileges of Federal employees subject to civil service laws and regula-
tions who may be appointed to work for the Commission.
Subsection 4(c) authorizes the Chairman of the Commission to ob-
tain the services of experts and consultants in accordance with section
3109 of title 5, United States Code, at rates not to exceed the maximum
rates for GS-18.
Subsection 4(d) provides that upon the request of the Chairmari`af
the Commission, the head of any Federal agency is authorized. to de-
tail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such agency to
the Commission.
Subsection 4(e) directs the Administrator of General SErvices to
provide the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, with sucri adminis-
trative support services as the Commission may request.
Section 5 authorizes the appropriation to the Commission of such
sums as may be necessary for its administrative expenses.
O
Approved For Release 2006/12116 :CIA-RDP73B00296R000500050008-3