BOARD FOR INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING ACT OF 1973

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000400020001-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 1, 1973
• Content Type: REPORT

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93D CONGRESS I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I No 93 RT
1st Session
BOARD FOR INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING ACT OF
1973
SEPTEMBER 13, 1973.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
Mr. MORGAN, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
submitted the following
REPORT
together with
OPPOSING, ADDITIONAL, AND MINORITY VIEWS
[To accompany S. 1914]
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the bill
S. 1914 to provide for the establishment of the Board. for Inter-
national Broadcasting, to authorize the continuation of assistance to
Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, and for other purposes, having
considered the same report favorably thereon without amendment
and recommend that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of S. 1914 is to provide for the establishment of the
Board for International Broadcasting, which would be authorized to
receive congressionally appropriated funds, allocate same to Radio
Free Europe and Radio Liberty, and to perform review functions.
The bill also authorizes an appropriation of $50,209,000 for fiscal
year 1974 to support the operations of Radio Free Europe, Radio
Liberty, and the Board for International Broadcasting.
COMMITTEE ACTION
On May 18, 1973, the Executive forwarded to the Speaker of the
House Executive Communication 948, together with a draft bill "to
provide for the establishment of the Board for International Broad-
casting to authorize the continuation of assistance to Radio Free
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Europe and Rtid1o Libm-tv and for other purposes." This draft was
intaodnced as I I. K. 8144 by" III,-, chairman of the cosnruittee on lay 24,
1973,
Tie commutes held hoarirgs on I F. 8144 on July 81 and August 1.
,I, received testimony from ITnn. Walter J. St ott' scl Jr., Assistant
~ccrct.rry of State for Furonea.n Affairs an([ mernrk>ers of a Presiden-
in>>I Srndy (',ommission on Irterns Iio!ia1 Radio Brosclcasfing whose
recornmendations formed the basis for the proposc,rl legislation. Sm."; of that Commission were. as f,,!Iow?: Dr. Milton S. Eisenhower,
t~lr,ir='rirarl pre.idr' ii ennerltl;s Johns Hopkins TJoorv(Nity; Moil. Ed-.
;rl iV. Barre tt Director, il'omrntuaications Institnie Academy for
dor ror,al I1 vefopment (mid former Assistant, Sorrelary of State
for Po 1iAff ?rsl. iron. Join A, Grononski, dean, Lyndon B. John-
son Sc!uxol of fsuhli'; Affairs, ITnivors,ity of Texas sad former Ambassa-
dor to Poland; Icn. h,dniun(I A, t;inllion, dean, Fletcher School of
I,a.~c ;ti ;d s)inlnrnaey 'hafts I Enid ersity and former Ambassador to the
v iteprrh!ie, 4,1111o ('on4;'o; aid lion. Johrr P. Roche Professor of Poli-
t p , fir nudeis l lriiti r rsity, oral nevi-spaper colurnnirc_ t.hc' e ;nri iltee sieted nfao;~ H.R. 8144, thr Senate passed
19 4 That ()ilf is identic al to the 1+;~,ecutivdraft (H.R. 8144)
s v~, pt or the tollo~, in differe,u.~s
'f`lit r;r~nnI; a,nthoriz,ed for fl,;( al year 11174 is $50,209,000
.v? rer Ulan
w.itr 800,000. I' ie lo~,rr it nice '
1the amount
zc`t 111,11Y hrrridel.ed by the Executive for the two radios and the
13=,a,rd for In for,iationai. Broadeasrir1g;
fl 'I'h _ re is
1975 no authorization. of approp,?iations for fiscal
(ti IT11 idili requires private contributions a,rrd eontributors to
tl,r trio rariio stations to bro. made a matter of rniblic record.
On ,atember 1 !, 197:3, the committee held a,n open markup
elision. 41' a vole of 22 to 6, the committee ordered favorably reported
the bill S. 1914 without amendment_
('o - r ESTIMATES
I'rrrsu ant. to cl;r,nsc 7 of rule Xl IT of the Tlouse Rnles, the committee
has examined the r quest submitted by the Executive and has de-
termine(_ that an authorization, of $50,209,000 is sufficient to support
the operations of Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, and the Board
for Tniornati.onal Broadcasting for fiscal year 1974. The administra-
daon's request for an open-ended anIhcrzation for fiscal year 1975
was disapproved.
As noted elsewhere in. this report, approximately 80 percent of the
i'adios' opc'ratino expenses are paid in foreign c;n-rencies. Hence,
t10A, tiro, m.tions ov'+n over a 6-month ncriod-era drastically affected
';v ii;rctialions; in the valno of thck dollar vis-a-vis other cHrroneles,
~rl~eeiafl'r the deutsche mark. Conspcluentf the corYrraittee does not
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believe a realistic cost projection past June 30, 1974, can be made
at this time.
BACKGROUND
Radio Free Europe (RFE) and Radio Liberty (RL) had their
inception in the years immediately following World War If, when the
Soviets gave every indication of establishing hegemony over Eastern
Europe and threatening Western interests. RFE was incorporated
in New York in 1950 and RL in Delaware in 1951. Until June 30, 1971,
both radios were supported by funds provided by the Central Intelli-
gency Agency. In the case of RFE, small amounts were raised from
private sources.
Since CIA funding has been denied both organizations by the
Congress, they have been funded on an annual, temporary basis
under section 703 of the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange
Act of 1948, as amended. This act (the Smith-Mundt Act) is the basic
authority for the activities of the U.S. Information Agency. Under
this authority, an authorization of $35 million was provided to the
Secretary of State for fiscal year 1972 and $39.67 million for fiscal
year 1973. Both of these authorizations were stop-gap measures,
pending the completion of studies on RFE and RL-first by the
Library of Congress and the General Accounting Office-and more
recently by a Presidential Study Commission, described below.
EISENIIOWER COMMISSION REPORT
The Presidential Study Commission on International Radio
Broadcasting was established on August 9, 1972, and submitted its
report to the President on February 5, 1973.
In its report, entitled "The Right to Know," the Commission
unanimously concluded that the two radios continue to serve a useful
purpose and. are consistent with J.S. foreign policy objectives during
an era of East-West detente.
As the report states :
The Commission is convinced that Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty, by providing a flow of free and uncensored
information to peoples deprived of it, actually contribute to
a climate of detente, rather than detract from it * * *.
The Commission therefore recommended that the stations be
continued for at least another decade or "until the governments of the
countries to which the stations are broadcasting permit a free flow of
information and ideas, both internally and between East and West."
As a mechanism for continued public funding of the two stations,
the Commission recommended the creation by congressional action
of a Board for International Broadcasting-a public institution which
would receive appropriated funds for allocation to RFE and RL and
which would serve as a "nexus between the public, Congress, the
executive branch, and the stations." The Board's composition and
functions, as defined in the proposed legislation, will be discussed in
a subsequent section of this report.
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_l.
rAnT)) rUEz F,TJROPE (8!+Nr)
`l operr,tc'. under the direction of Free Europe, Inc., a private,
aiorrl:rotit ornaniratiou1 incorporated under the haws of the State of
~~rnv 'a ork, with administrative headquarters in New York City.
i lo. ational headquarters are in Munich from which it broadcasts
3aii'v- ti ia. tr;1nsr Titters in Germany and Portugal-about 20 hours to
('zcr.i eiovakia, 19 hours to Poland and Hungary, 12 hours to
l rr!a .rr.r , and x hours to Pulgaria. RFE is regi-tered in Germany as
cx,aitm nonprofit corporation and is licensed by the German Govern-
n enn rr> operate transnrilters. RARET, a Portuguese corporation
r':;tYftilirhod to reriresent free- Europe, Inc. in Portugal, controls the
operations of shoT-twave transmitters located in that country to over-
corrrc' jrrrnming efforts by the Coinrmmist governments.
t ,:awls tearrs, R1 11 engaged primarily in p ', hological warfare;
iii ,uonElcasts ware polemical and politically oriented. By the rnid-
fifti t.= .is approach was drastically modified and the current emphasis
i~ opt factual news reporting and balanced commentaries. The basic
ohjecrive, is to pn vide encouragement to indigenous forces of peaceful
reform eend to increase public awareness of events taking place within
the rarest countries and abroad arid to promote accountability of
prr_biir of i.cials for their pubic actions.
r ,rry out it mission, K FE has developed a highly professional
all wwiiui specir:.ized hrignistic and research capabilities. Its news
cover ,ge is baser) on mat trial provided by the principal Western wire
;sivi es ;rnd about 1,600 publications, including 900 of Communist
I;,eigin In addition, RFE monitors a dozen Communist news agencies
and 41) stations in the U.S.S.R., Eastern Europe and Conununist
China. The radio' research products, in the form of reports and analr
uses ot` (`.ommnnist affairs, are subscribed to and are widely used by
Western -scholars ournalists, and government oliieia.ls.
Accorriing to it, most recent hudeet document, RFE maintains a
total employee strength of 1,513, about 1,386 of whom reside in
trernninw and hortnagal. Total expenditures for fiscal year. 197:; are
r etlmrr.,erf at $23.940,000. `hhe drninistration's fiscal year 1974 request
of $ i 1904,000 does not, provide for any expansion in personnel or
operations, but is based primarily on cost increases necessitated 1) ' v the
dre.valuatton of the dollar. such increases are substantial since most of
RFh s expenditures are made in German marks.
RFF''s own surveys of East European listening habits indicate a
total rr~dio audience of more than. 30 million people (i.e. one cr more
times per month).'l'his represents 50 percent of the over 14 population
in the five listening areas or countries. As noted in the Eisenhower
Courant;sion's report, RFE's opinion-sampling methods have been
examined and endorsed by outside specialists, ~,+ach as the Olivef
Qua vie Co. (October 1970) and by the Library of ",ongress' Congres-
ssioual Research Service (March 1972).
tc,~oro LiuiEnrv (ran)
dL a; incorporated as Radio Liberty Committee under the!laws of
the ~"t,are of l~ela,wnre, with administrative headquarters in New York
'ity. Broadcast headquarters and rr'searrh facilities arc located. in
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Munich. With 17 transmitters at sites in West Germany, Spain, and
Taiwan, RL broadcasts 295 transmitter hours daily in Russian and up
to 18 other languages spoken within the U.S.S.R.
Like RFE, RL has substantially modified its early cold war advo-
cacy of "liberation" to its current goal of "liberalization". Its broad-
casts no longer espouse the concept of revolt, but are designed to foster
popular pressures for policies of moderation on the part of the Soviet
official hierarchy. Explaining the workings of a democratic system in
terms understandable to Soviet citizens is another program goal, but
the primary mission of the radio is to disseminate news and com-
mentary about internal developments not carried by the Soviet press
or television facilities. Such news is culled from a variety of sources,
including correspondents, the monitoring of regional radio broadcasts,
and expert analysis of Soviet publications. "Cross-reporting" of events
in other, more liberal Communist countries is another feature of RL's
broadcasting program.
Samizdat
An important source of RL's current broadcasting material is the
phenomenon known as "samizdat"-literally "self-publishing" in the
form of typescript manuscripts circulated clandestinely by individuals
attempting to avoid official. censorship. Samizdat publications, ranging
from novels by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn to open letters from Soviet
Jews wishing to emigrate, are broadcast by Radio Liberty to widely
dispersed areas within the Soviet Union. The thrust of these works
is on reform, not revolution, and the tone is reported to be businesslike
and restrained. Since samizdat writers are by no means always in
agreement on points of view or on proposed solutions, RL serves
essentially as an "echo chamber"-emphasizing that the opinions
expressed do not necessarily represent those of the station.
In recent years, RL has devoted an increasing amount of its pro-
gram time to the plight of Soviet Jews. Attention has been paid to
the regime's discriminatory practices, and criticism of Soviet anti-
Semitism by Western Communist parties has also received wide-
spread coverage. Cultural programs, particularly during major
Jewish holidays, have been featured, and selected messages in the
Yiddish language have been specially transmitted on those occasions.
RL has 877 employees, 763 stationed abroad. Its budget for fiscal
year 1974 is estimated at $18,330,000. Expenditures during fiscal year
1973 are estimated at $15,274,000. Again, the increase in the fiscal
year 1974 authorization request stems almost entirely from dollar
devaluation costs and does not encompass any expansion in personnel
or operations.
The task of evaluating RL's effectiveness is more difficult than is
the case with RFE. Soviet citizens travel abroad much less frequently
than do other Eastern Europeans, and their movements are more
likely to be watched by the Soviet authorities. For this reason, they
are less amenable to interviews and the opinion sampling techniques
employed by RFE. Until recently, the main evidence cited in support
of the radio's impact within the U.S.S.R. has been in the form of
"negative indicators," such as continuous jamming and attacks on
RL's reporting by official Soviet media. A recent independent study
has uncovered evidence of RL's listener appeal vis-a-vis Soviet
domestic broadcasts, which is based almost entirely on polls con-
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e rrcE(ct gay the Soviets themselve . A summary statement of these
hi dir:gs has heeri included in the hearings record and is available
for E,fer-once nur_noses.
'i'lsenhower Commission recommended, and the proposed legis-
in.lion provides for, the creation of a Presidentially appointed Board
for intt'rnational Broadcasting, whicir would receive congressionally
aappr'opriated funds and allocate them to RFE and RL. It would also
CWTT,' )u t i mi_tert policy and oversigh t fimetions.
,ler section 4 (aa), the Board is authorized-
Tc make grants to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty ;
To review and evaluate the mission and operation of the two
s and to assess the "gmOity, etfe.etiveness and professional
.iv'rrltyr' of their broadcasting within the context of broad U.S.
=:rei< n lrol e.y objectives;
To err eurag;e the -most effective utiliraition of available
t >Miree:s and underta.kor~ such studies as may be necessary to
nre economic and efficient operations;
1-. To develop financial and a. editing procedures to ensure that
ruts are being; mace for the purposes Congress intended;
i'o anoint stall personnel as may be necessary, subject to
t r.ri:rrsions of title (governing appoint agents in the
r n);nnetitive service) ; to procure temporary and intermittVnt
l,erss:nnel ser;ices, and provide travel and per diem expenses for
e. ,ca-al hrrsiiw r' purposes;
TO retort annually to the President and to Congress; on or
be ore October 30 on activities of the Board during the year
e r+ling the preceding June: 30 and to evaluate the operations of
k 'E and R1
'l'l)c hill also provides that, RFE ii.nd RL shall maintain full and
accurate records of receipts and expenditures and thnit the Comptroller
Cenerni_ of the United State.; shall have full access to such records
for purposes of audit,.
'l'?ne f;c,.nrd sh it vonsist of 'Tve voting riernbers- :ill appointed by
;.iv Pr,,-idnnt by arnd with the advice rand consent of the Senate- -and
two m officio (none oting) ;members representing the two radios (i.e.
Ow c:hi(t' ececuhIve officers of R.FE and RU, respectively). All voting
member; .are to serve without an mud salary, although they may be
tsc>npensated on a. daily basis at level V of the Executive schedule
wile atreaading l nerd meetings or engaged in official Board business
and receive travel expenses and per diem. Initiaaily, three voting
aaemhers inc to he appointed for a terra of 3 years and two voting
members for a term of 2 years. Therefore, all voting members are to
verve 3-year terms.
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7
SELECTION CRITERIA
Voting members appointed by the President shall be selected from
"among Americans distinguished in the fields of foreign policy or
mass communications" who are not regular full-time employees of the
U.S. Government. Not more than three such members "shall be of
the same political party".
The Board is authorized to receive donations, bequests, gifts, and
other contributions from private individuals and corporations and is
to be classified as a nonprofit corporation under relevant provisions of
the IRS code. The committee approved an amendment adopted by
the Senate which requires all such donations to be a matter of public
record.
The Board's proposed role and prescribed functions were the subject
of close examination by members of the committee in the course of
the hearings. Although the bill, as reported, provides for the creation
of this mechanism, some doubts remain whether a five-member, non-
salaried Board, assisted by a small staff, will be equipped to carry out
meaningful oversight functions as envisioned by section 4(a) of the
bill. The committee intends to watch carefully the performance of
the Board during the coming year, particularly its success in carrying
out the recommendations of the Eisenhower Commission that it-
Undertake as one of its first tasks an intensive examina-
tion of the relative benefits that might accrue from possible
consolidation of headquarters space and functions in Munich
as well as other locations where the two stations have per-
sonnel and facilities; and that the Board, as a matter of
high priority, work closely with the stations in exploring
new possibilities for economy and efficiency and in carrying
out studies and reorganizations designed to achieve savings
and increased efficiency of operations.
In addition, the committee hopes that the Board will address itself
to another recommendation of the Eisenhower Commission-"that
a comprehensive study of all United States international radio
broadcasting facilities be undertaken at the earliest possible date"-
and report upon it prior to consideration by Congress of any further
authorizations.
The committee wishes to make clear its intention that the Board
shall encourage continuation of the professional integrity and in-
dependence of the two radio stations, their chief operating executives,
and their staffs. This aspect of the Board's mandate will also be re-
viewed by the committee during the coming year.
Administration policy on the question of initiation by Radio
Liberty of broadcasts in the Baltic languages (Latvian, Lithuanian,
and Estonian) was also the focus of the committee's attention during
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the Ii rin.gcl. Adlninistration witnesses noted that Radio Liberty
had planned to commence such broadcasts in fiscal Year 11974 and that
the l)opartma.ent of State had approved this plan. However, owing to
severe budgetary stringencies, the $270,000 originally proposed for
this project and of her new project funds for RL were eliminated from
the fiscal ro r 1974 budget by OMB.
In a lot-ter to ('hairman [organ. dated ,august, 2, 1973, A*.~istant
Secretary of Stta_t,e t Iarshall Wright cramrnented~as follows:
I;cl., me unsure you, Mr. Ch.airrnan, that the Department
rat SIat;e cons hues to support Radio Liberty's intention
to b''gin bron toasts to the Brrltir, peoples in~ their native
l:o guages as soon as praetieab'a. We believe that passage
l)w tfre Cow-""', this year of the propose authorizing
,ml ;n,pproprialsion legislation tit'oili1 provide the essential
ba,;e of secority and stability fur Radio Libert.v to reopen
tar question of such broadcast operations in its fiscal year
1975 1,11(hvei preesentation..
It is the committee's view that Baltic language broadcasts should be
accorded a high orierity and be included in, the fiscal year 1975 budget
present?Ltion to the Congress. Plat.miag for this contingency should
begin promptly.
"'teal year 1971 bwiget request
i`'r thousands of dollars)
Presidents hndget:
Radii) Free Eilrope_-_------.--
t .adio i,iberty _ --------- -
-------------------- ---- -- 2s? 370
T! );;;al 640
Budget aanendment, (H. hoe. 493-101):
(ncreased costs resulting from the devaluatioru of February 12, 1973:
Radio 9'ren 3,234
tame Liberty a)fit}
39.4
'total fisenl veer '1974 budget request:
i2.adio Free Europe
liaaio Liberty-_
N, 1:il
1" t.11- - --- ----------------------------- ---------- 49,934
Proposed t ud!~,et amendment for the costs of the Board for International
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OPPOSING VIEWS OF HONORABLE WAYNE L. HAYS
It is my view that the American taxpayers should not pay for
organizations which are under the direction of and staffed by more than
99 percent non-American citizens. For that reason, and the fact that
no one knows whether anyone listens to these stations, I can no longer
support the expenditure of the taxpayers' dollars for these functions..
WAYNE L. HAYS.
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'"JAVEyT~ QI ES'1`IONS ABOUT RADIO FREE EUROPE AND
H"U"11O 1Jl ER'l.'Y
'1'lii, bill provide; an aporoach without parallel in the domestic or
foreign operations of the L7nited States ,governhrtent. Neither the
101)011 of he laserhower Cammision nor the (ornrriili,ee h.earinzs
r:?o+,ioe ituuswer, to the serious questions which this approach raises.
o Ei:ese retest ions, the answers to which _\Iernbers should have
before (hey support this bit[ or any similar legislation, are:
W h" in this wodd will believe that these radio stations operate
ui any vaL`.' "like e free press" . . . with `professional indepenrlenCe"
a.,, the l+:i-tenhower Commission rnairrtains in its report) when they
;ire fire toed principally and directly fry the U.S. Government?
". A by should the American taxpayer supply $50 initlion or more
icot t y 1 r the foreseeable future for two private orgalriaations which
.-,re rust pirne-ipaiiv by non-Americans operating in foreign countries
to semi tiu r views into other foreign countries?
. Do file American people believe they have s' eh it monopoly on
wisrlrnn and virtue, in the world community that they should lirrance
ir;?oadc;rst, on the internal problems of Eastern European
-our rrrtris?
. ?V,)Ili;l tno (iwr Tess ggreun, tii50 million to any other board to be
c,hanneknd to private groups with no guidelines for spending, the
:n.one.v, no ef-fer?tive oversight procedure and no description of the
;orhine eons to be o: tined through this public; expeilditirre?
,., t': rant ollichil.s, responsible to our government and with proper
resourc.r s for the task, will supervise the expenditure of these public
r urns trhuh will hi spent in foreign countries for activities directed
into ocher foreign countries?
6. ; -,otriri the ollicial foreigil policy_ agencies of our ,overnment,
r a-per'i illy the 1)emi.rtmerit of State. be excluded from an advisory
r=r petvcory role over these stations which broaitrac;t controversial
ri-i'orrnatiorr- on the mterna,l affairs of our principal foreign advor,ary?
7. V%=>rri l we believe the Soviet Union if it said th.;it its financing
"private" radio stations beamed to the United States about
Arneric.aun :lomestic affairs cvae; tompatibte with. detente?
~7. I~ tir t Soviet Union financed ,.he broadcast into the United
:;kite, of the views of deser'ter's and draft; resisters would We accept
rill(, :;ev let explanation that they sought only to impart information
and poi to interi-ere with our domestic affairs?
to. ~--houid the Congress continue to finance both official overseas
radio oroadcasts of the Voice of America and "unofficial" broadcasts
of rltesr: "rations with a duplication of function, facilities and per-
omrel :'
Ili. ( an Coio ret-u convince itself, and its constituents, that $56
crril(iorr in public I'rulds for the Voice of America constitutes "official"
V t[i)
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international broadcasting while another $50 million in public funds
for these two stations constitutes "free and independent" broad-
casting?
11. If these stations are performing such important functions why
do West European governments refuse to contribute to their opera-
tion ?
12. Why do private contributors in either Europe or the United
'States fail to provide more than token financial support for these
stations?
13. If broadcasting "internal" news to Eastern European countries
is important enough to negate or at least diminish the trend toward
detente, why do none of our West European allies undertake such
broadcasting on their international stations? Why is the United
States the only Western country involved in such broadcasting?
14. If it is proper, today for one government to finance the broad
cast of views of emigres to their country of origin, why did we use
secret CIA funds to finance the stations for nearly 20 years?
15. If Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty are proper functions
for official U.S. government financing, why not establish a Radio
Free China, Radio Free Greece, or Radio Free Brazil? If we are
truly concerned about the lack of information within other countries,
should we not try to do a thorough job in every country where such
deficiencies in news exist?
16. Why should the United States increase its balance-of-payments
deficits (and help Europeans increase their surpluses) by sending
another $50 million overseas each year, principally to West Germany
where the dollar has already declined by about 30% in value since
January 1973?
17. Why should U.S. public funds pay the salaries of over 2400
workers, largely non-Americans, living overseas at an average salary
of over $10,000 each, when we have a sizeable unemployment problem
at home?
18. Why should Congress authorize these millions of dollars to
support anti-government broadcasts to the Soviet Union in a year
following one in which we sold one-quarter of our grain crop to that
government at bargain prices?
19. Does anyone have any reliable information about whether these
stations are worthwhile operations, in proportion to their costs,
exceptas they benefit several thousand expatriates who run them?
20. Would anyone today consider establishing Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty if they did not already exist?
BENJAMIN S. ROSENTHAL.
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". _INOR,ITY VTFWS OF ITONORABLF, yTICTTAF,T,
IIARRINGTON
I; am unable to, support H.R. 8144: to authorize an appropriation
of $5t) million to provide for a Board for International Broadcasting
to sut,~ervise the activities of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
The structure of the bill imperfect; but more importantly, the idea
itself is flawed.
'1'lho forces arrayed on the side of Radio Free Europe and Radio
Liberty are impre sive, gad they claim to carry the banner of truth.
It, is not easy to sort out facts from rhetoric, but it is my belief from
t~,he facts that the two Radios serve no.
purpose brit, to exacerbate
tension between 14;a4 and West, a singularly unfitting activity for
support by the United States Congress.
Pro oironents maintain that, under the proposed International Board
of Broadeastinsr, the Radios will be independent of the U.S. govern-
oi,ant and, therefore, free to broadcast truths which the Voice of
A.inont-it, an otiici;a1 goverment organ, must suppress. This is non
sense: broadcasting funded by a goveriinient cannot be independent
of th.-it government, despite the he-t intentions of its operators. Is
there any positive purpose in broadcasting to the East yet another
.iaiindered version of events?
The uiderlying intent of the Radios' broadcasts is faulty. It is a
belief horn of national cha iivinism that we alone possess the truth (as
we perceive it) and that it is part of the responsibility of this gover-n-
nrent to hroeAhost it to the enslaved peoples of the world. While this
may be inspirational, it is scarcely good politics of the sort that is,
suited to the post-cold-war world. We have stated that we will deal
with nations as they are, and then we persist in highlighting our
disapproval of and opposition to them. It is not the business of this
nation to intervene in the relationship of another government with
Its people-
'rho contimied_ elistence and proposed expansion of Radio Free
1+;11ropr, funs counter to U.S. policy as articulated many times by this
Adininistration. 'l`he President maintains that we will continue to
move toward it redaction of tension with the East. This policy is not
well served, but eont,radicte I, by the Radios, who by their very nature
and history, represent combativeness toward the regimes of the East-
-nn bloc.. 1 nunded and long operated under CIA control, the Radios at
the height of the cold war were used to encourage dissidents. If we are
crow to accept the soviet Union and its allies as we find them, without
attempting to make them over in our image, we must stop broadcasts
which began for the stated purpose of encouraging "liberation" in the
tr.a,st. Ti is hardly the time for a war of liberation to be led by the United
`4tates. it, is time in,t cad to recognize these societies for what they are.
t is tine to deal with them and with their governments honestly.
rovernrn.ent-funded and sponsored attempts to eri,.omirage dissatis-
;'action in other countries are inappropriate when our stated intention
to rea ice tensions.
t12)
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There is much sympathy for the' dissidents within the Eastern bloc
who are persecuted and harassed by government authorities. I share
this sympathy, and do not approve of governmental moves to crush
-opposition. However, I do not regard the Radios as effective means
for instituting a different political climate in the Soviet Union or
Eastern Europe. On the contrary, they provide an excuse for those in
the governments who wish to maintain a hard line toward dissent.
These governments can point to the Radios as evidence that the
4cold war is not ending, that intervention by the West is continuing,
and that, therefore, internal controls are still necessary in the face of
this onntside threat. The Radios indeed serve to keep the voice of
dissidence alive-they guarantee that it will never be heard within
Soviet society proper, because dissidence is married by association to
the West.
Nothing is to be gained from the exacerbation of tension that Radio
Free Europe and Radio Liberty cause. I cannot support legislation to
continue this activity another year. We are far more likely to achieve
some good for the people of the world by lowering international ten-
sions than by continuing broadcasts in a conspiratorial vein which
persist in intruding our version of truth into another society.
MICHAEL J. HARRINGTON.
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ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF HONORABLE J. HERBERT BURKE
Times change. World conditions change, and the need for certain
programs changes. The so-called "freedom radios" began in the early
1950's during a period of ideological confrontation between the East
and West. Radio Liberty focused upon the Soviet Union, Radio Free
Europe upon the Eastern European satellites. Each presented itself as
a spontaneous creation, run by freedom-loving refugees and financed
by (limes and nickels from school children. Both in reality were
organizational and functional instruments of the CIA.
Today, the ideological confrontation has waned and the balance of
power has stabilized; however, in fiscal year 1973 we spent more than
$138 million of U.S. taxpayers' money on overseas broadcasting ac-
tivities through Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty
and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
For fiscal year 1974, $67 million has been requested for Voice of
America, $50 million for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and
almost $32 million for American Forces Radio and Television Service
bringing the total request for overseas broadcasting activities to $149
Million.
It may be true that citizens of the Soviet Union and the Eastern
European Countries have a "right to know," but why is it the duty
of the American taxpayer alone to transmit the truth to them? In
addition, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe are not the only
international radios broadcasting into the Communist controlled
countries of Europe.
The United States finances two other organizations whose broad-
casts reach the Soviet Union and the Communist countries in Europe-
the Voice of America and the Armed Forces Radio and Television
Service. In addition, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the West
German station, Deutsche Welle, the official radio of France, the
Vatican, Israel and others transmit a sum total of 822 program-hours
each week to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe over and above
the efforts of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
Thus it would seem fair to conclude that to a great extent Radio
Free Europe and Radio Liberty duplicate news programs of the other
stations presently beaming programs into the Soviet Union and
Eastern Europe. With or without the so-called "freedom radios" a
full and accurate flow of information is available to listeners in Com-
munist countries.
The Voice of America as the radio arm of the United States Infor-
mation Service transmits information about the United States aimed
at foreign audiences.
The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service transmits inter-
national, national, government, military and sports news from major
U.S. commercial networks, wire services, and military correspondents
to U.S. military personnel and their dependents living abroad.
(15)
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11
a,rablic is aware that Voice of America transmits information
to fnreiirn audiences in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, hut,
i,~w (arxt)ayers are aware that Armed Ii Drees Radio and Television
eervi'se does the same.
Air N-+rankfnrl, has it 150,000 watt transmit:rer, three times the
anaxuanin authorized in the U.S. AFRTS has a 50,000 watt trans-
rnitier lit Munich, a 14,000 watt transmitter in Augsburg, 10,000
wa.tti transmitters at Berlin, Kaiserllantern, Nnremberg, Stuttgart,
and txrafenwoehr. and a 5000 watt transmitter o-a,t Bremerhaven. In
all there are 47 American Forces Network stations in Europe. How-
",ver, this is o:aiv part of the systern. The total broadcasting system
has $76 radio stations and 103 television stations. 'l.'hese broadcasts
should he taken into account for like the Voice of America and the
"fre+'r out radios" the vast.AFR'i'S network contributes considerably
No I i,a worldwide, availability of information a.hoatt the U.S. and
,thou[ iii ernattonal events.
'I" r:+ :l -aument that we need some voice is perhaps propel-, but to
have three voices is excessive and it is wasteful, particularly in view
of tire: tr'onomic situation of the U.S. with regard to its balance of
povtnents.
If ?he-e radios ire to continue, they should be financed at, least in
liar( =iv the prostaerous nations of Western Europe which stand to
heueiit urore than anyone else if the radios are successful in accom-
g'lishi ig their broadcasting objectives.
hyshould not, West European governments and private European
~aurces help pay the cost of the two radios and their research efforts?
The Litter alone costs approximately $3.9 million annually. If West
hirlrotrea r governments cannot contribute directly, they ought to
expand such "intangible" contributions as they may now be making.
Uo-ler the terms of the hilL, being, reported from this committee it is
impossible to guarantee the taxpat er that the authorization will be
only ;i5ii,209,000 for liscral year 1974 because there is an open-ended
authorization tha.-, authotizes such supplemental amounts as may be
neces:,arv for incroases in salary, pay, retirement. etc.
U.i,il such t.it.ne as the West European countries reach into their
own poctiets to help pay the cost of Radio Free Europe and Radio
kiber;;y, I cannot support passage of this legislation.
J. i_I hEUII RT BURKNi.
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