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Review of the Voice of America and the International Broadcasting Bureau Broadcasting Board of Governors Final Report – Volume 1 Review of the Voice of America and the International Broadcasting Bureau Broadcasting Board of Governors Washington, DC July, 2006 This document is confidential and is intended solely for the use and information of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and IBB / VOA 0 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Table of Contents Introduction Organization Structure and Authorities Business Processes Production Levels Resources Comparable Organizations Strategic Direction and Business Models Recommendations 1 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction…Scope The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) engaged Booz Allen to conduct a broad review of the IBB and the VOA The review includes the authorities, structure, organization, processes, coordination, and staffing of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and the Voice of America (VOA) These features were analyzed to determine how they affect the effectiveness and efficiency of: – VOA’s core programming mission performance – IBB’s administrative, logistics, and other support performance – BBG’s resultant overall ability to respond quickly and effectively to a constantly changing international broadcasting environment As part of the analysis, Booz Allen collected “best business practices” used by other public and private sector broadcasting organizations and compared them to IBB/VOA’s current practices, recognizing BBG’s unique mission, charter and Federal agency status Based on the review, Booz Allen makes recommendations to the BBG regarding improvements to achieve greater productivity, efficiency, and mission alignment, including potential organizational restructuring 2 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction…Operational Effectiveness This review focuses on issues related to operational effectiveness, rather than the content of mission strategy or programming This study does not examine the “strategic” effectiveness of BBG / IBB / VOA’s broadcasting – how well it accomplishes its fundamental mission on behalf of the American public This study considers how the IBB / VOA structure and processes contribute to the “operational” effectiveness of the organization – how well it accomplishes the creation, production and delivery/distribution of programming that meets content, format, quality and production objectives – Please note also that the study’s scope did not include assessment of the content, format or quality of specific programming, nor consider the countries or languages for programming 3 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction…Project Process We followed a structured process of “baselining” the current organization and operation, analyzing and comparing it to others IBB / VOA Assessment Project Plan A3.A3. AssessAssess IBB/VOAIBB/VOA OrganizationalOrganizational PerformancePerformance Efficiency Effectiveness Responsiveness Coordination/cooperation D.D. RecommendRecommend A1.A1. Kick-OffKick-Off andand A2.A2. ReviewReview andand C.C. BenchmarkBenchmark E.&E.& F.F. DevelopDevelop Support of mission ImprovementImprovement ProjectProject PlanningPlanning ValidateValidate MissionMission BestBest PracticesPractices ActionAction PlanPlan OpportunitiesOpportunities B. Baseline IBB and Kickoff and refine/ tailor Interview project team B. Baseline IBB and Organization structures, Changes to organization Quantitative and other methodology assigned by IBB/VOA VOAVOA OrganizationsOrganizations reporting relationships, structure, reporting improvements Interview list and Confer with BBG and VOA procedures and staffing relationships, roles/ Budget/staffing requirements schedule leaders; agree on how to Governance Public broadcasting: US. responsibilities Timing and tasks Preliminary data request s approach key stakeholders Organization structure and international Process improvements Barriers to implementation – Mission and option review Roles/responsibilities Private sector broadcasters Changes in governance/ including legal or regulatory w/stakeholders, (e.g. Dep’t of operating model Organization procedures Non-broadcasting constraints State, Congress, etc.) organizations (as relevant) Adjustments to resource Staffing levels Initial hypotheses levels Reporting relationships Interfaces/linkages G. Manage Change Assess readiness for change Determine barriers and develop change management strategies H. Manage the Project Kickoff 7/05 Interim Report Draft Report Final Report 10/05 2/06 5/06 4 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction…Document Review To gather the data for this report, our team reviewed numerous internal and external documents SampleSample InternalInternal // ExternalExternal DocumentsDocuments ReviewedReviewed Statutory and Regulatory Documents Finance and Budget Documents – US Code, Title 22 – BBG/IBB budget documents 2000-2005 – Legislation pertaining to the BBG, IBB and VOA (e.g. 1994 and 1998 – BBG FY05, FY06 Budget Foreign Affairs Acts) – Enhancement Proposals FY 2005, FY2006, FY 2007 – Labor-Management Documents (e.g. Negotiated union agreements) – Capital and Information Technology Planning Process Strategic Documents Marketing and Affiliate Documents – BBG Strategic Plan, “Marrying the Mission to the Market” – Strategic Marketing Documents (e.g. OMPP Strategic Plan – BBG Program Enhancement Guidance Memos 2005 2002-2007) Organizational Structure Documents – Affiliations Process Presentations – IBB/VOA Business Unit Roles and Responsibilities Performance Measurement and Review Documents (e.g. VOA Operations Directorate Roles and Responsibilities, 2005) – IBB Annual Program Reviews (e.g. Swahili Language Service – IBB/VOA Overview Documents (e.g. IBB Engineering Overview, July Program Review, 2005) 2005) – Annual BBG Language Service Reviews – IBB Staffing Pattern 2005 – Performance and Accountability Reports, 2004 and 2005 – Change Management Strategies (e.g. WorldNet-VOA TV merger documents, 2004) External Background Documents – VOA Broadcasting Information (e.g. TV Broadcasting Schedule July - – GAO and Congressional Research Reports, 2002-2005 Aug 2005) – Journal Articles, 2002-2005 (e.g. Foreign Affairs, Heritage Report) 5 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction…Stakeholder Input We also obtained formal and informal input from many key stakeholders in BBG, IBB, VOA and Congressional committees StakeholderStakeholder InterviewsInterviews We conducted structured interviews and discussion Broadcast Board of Governors: groups with more than seventy individuals – All Governors – Executive Director, General Counsel, CFO, and selected staff The interviews were supplemented with numerous International Broadcasting Bureau: informal consultations with managers and staff – Acting Director (BBG ED), Chief of Staff – Directorates: Engineering, Management, Program Support The interviews and discussions were used: – Divisions: Personnel, Program Review, Public Affairs, Marketing/Affiliate Placement – To identify other documentary sources – To clarify, elaborate and connect information Voice of America: presented in the reviewed documents – Director, Chief of Staff, Discussion Group with Senior Staff – Directorates: Operations, Central Programming, Language – To ensure that the organization charts and Programming process maps presented in this report were – Divisions: Operations, Traffic, Information Services, Technical, complete and accurate Production, Central News, Central Programming, Representative Sample of individual Language Services – To obtain various perspectives on the meaning – Representatives of 3 employee unions of data, as well as to identify important features and issues for ongoing analysis Grantees – President, Middle East Broadcasting Networks We also received information and opinions from – President, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty many employees through an anonymous e-mail External: address established for this purpose – Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff – House International Affairs Committee staff 6 Final Report: Review of IBB / VOA, Volume 1 Introduction… Business Processes Working closely with management and staff, we developed maps of the core operating and management processes for the IBB/VOA In most cases, we found limited documentation SampleSample CoreCore BusinessBusiness ProcessesProcesses describing the core business processes, participants or decision rights Current IBB/VOA Capital & Information Technology Planning Process Input: BBG’s strategic planning, budgeting, and Output: New Capital and IT enhancement projects performance goals Stronger management of current assets Baseline inventory of existing capital assets Identification of gaps OCT - DEC APRIL MAY JUNE JULY JULY - AUGUST E MONTHLY Current IBB/VOA Transmission Operational Planning Process Approve requests for BBG Standing Master Transmission Schedule Approve requests for Satellite Transmission Feeds We conducted numerous interviews and informal Input: inclusioninclusionOutput: intointo thethe Board New programming requirements OMBOMB budgetbudget requestrequest Technical Infrastructure Upgrades/Adjustments Upcoming program changes C Executive Review Committee ReviewReview submissionssubmissions discussions with managers and staff who andand developdevelop listlist andand April/May recommendations to October October / November 1 C AdjudicateAdjudicate recommendations to ERC the Board BBG SubmitSubmit transmissiontransmission Currentthe IBB/VOA Board Daily Operational Flow (TV) ApprovedApproved conflictsconflicts
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