CONGRESSIONAL FY 2018 BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...... 3 Summary of Appropriations Chart ...... 9 Summary of Positions and FTE ...... 10 Summary of Major Reduction Proposals ...... 11 Federal Entity Summaries ...... 17 Broadcasting Board of Governors ...... 17 Voice of America (VOA) ...... 21 Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) ...... 33 International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) ...... 39 Office of Technology, Services and Innovation (TSI) ...... 43 Independent Grantee Organization Summaries ...... 53 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) ...... 53 Radio Free Asia (RFA) ...... 61 Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) ...... 67 Additional Summaries ...... 77 Broadcasting Capital Improvements (BCI) ...... 77 Performance Budget Information ...... 83 Appendix ...... 123 Attachment A: Office of Internet Freedom & Open Technology Fund ...... 123 Attachment B: Budget Charts ...... 135 Voice of America Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 136 Office of Cuba Broadcasting Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 138 International Broadcasting Bureau Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 139 Technology, Services and Innovation Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 140 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 142 Radio Free Asia Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 143 Middle East Broadcasting Networks Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 144 Broadcasting Capital Improvements Summary of Appropriated Funds ...... 145 Miscellaneous ...... 147 Funding from Outside Sources ...... 147
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 1
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
2 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
“Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world… Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people – and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict – not more.”
President Donald J. Trump, February 28, 2017
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, the President is enhancing programming for North requesting $685.1 million for the Korean audiences in this request. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Although the funding request represents BBG is the U.S. government’s civilian an 8.4 percent reduction from the FY international media agency, comprising 2017 annualized CR level, the the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Administration has prioritized funding Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio for countering Russian misinformation, Free Asia (RFA), Alhurra TV and Radio combatting violent extremism, and Sawa (under the Middle East
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 3
Broadcasting Networks (MBN), and audiences, including digital media and Radio and TV Martí (under the Office of television; and achieving efficiencies Cuba Broadcasting – OCB). Collectively, through improved coordination among the five networks of the BBG are known its five broadcast networks. as U.S. International Media, or USIM. In a difficult, even hostile, global political One of the largest media organizations and media environment, support for U.S. in the world, BBG provides content in international broadcasting is a critical 61 languages to a record measured component of American power, audience of 278 million people each security, and prosperity. Consistent with week in more than 100 countries on America’s commitment to free speech radio, television, and digital media and free expression, the BBG’s networks platforms with some 4,000 employees, advance U.S. national interests by 1,500 stringer reporters, and 50 news providing audiences in closed societies, bureaus. BBG’s extensive network of or where free media is not yet fully seasoned, well-respected and well- established, with consistently accurate connected journalists is particularly and compelling journalism and other strong in regions where the Islamic State content that opens minds and in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Russia, Iran, stimulates debate. BBG’s networks China, and other global actors that do demonstrate to the world the values that not share American values are reflect American society: freedom, attempting to make further inroads. openness, and democracy. Societies that embrace these values support U.S. BBG is committed to making efficient interests because they enjoy greater and effective use of taxpayer resources stability and prosperity, engage more and continuing to achieve significant peacefully with their neighbors, more impact in the world by prioritizing forcefully reject terrorism and spending in key areas; scaling back extremism, and make better political outdated transmission methods in favor allies and trade partners for the of platforms more appropriate for key United States.
GLOBAL OPERATING ENVIRONMENT: MORE MEDIA, LESS MEDIA FREEDOM
In a world awash in media, with modern media tools to promote interconnected platforms that are widely extremist views, sow seeds of available through digital and social discontent, and subvert democratic media, governments and non-state ideals. actors have weaponized information to generate a relentless, sophisticated At the same time, the forces of stream of false narratives that often go democracy and free expression are also unchallenged and therefore gain active. People around the world raise credibility, creating a false view of their voices and mobilize to protest reality. ISIS and Boko Haram exploit abuses of authority, to curb pervasive
4 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Executive Summary
corruption, and hold leaders remains a powerful medium in much of accountable. Their tools, too, are those the developing world. of modern popular expression – social media, mobile phones, and software to Yet even as information sources and circumvent internet censorship. platforms proliferate, access to accurate, free, and open information is eroding. Media use and consumption patterns Global media freedom has steadily vary widely by market, but certain trends deteriorated over the past decade. This are clear. Television remains the year, internet freedom declined for the dominant medium worldwide for news sixth consecutive year, according to and entertainment. The internet now Freedom House, as more governments outstrips radio as a source for news in censor information of public interest more-developed media environments, while expanding surveillance and and social media show unabated, cracking down on privacy tools. explosive growth nearly everywhere. Radio – especially on the FM band –
MISSION AND ROLES
The BBG’s founding legislation requires emphasize domestic news for their the agency to: geographically-defined audiences. Covering developments n inform people through accurate, specific to their target markets is their objective, and comprehensive news; specialty, most notably in countries n represent American society, culture, without a free press or in transition. At and thinking; the same time, each also covers regional and international issues and events n and present and discuss U.S. policy. (including those in the United States, as BBG’s mission statement reflects these warranted) to ensure comprehensive statutory imperatives: “to inform, news coverage. VOA emphasizes engage, and connect people around the international and regional news and world in support of freedom and in-depth coverage of the United States. democracy.” VOA also covers local events to ensure comprehensive news coverage, BBG’s five networks pursue this mission especially in areas where it is the only through complementary, reinforcing BBG presence, such as sub-Saharan roles and cooperate through the U.S. Africa. MBN provides a full range of International Media Coordinating international, regional, and local news in Committee (ICC), which is chaired by Arabic as well as thorough coverage of the BBG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the United States. and meets regularly to efficiently and effectively coordinate operations and develop strategy. RFE/RL, RFA, and OCB
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 5
TRUST AND CREDIBILITY
The BBG networks accomplish their levels of trust that audiences place in goals by building relationships of trust them, BBG’s networks become a go-to and credibility with global audiences. In source in times of crisis or to verify addition to high-quality, fact-based other information sources. news and information, BBG engages audiences and connects them with one Discerning news-seekers shun another and with the wider world, propaganda and content that they including by providing technologies that believe is not trustworthy. A legally circumvent Internet censorship. mandated “firewall” prohibits political interference in the agency’s content, BBG credibility is further bolstered and ensuring that journalists and editors can reach extended through news and develop programming that reflects the information in vernacular languages as highest professional standards well as global languages. With the high of journalism.
ELEVATED IMPACT MEASUREMENTS
While BBG’s measured weekly audiences media, and governments. Rooted in the have grown by 113 million since 2010 to agency’s mission statement, the model a record 278 million, impact is more tracks progress in the areas of informing, than just reaching audiences. As part of engaging and connecting, and being the agency’s aggressive reform efforts, influential. The Impact Model allows BBG has developed and implemented an BBG to track, understand, and explain its Impact Model to assess whether its accomplishments with a host of programming makes a difference – what mission-relevant indicators. changes occur as a result of the agency’s work – among audiences, local
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
BBG is committed to ongoing strategic strategy and results measurement to and operational improvements. The drive performance. FY 2018 Budget Request contains proposals to migrate to the most BBG will more narrowly target resources effective media platforms, respond in order to achieve operational readily to crises, keep pace with efficiencies to effectively perform its audiences in terms of their demographic statutory missions and support U.S. composition and interests, and sharpen foreign policy priorities.
6 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Executive Summary
The FY 2018 Request is $685.1 million, a $63.1 million decrease from the FY 2017 Annualized CR level, which reflects: n Proposed reductions across BBG which would likely require the prioritization of certain language services; optimization of information technology; shifting away from shortwave transmissions, where appropriate; reducing staffing through attrition and reductions-in-force, where necessary; and realizing efficiencies in support services; n $680.4 million for International Broadcasting Operations, including Federal and non-Federal broadcasting entities of which $10.0 million shall be allocated for anti-censorship; and n $4.7 million for Broadcasting Capital Improvements.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 7
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
8 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Summary Charts
Table 1: Summary of Appropriations Chart
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 9
Table 2: Summary of Positions and FTE (by PPA)
10 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Summary of Major Reduction Proposals
Summary of Major Reduction Proposals
The BBG Budget Request for FY 2018 Please note that only major reductions includes reductions and enables the are identified below. The staffing agency to focus available resources on reductions described below will take foreign policy priorities, including the form of attrition and reductions-in- Russia, North Korea, and countering force, where necessary. The Office of violent extremism. The Request Personnel Management workforce permits BBG to maintain investments shaping tools, such as voluntary early in modern media platforms, such as retirements and voluntary separation television and digital media. In FY 2018, incentive payments will be used as the BBG proposes to make targeted appropriate. A full explanation of the reductions aimed at minimizing change between the FY 2017 and administrative costs, scaling back less FY 2018 funding levels for each effective transmissions, and reducing entity can be found in the or ending service in several languages. Increases/Decreases charts at the end of each section.
VOICE OF AMERICA (VOA)
Reduce Radio Broadcasting and Programming [$7.3M] VOA will reduce radio broadcasting to Afghanistan, Indonesia, Rwanda and Burundi, and Laos. Eliminate programming for Macedonia and potentially merge Latin America (Spanish) with the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
Rebalance Content and Programming for Asia [$5.0M] VOA will consolidate its English language content, reduce programming in Thai, eliminate Cantonese programming, and maintain Mandarin as a priority for VOA by shifting resources away from radio, toward more effective investments in next generation digital/social media content and technology. For example, VOA Mandarin will launch an Internet-delivered 24/7 video news stream to China to provide a fact-based alternative to domestic media propaganda about the U.S.
Reduce Government Staff [$4.8M] VOA will reduce Government staff positions through attrition.
Reduce Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Programs [$1.8M] VOA OCO net reduction reflects a shift of $3 million from OCO to base funding for CVE programming. VOA will reduce OCO-funded television and radio broadcasting to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, Turkey, and the Kurdish areas of the Middle East.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 11
Reduce Operating Costs [$2.0M] VOA will reduce overall expenses through cuts in General Operating Expense (GOE), the Broadcast Operations function, the office of the VOA Director, and the London news center.
Reduce Persian Language [$1.0M] VOA will reduce Persian Language broadcasts to Iran. This will not impact the number of broadcast hours as more repeat programming will be included. Work will also be redistributed for greater productivity.
OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING (OCB)
Reduce Contractor Support [$2.4M] OCB will reduce the number of contractors who currently support the OCB program offices. Current federal employees will be trained to perform lost contractor functions wherever possible.
Reduce Government Staff [$1.3M] OCB will eliminate vacant staff positions and reduce the number of government positions through attrition.
Eliminate Ineffective Leased Broadcast Transmissions [$0.5M] OCB will eliminate ineffective leased broadcast transmissions such as commercial satellite and supplementary AM frequencies.
INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING BUREAU (IBB)
Reductions in Internet Freedom Programs [$5.0M] IBB will reduce various Internet Freedom areas and shift focus to high interest areas. IBB will seek reductions across its portfolio, described in the Appendix, in order to identify savings. A major area of focus will be further leveraging private sector partnerships and expertise. Another is to increase cooperation and eliminate any potential duplication with other government agencies operating in this space. Reductions will balance the provision of current services with the research necessary to identify and address future threats.
12 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Summary of Major Reduction Proposals
Reduce Government Staff [$2.9M] IBB will eliminate most of the administrative vacancies that support U.S. international broadcasting efforts. The positions that will be eliminated will come from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Contracts, Office of Human Resources, and other support offices.
TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES, AND INNOVATION (TSI)
Radio Transmission Reduction [$5.0M] TSI will eliminate less effective shortwave and medium wave radio transmission frequencies and those that have low audience impact in order to free up resources for more effective digital and other program delivery technologies. TSI will also reduce, renegotiate, or eliminate costly leased transmission services where possible.
Global Network Realignment [$2.0M] TSI will reduce global network delivery costs by adopting more flexible and effective digital distribution technologies and through consolidation of remaining satellite contracts.
Administrative and Organizational Efficiencies [$1.6M] TSI will find efficiencies, streamline operations, and review contracts to reduce operational costs in order to achieve savings in FY 2018. TSI will also review employee attrition and will hold non-critical positions vacant to realize savings.
Transmission Station Reductions [$1.0M] TSI will close an unused transmitting site managed by the Philippines Transmitting Station and gain operational economies at other stations as overall radio transmission usage declines. The site in the Philippines has not been used for broadcast transmissions for several years since the agency implemented a number of cost saving reductions of less effective transmissions.
RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY (RFE/RL)
Discontinue Pashto broadcasts to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in northwest Pakistan [$2.2M] Given that RFE/RL's Afghan Service and Radio Mashaal both broadcast in Pashto, RFE/RL will discontinue Radio Mashaal, RFE/RL’s Pashto-language service targeted to Pakistan’s tribal areas, which was previously funded with OCO funds. Audiences in northwest Pakistan will continue to be served by VOA Radio Deewa.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 13
Reduce Russian Service radio and 24/7 news operation [$0.6M] RFE/RL will reduce the costs of Russian Service radio and 24/7 news operation by finding efficiencies, streamlining operations, and reducing operating expenses.
Localize Georgian Service operation in Tbilisi [$0.3M] RFE/RL will transfer a portion of its Georgian Service operation to Tbilisi, keeping only a small group working in Prague.
Rationalize Radio Farda, continue shift to digital [$0.3M] Farda's key target audiences are increasingly turning to TV and social media for news and information. Farda's digital operations have shown growth in recent years due to a redistribution of its workforce and resources, including doubling audiences on several social media platforms. In addition to radio programming reductions, RFE/RL will reallocate current radio resources toward enhanced digital operations for Persian- speaking audiences.
Reduce Macedonian language broadcasts [$0.2M] RFE/RL will reduce Macedonian language staffing.
Discontinue Belarus radio [$0.2M] RFE/RL's Belarus Service airs radio programming on AM (medium wave). An audio stream is available on the Internet and HotBird satellite. This proposed reduction would entail discontinuing all Belarus radio operations however there will be a continuation of audio via the internet as required through podcasts and audio bits on social networks.
RADIO FREE ASIA (RFA)
Focus the Mandarin Service on Social Media [$4.7M] RFA will focus its Mandarin resources on social media, which is the platform the agency has determined to be most cost-effective.
MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (MBN)
Reduce Salary and Support Costs [$4.1M] To reduce salary and benefits costs, MBN will: continue automation efforts in television production systems and make associated staffing changes; realign certain production support functions; eliminate select support positions; and reduce employee support costs.
14 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Summary of Major Reduction Proposals
Reduce Pan-Arab Live News Updates [$1.5M] Radio Sawa will eliminate live Pan-Arab news updates in the overnight hours across the Middle East. While MBN will rework schedules to ensure the broadest live news availability for Radio Sawa listeners, live news will remain available via Radio Sawa for at least 18 hours per day. On the Pan-Arab Alhurra channel, television news updates will be reduced in length and potentially number to ensure staffing efficiencies. Its two, primetime, hour-long newscasts will continue to anchor the news line-up for Alhurra.
Eliminate Afia Darfur Programming [$0.5M] MBN launched the 30-minute Afia Darfur programming in 2008, initially through funding from the Department of State. Afia Darfur is broadcast into Darfur via shortwave each evening at 9:00 p.m. local time and targets all people in Darfur and eastern Chad, and it is heard in Khartoum. With a decade of tailored content already provided, coupled with no current research available to assess its effectiveness, this programming is scheduled for elimination in FY 2018.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 15
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
16 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $752,934 $748,291 $685,154 ($63,137)
BBG REFORM AGENDA AND PRIORITIES
BBG is committed to making efficient Key reforms were set into motion in and effective use of taxpayer resources September 2015 when the BBG Board and continuing to achieve significant delegated operational authorities to a impact in the world by prioritizing CEO with day-to-day responsibilities. spending in key areas; scaling back In the months since, BBG greatly outdated transmission methods in improved internal coordination and favor of platforms more appropriate for collaboration, expanded global reach key audiences, including digital media on all media platforms, with particular and television; and achieving attention to newer digital means of efficiencies through improved distributing news, and pursuing a coordination among its five broadcast renewed focus on telling America’s networks. Over the past fiscal year, story to the world. BBG has pushed major reforms and efficiencies across the agency, which it will build upon in FY 2018.
Enhanced coordination A key initial step taken by CEO John Lansing was to convene the ICC, comprised of the network heads of VOA, MBN, OCB, RFE/RL and RFA, to meet on a biweekly basis to coordinate operations, identify areas for coverage, share resources, and develop cost- cutting strategies. Through the ICC, BBG’s five networks ensure a regular and open line of communication that The International Media Coordinating Committee (ICC), from left allows them to ensure complementary, to right: Libby Liu, President of Radio Free Asia; Brian Conniff, reinforcing coverage of issues of major President of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks; Amanda Bennett, Director of the Voice of America; John F. Lansing, U.S. policy import, while reinforcing CEO of the Broadcasting Board of Governors; Maria González, the CEO’s and the Board’s emphasis on Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting; Thomas Kent, President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 17
avoiding duplication of resources and Enhanced collaboration is evinced in promoting cost-sharing. smaller, yet no less impactful, ways as well. For instance, close contact Based on this enhanced coordination between VOA and MBN led to the and consolidation of goals, BBG translation into Arabic of stunning achieved significant gains in its quality footage of Boko Haram’s brutal regime of content, which it seeks to build on for MBN’s audience – a key step due to in FY 2018. Notably, RFE/RL and VOA Boko Haram’s official affiliation with worked together in February 2017 to ISIS. BBG continues to explore other launch Current Time, a Russian- productive collaborations between language news network that aims to language services across networks. counter Russian false news and misinformation throughout Europe and in Russia.
BBG’s research program uses in-country surveys as one tool to assess media preferences and impact of BBG programming across media.
Expansion of Research Metrics The CEO has identified an expansion the impact of BBG’s programming in of research metrics as a top priority, line with the key pillars of its mission based on a private sector model that to inform, engage, and connect the assumes robust investment into these world in support of freedom and analytics. In FY 2017, BBG launched an democracy. New goals include “impact model” that expands upon the replacing “short modules” that were metric of stand-alone audience necessitated by lack of funding for full numbers, and instead aims to measure BBG surveys in priority markets.
18 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)
Streamlined Internet Circumvention Programs Additionally in FY 2017, the CEO stood up an Office of Internet Freedom to streamline Federal internet circumvention programs and provide broad oversight of BBG’s funding in this area. This office provides a key means of providing responsible management of BBG’s work in this critical field, which can expand BBG’s audience and impact in countries and regions where totalitarian regimes severely restrict access to BBG’s journalism and other sources of news. Dr. Nnake Nweke became the first Director of the Office of Internet Freedom in July 2016. He is an electrical engineer and attorney with experience in information and communications technology, cybersecurity, internet policy, engineering systems and technology policy.
Increased Employee Engagement At the CEO’s direction, BBG is also management system for federal staff, seeking to enhance employee which will help reward strong engagement, development, and performers and identify poor ones. performance, which will promote The CEO has also launched several better staff productivity and morale. In communication platforms to enhance FY 2018, BBG will launch “Leadership employee engagement directly with 2020,” a comprehensive skills senior management, including a “Talk development effort that includes to John” online portal, a biweekly improved performance evaluations cross-BBG report for all staff on key and sharpening managers’ skills and developments and successes, and capacity. BBG has also recently quarterly oversight meetings with launched a 5-tier performance all managers.
National Defense Authorization Act In addition to actions taken by the CEO reforms to BBG, including empowering and the Board, the FY 2017 National the position of CEO to lead the agency Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and enhancing contracting and other made several important statutory management authorities.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 19
20 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
Voice of America (VOA)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $218,034 $221,133 $199,756 ($21,377)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES
In FY 2018, VOA will confront Russian and create digital content. In particular, disinformation by focusing on factual VOA will focus on enhancing next information and alternatives; report on generation digital content and threats to national security and regional technology to enhance its reach to stability from North Korea, China and audiences in China. Iran; focus on the causes of violent extremism in Iraq, Iran, Africa, VOA will complete its two-year process Central/South Asia and Indonesia and on consolidating administrative services the fight against radical Islam; and and achieve additional savings through strengthen civil society in at-risk the modernization of and improved portions of Africa, Latin America, efficiency within its Broadcast Southeast Asia and Eurasia. Operations division. The process entails the centralization and consolidation of VOA will revamp digital operations and VOA administrative support personnel shift resources to enable us to increase into one cohesive unit, similar to the IBB our reach and impact with at-risk and TSI organizational structure. populations through improved technology, and through operations that can more quickly launch digital products
VOA will prioritize funding through a combination of rebalancing its Asian broadcast resources, reducing the scope of activities previously funded by OCO resources, re-prioritizing language services, and staff attrition. VOA will allocate reductions through the following actions: n Reduce radio broadcasting to n Consolidate its English language Afghanistan, Central Africa, content, reduce programming in Indonesia, and Laos. Thai, eliminate Cantonese n Eliminate programming for programming, and maintain Macedonia and potentially merge Mandarin as a priority for VOA by Latin America (Spanish) with the shifting resources away from radio, Office of Cuba Broadcasting. toward more effective investments in next generation digital/social media content and technology.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 21
n Reduce OCO-funded television and hours as more repeat programming radio broadcasting to the Federally will be included. Work will also will Administered Tribal Areas of be redistributed for greater Pakistan, Turkey, and the Kurdish productivity. areas of the Middle East. This n Apply a 1.5% reduction to General includes an OCO to base shift for Operating Expenses (GOE) and CVE programming. identify savings from the Broadcast n Reduce staff levels through staff Operations function, the office of the attrition and reductions-in-force. VOA Director, and the London n Reduce Persian Language news center. broadcasts to Iran. The result will not impact the number of broadcast
OVERVIEW
VOA focuses on five key areas: n Telling America’s Story by Providing U.S. Perspectives and Serving as a Model of Free Expression. n Enhancing Reporting on Violent Extremism. n Providing Fact-Based Alternatives to Russian Propaganda. n Providing Uncensored News Content to Un-Free Countries. n Reporting on Democracy and Civil Society
FY 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
Telling America’s Story by Providing U.S. Perspectives and Serving as a Model of Free Expression
FY 2017: n Statements by American politicians are often mistranslated or misrepresented by foreign media. During the U.S. presidential election, VOA undertook an ambitious effort to put the debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton out live, as they happened, in the most strategically important languages: Russian, Persian, Spanish, Chinese,
VOA’s 47 language services provided and others. These feeds were unlike comprehensive coverage of the 2016 Elections anything else delivered by any other and the 2017 U.S. Presidential Inauguration for audiences around the world.
22 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
form of media, foreign or domestic, correctness,” “confirmation and gave overseas audiences a hearings,” and “checks and balances” chance to hear American politicians, easy to understand. in their own words, lay out their n VOA Africa sent reporters around plans to run the United States. the U.S. to tell the stories of Africans Delivery was done on the most in the United States who personify popular platforms, including VOA America’s story. sites, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live, ensuring that anyone engaging with VOA in these languages would have seen these debates in real time Beyond the Unicorn in their language. In addition, profiles African President Trump’s inaugural address entrepreneurs was carried live around the world in navigating the more than a dozen languages. unique world of Silicon Valley’s tech n VOA traveled throughout the U.S., startups as they from Minnesota to the Mississippi pursue of their River to Silicon Valley, to tell dreams of success. America’s stories to the world. VOA
opened a Silicon Valley news bureau n VOA will premiere Beyond the to cover the ongoing U.S. Unicorn, an original documentary contributions to the world spotlighting African technology technology and innovation innovators in the Silicon Valley. revolution, one story profiled a No other facet of American culture Russian-born entrepreneur who told reaches so deeply into people’s lives of “the surprising kindness and as technology. A large number of support of total strangers” in Silicon the world’s mobile devices, its social Valley and of the “stark difference” networks, its e-commerce between America and the companies were born in Silicon environment he left in Russia. Valley. This is why VOA opened its n VOA Russian also expanded first bureau there: to tell the story of Lexicon, its original, social video the people who come from around encyclopedia of American politics, the world to try their luck in that made phrases such as “political America’s innovation capital.
FY 2018: n VOA will expand the simultaneous American news events, reaching translation model pioneered during global audiences on TV, radio and last year’s election. We plan to social media, in all of BBG’s key simultaneously translate major languages. congressional hearings, key political speeches and other important
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 23
n America’s story is not limited to its multimedia project will address key big cities. That is why we are issues they face, from healthcare to sending our reporters out to cover immigration to America's place in America’s heartland, its small towns, the world. and its out-of-the-way places. These n In 2018 the Silicon Valley bureau will rural regions will continue to drive expand to rotate reporters in from American policy in ways that across VOA so they can cover overseas audiences may not stories important to their regions. understand. In 2018 "Off the Highway" will explore the views of those living in rural America. This
Enhancing Reporting on Violent Extremism
FY 2017: VOA provides reporting on extremism and ISIS, directly from conflict zones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, and Iraq to large audiences in all of its 47 languages.
n VOA’s Extremism Watch Desk mined local coverage and social media in 10 languages, exposing narratives that promote violent religious extremism and terrorism, and distributing its reports widely on social media as well as VOA broadcasts. In a carefully crafted multipart report, Descent into Jihad, it chronicled the pressures that led a n VOA’s Terror Unmasked used successful astronomer to join ISIS, footage captured from Boko Haram and the road to his death. to carefully expose the group’s misuse of Islam and highlight the effectiveness of the African military campaign, aided by U.S. surveillance, against the terrorists. n VOA Georgian reported on the fraudulent promises of ISIS that lured young recruits from an area of Georgia influenced by Chechen extremists.
24 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
FY 2018: n VOA will produce documentaries including universities and U. S. about radical Islam in Africa that can embassies. be widely used both by local mass media and in other forums,
With a mission to news to Russian-speaking audiences everywhere, Current Time is engaging audiences from Lithuania to Kazakhstan and providing an alternative to Kremlin-sponsored media.
Providing Fact-based Alternatives to Russian Propaganda
FY 2017: n VOA expanded television and digital VOA and RFE/RL fact-checking programming from the United States website that separates fact from in a daily one-hour Current Time fiction, adds context and debunks America TV newscast for Russia and lies. In Eurasia, VOA expanded the the former Soviet Union. The number of affiliates it serves with broadcasts, in partnership with U.S. news to more than 200, to RFE/RL, were complemented by a counter Russia’s increased robust digital component that penetration of the Balkans. VOA’s engages and connects with global Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, audiences via social media and Serbian, and Ukrainian services other platforms, including Briefing, a expanded their reporting across daily digest that looks at Russian broadcast and digital platforms with misreporting about America; a particular focus on providing fact- Russians in America, a TV based alternatives, including a hard- documentary series highlighting the hitting documentary series lives of everyday Russian immigrants produced by VOA Serbian about the to the U.S.; and Polygraph.info, a Kremlin’s influence in the country.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 25
FY 2018: n VOA’s Russian Service will premiere discussions with ordinary Americans additional Current Time with roots in Russia about their lives programming traveling to places of and experiences in the U.S. significance in the U.S. to hold
Providing Uncensored News Content to Un-Free Countries FY 2017: VOA used cutting-edge technologies to reach into some of the most censored nations in the world, integrating with an open source web proxy to break through Internet restrictions in places like China, Tibet, Iran, Vietnam, and the Horn of Africa, where VOA has some of its biggest audiences on mobile. n VOA Korean produced video n VOA Zimbabwe added television segments aimed at the border areas transmission of its radio broadcasts of North Korea to provide accurate in response to government world news and information about censorship of news. life in America. n VOA’s Horn of Africa services n VOA Mandarin began a daily one- launched a satellite-delivered 24/7 hour newscast in China, providing “radio with pictures” service to Chinese with news from the U.S. Ethiopia to break through jamming that they would not otherwise see. of shortwave frequencies. n VOA Persian expanded live coverage of Congressional hearings on Iran.
VOA Zimbabwe’s Studio 7 Live Talk is a call-in show that is broadcast on television as well as radio.
26 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
FY 2018: VOA Mandarin will launch an Internet- alternative to domestic media delivered 24/7 video news stream to propaganda about the U.S. VOA Persian China as well as enhance next will add news programming focusing on generation digital/social media content Iran’s non-Persian minorities. and technology, to provide a fact-based
Reporting on Democracy and Civil Society
Participants in a town hall hosted by VOA’s Somali service conversed with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud in both Somalia and in St. Paul, Minnesota, home to the largest Somali community in the U.S.
FY 2017: n VOA’s coverage of the U.S. addresses were live streamed and Presidential election provided simultaneously translated by VOA. worldwide audiences with a view Political events were put in context into the U.S. system of government for international audiences. and its peaceful transition of power. n VOA Somali linked voters in VOA journalists provided on-the- Mogadishu with Somali-Americans scene correspondent reports for in Minnesota in a first-ever, live overseas broadcast affiliates and broadcast, interactive town hall on foreign language packages on terrorism with Somalia’s president. diaspora involvement in primaries, VOA Ukrainian began a monthly live party conventions, Election Day, and “bridge” program connecting Inauguration Day. Event coverage, Ukrainian lawmakers with their including Presidential debates, counterparts in the U.S. Congress to political convention speeches, and discuss challenges affecting both election night and aftermath
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 27
countries. VOA’s Deewa service n In May 2017, VOA hosted a live launched a daily 60-minute TV and global town hall from George radio program monitoring reform in Washington University on studying the Federally Administered Tribal in the United States, as a part of its Areas of Pakistan, an incubator of expanded Town Hall and live events regional terrorism. Investigations by initiative. This broadcast streamed VOA Albanian into local corruption live over Facebook, YouTube, and resulted in the jailing of several satellite and boasts a world-class judges. VOA’s Straight Talk Africa panel of educators from Stanford host Shaka Ssali moderated University, Wellesley College, Uganda’s first presidential debate in Michigan State University, American 30 years, broadcasting live from the University, Johns Hopkins, and capital, Kampala. VOA Urdu George Washington University who launched a nightly newscast for discussed the cultural and Pakistan – a country where educational challenges facing democracy is fragile. foreign students who aspire to attend American universities.
VOA’s Education Destination USA town hall connected with aspiring and current international students from around the world.
FY 2018: n A degree from an American from information on how to gain a university offers the ticket to visa to admissions to paying for success and prestige around the college, VOA will contract bloggers world, which is why the United in FY 2018 to tell this story from States hosts more international the perspective of students, students than any other country. administrators, and citizens of Covering those students has other countries who aspire to become a critical part of VOA’s study here. mission. In order to make VOA the definitive source for everything
28 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
n In FY 2017, VOA created a series of distribution to all VOA services. In “bridge editor” positions, stationed FY 2018, VOA will further expand across the language services. the bridge editor concept into These editors are embedded with bridge teams, who continue to their language service counterparts expand the model and ensure and work to quickly and efficiently VOA gets maximum use out of take reporting from across the its reporting. globe and translate into English for
Monitoring and Evaluation
FY 2017: n Using best of class research from the information to content creators worldwide Gallup research through comprehensive evaluations organization to shape programming of each VOA program service. and measure impact, VOA realized Additional qualitative research by significant audience growth, from a Gallup enabled language services to measured weekly audience of monitor their credibility and impact. 187.7 million in FY 2016 to 236.6 VOA systematically tracked million in FY 2017, and increased its anecdotal information, including penetration of Latin America and from Thae Young-ho, the highest Indonesia on affiliated broadcast ranking diplomat to defect from stations. VOA also achieved strong North Korea, who stressed that the social media growth, with large regime there “pays great attention gains in Facebook engagement and on the contents of VOA,” and video viewership in virtually every Venezuela opposition leader Corina one of its markets. VOA brought Machado, who called VOA “a voice program evaluation and research in- for the people of Venezuela.” house to provide more actionable
FY 2018: n VOA research and evaluation will Africa. In 2018 VOA will deliver an focus more on digital studies and app focused on China and Iran that advance its capacity for and the will deliver broadcast content with use of monitoring, evidence, and strong integrated circumvention evaluation of the design, technology from Psiphon, one of effectiveness, and efficiency of the BBG's circumvention partners. programs and projects. This is not just an audience play— it is a strategy for using cutting- n In spite of an overall downward edge technologies to reach into trend in app audiences, integrated some of the most censored circumvention tools have delivered nations in the world. growing audiences in China, Tibet, Iran, Vietnam, and the Horn of
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 29
Administrative, Digital, and Technical
FY 2017: In order to reduce expenses in non- n VOA continues to see sizable content producing areas, VOA increases in Facebook video consolidated administrative staff to viewership. Among the highlights improve efficiency, standardize and are Urdu at 302% yearly growth, streamline business processes, foster Bosnian at 252%, and Kurdish at skill development, and enhance 119%. productivity. VOA implemented money- n Several VOA services have seen saving bonded cellular transmission audience surges to audio content for technology from the scene of breaking the first time in years. English is up news events, freeing the organization 238%, averaging 196,000 audio plays from expensive satellite transmission per week; Amharic is up 591%, costs, and began High Definition averaging 700,000 weekly play; and broadcasts from its studios to match Vietnamese is up 1,507% with world standards. 892,000 weekly plays.
VOA experienced its strongest audience n VOA Vietnamese continues to growth ever in digital and mobile: garner large audiences in video, generating over 37 million views n Social media growth is strong, across platforms in FY 2017 thus far. with large gains in Facebook engagement. Bosnian is up 220%, Hausa 202%, Macedonian 462%, Urdu 270%, and Shona 354% from last year.
FY 2018: n VOA will implement labor-saving n VOA Operations will shift technical initiatives in its resources to enhance next production control rooms and generation digital/social media master control areas. It will technology, focusing on China. complete its multiyear High Definition project, achieving full end-to-end HD and IP integration to more efficiently process incoming and outgoing video content.
30 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Voice of America (VOA)
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 31
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
32 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB)
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $27,573 $28,169 $23,656 ($4,513)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Reduce contractor support. Current federal employees will be trained to perform lost contractor functions. n Eliminate most vacant staff positions and reduce other government positions through attrition. n Elimination of ineffective leased broadcast transmissions, such as commercial satellite and supplementary AM frequencies. n Reduce administrative costs, including travel, training, and equipment.
BBG is exploring the possibility of finding efficiencies between BBG’s two Spanish- language services - OCB and VOA’s Latin American (LatAm) division. Accordingly, BBG will explore the cost-savings, benefits, and challenges of different organizational structures and, if savings and efficiencies are possible, develop a plan in FY 2017 to capitalize on them. Recognizing the complexity of this issue, BBG will consider various options and speak with stakeholders to obtain all critical information and discern all costs and benefits to changing the current structure.
Alan Gross, the American aid worker imprisoned in Cuba and released in 2015 appeared on TV Martí as an analyst during Martí’s coverage of the changes in U.S./Cuba relations.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 33
OVERVIEW OCB administers Radio and Television networking sites, OCB’s social media (TV) Martí programs, the presence dramatically increased during Martínoticias.com website and its 2016. On Facebook the number of fans social media platforms from its reached more than 154,000 from headquarters in Miami, Florida to the 11,000 at the beginning of 2015. The people of Cuba. OCB also administers monthly average number of Cubans BBG’s shortwave transmitting station in on the island reached is approximately Greenville, N.C. 50,000 with a relative growth of +123.52%. In YouTube, the fastest Working with Cuban independent growing platform in Cuba, OCB journalists and encouraging citizens to reached a total of 17,400 subscribers create user generated content on the from 515 in July 2016. The average island for OCB’s platforms continues to increase in subscriptions is around be a top priority. As Wi-Fi service +415 per month with a maximum begins to expand in Cuba and with increase of 1,300 during the month of substantial numbers of Cubans now April, 2016. using Facebook and other social
CUBA TODAY
FY 2016 was a historic year for Cuba. It Throughout it all, the Martís provided in saw the first visit by a U.S. President in depth coverage of these stories, and 88 years, the continued normalization of others, that are important to Cuban relations with the U.S., and the death of audiences. OCB’s team at the Martis and Communist leader Fidel Castro. Despite its extensive network of independent these developments, international journalists on the island took reports showed continued violation of considerable risk to unearth stories that human rights, and journalists and Cubans would not otherwise have activists were regularly harassed, access to. threatened, and detained. The migration crisis continued and FY 2018 will mark another critical year in thousands of Cubans were left stranded Cuba’s history as Raul Castro has in Central and Latin America, trying to announced that he will be stepping reach the United States. down from the presidency.
34 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB)
2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Providing High Quality Local Reporting on Topics Important to Cubans OCB’S network of independent emergent digital outlets. Radio Marti, reporters in Cuba kept growing, OCB’s main platform, greatly benefited spurring the creation of more from the additional independent media independent news media agencies on on the island willing to contribute to island and the launch of many our news programs.
Cuba Internet Freedom Conference The Martís took the lead in Internet entrepreneurs, concerned citizens, and freedom efforts by hosting the others gathered with Cuban internet inaugural Cuba Internet Freedom innovators to exchange ideas on how Conference (CIF), in September 2016. to improve access to the internet on The widely-reported event brought the island. together digital innovators and independent journalists from Cuba to In order to increase the free flow of discuss how to improve digital rights information among Cubans, and and foster uncensored access to news minimize the government's control and information on the island. At the over this information, the Martis will two-day event, developers, policy continue to introduce the latest makers, nonprofit professionals, anti-censorship tools available.
The Cuba Internet Freedom Conference brought Cuban digital pioneers and thought- leaders together to discuss how to improve access to the Internet in Cuba.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 35
Increased Collaboration with VOA Latin American Service The Martís increased collaboration coverage of key events ranging from with VOA Latin America Division, the first U.S. Presidential visit to Cuba, resulting in financial benefits for the to the Republican and Democratic agency and eliminating coverage conventions and the 2016 U.S. redundancy. Through their discrete Elections – all were produced by and complementary missions, the combining efforts. Martis and VOA provided blanket
Young Cubans accessing internet. WiFi in Havana is only available in a handful of public locations.
Dramatic Shift to Digital with a Social Media 1st Strategy Due to Marti’s web blockage on the With the use of AVRA technology, island, OCB’s digital strategy shifted Radio Marti programs evolved into into a social media first strategy visual radio and were also streamed via consistent with the metrics that place Facebook live along with the TV Martí YouTube, Google and Facebook programming. among the most visited sites in Cuba.
Utilizing Alternate Distribution Methods to Reach the Island In order to support the free flow of is expected to continue growing and news and information to the is currently supported by nine copy island, OCB continued the distribution centers, 18 reception points, and of DVD's with Marti content. This effort 85 distribution points on island.
36 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB)
CURRENT FY 2017 AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
Revisit Mandates to Adjust to Cuba’s Information Environment The possibility of revisiting the have limited OCB. Financial mandates would allow for OCB to disadvantages of running 24/7 depart from technologies that have operations include significant excess proven to be ineffective for the region. costs due to staffing obligations Also the “open and continuous content required to maintain 24/7 broadcast distribution” mandate imposes operations. financial burdens and overhead that
Fine Tune Content and Strategy Based on Findings of Research Conducted on Island For the first time ever a content/media create more efficiency. The staff has preference poll was conducted in been reorganized, allowing for the Cuba, allowing for the Martís to better creation of a new content target its audience based on their development unit that will produce likings and preferred distribution more utilitarian pieces designed for outlet. As part of OCB’s FY 2017 multiplatform usage. A Cuba Desk will revitalization plan, more synergy has also be implemented to centralize the been created among the platforms in communication with Cuban contacts. order to reduce redundancy and
Social Media Platforms and On-Island Digital Teams OCB will distribute more of its content To encourage more engagement on through preferred channels including Facebook, OCB will work with on YouTube and Facebook. This will island digital teams that have created provide OCB with an additional local accounts which will disseminate efficient and cost effective distribution OCB’s branded and non-branded outlet both for its radio (visual radio) content. Native pages increase the and TV content. chances of appearing on Cuban Facebook users newsfeeds. Internet Freedom In FY 2018, the Martís will continue to American countries such as Venezuela, support and maintain the Cuba where growing government control of Internet Freedom Conference and will the internet is occurring and access to open it up to journalists and free and accurate information is democracy activists from other Latin increasingly limited.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 37
38 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB)
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $59,306 $60,300 $52,863 ($7,437)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Reductions in various Internet n Reductions in staff costs through Freedom areas to shift focus to attrition and reductions-in-force in high interest areas, as well as an effort to promote the creation of instructional materials Presidential Executive Order on a that allow audiences to bypass Comprehensive Plan for internet censorship. Reorganizing the Executive Branch. n Reductions will be made in administrative areas, including service contracts, training, and travel, and restructuring research contracts towards priority countries and regions.
OVERVIEW
The International Broadcasting Bureau IBB offices are vital to BBG operations, (IBB) provides support services to the providing many required functions federal entities of the BBG. IBB provides including: coordinating BBG strategic oversight over all components of planning; researching impact of BBG, including non-federal grantees. broadcast content; providing financial IBB manages the day-to-day services; awarding and administering implementation of the CEO’s strategic contracts; supporting personnel; vision, while enabling the BBG to deliver conducting relations with Congress, the programs to a diverse global audience. media, and other interests; and ensuring IBB handles programming support, physical security. including agency strategy and management services, and a robust Internet anti-censorship program that links network content to audiences in restricted media environments.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 39
FY 2017 AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
Expansion of Research Programs In FY 2018, the BBG proposes expansion limitations, the BBG was forced to of the impact research program. The replace a number of its annual full United States Advisory Commission on BBG surveys with short modules in Public Diplomacy called the BBG “an omnibus surveys. While such interagency leader in measurement and omnibus modules can provide evaluation” and recommended in its audience reach data, they are not FY 2016 report for the BBG to increase sufficient for impact assessment or “the budget, human resource and to gain a solid understanding of database capacity to systemically changing patterns of media complete this work [evaluating progress consumption. The BBG therefore on long-term public diplomacy and needs to conduct full BBG surveys in international broadcasting activities’ more of its priority markets. goals.]” The BBG will further enhance n Expanding impact studies, including our impact research efforts by national surveys and qualitative continuing to participate in a “whole of studies, that assist in developing government” collaboration, which loyalty, reliability and trust for USIM includes joint projects, exchanging content within Russia and the research data, and sharing best practices former Soviet Union (FSU). with other research entities, such as the Department of State. n Impact studies on engaging next generation influencers on mobile, The increased impact research would be social and digital media in regions directed at key audience segments in experiencing high levels of violent strategic/priority markets. Specifically, extremism. increased quantitative and qualitative n Expanding digital analytics impact research would be targeted capabilities (acquisition of advanced towards: tools, and contractor support to ensure analytics tracking across an n Migrating from short modules in omnibus surveys towards full BBG expanded suite of CMS and mobile application platforms). surveys in high priority markets. In recent years, due to acute budget
40 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB)
Federal Employee Enhancement Efforts IBB is in the midst of a multi-year effort A second effort is to improve internal to improve BBG employee engagement communications both enterprise wide and satisfaction, as well as the quality of and in individual work groups. Research leadership provided by agency and discussions with agencies who have managers. Current efforts center on significantly improved or ranked highly improving the skillsets of supervisors on the annual Federal Employee and managers at the agency. BBG is Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) have indicated launching Leadership 2020 as a that a robust internal communications comprehensive leadership development effort is key to improving employee effort that will require: engagement and satisfaction. n 360 assessments; BBG has identified a dedicated internal communications staff and is co-opting n leadership development plans associates from around the agency to (LDP’s); assist in the effort. This group is n annual learning hour requirements; currently evaluating communication and tools that can inform employees, n support mechanisms such as increase awareness of opportunities, coaching, mentoring, and peer and foster discussions around key groups to assist managers in their issues. The internal communications development efforts. team will work to assure clear and transparent communication of agency The goals are to provide BBG strategies and goals and to provide supervisors and managers with the mechanisms that facilitate feedback necessary tools to manage a modern, and collaboration. generationally and ethnically diverse workforce in a rapidly changing media industry.
Internet Freedom Program Since 2012, BBG has been involved in More information on the Internet activities to circumvent Internet Freedom Program and initiatives are censorship by foreign governments in contained in Appendix A of this order to distribute news content and document. better provide a forum for free expression in closed countries. In 2016, BBG established the Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) to conduct governance and oversight of BBG Internet freedom activities.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 41
42 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Technology, Services & Innovation (TSI)
Office of Technology, Services, & Innovation (TSI)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $171,533 $175,752 $166,092 ($9,660)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Reduce less effective legacy n Savings will be realized due to shortwave and medium wave activities to modernize and transmissions. Move toward other streamline agency operations that technologies to reach larger and will continue to leverage BBG’s younger audiences on new media. cloud services leadership in the Federal arena. In addition to the use n Provide enhanced video and audio of government- and private-sector production and distribution technology tools and resources such capabilities, including upgraded as virtualization platforms, to lower digital television production and costs, improve effectiveness and global HD distribution, to ensure the boost security. development and dissemination of competitive program material to n Continued consolidation and affiliates and directly to consumers. streamlining of the BBG’s global digital distribution network to n Savings will be realized due to maximize efficiencies, while network realignment to satisfy maintaining high reliability. evolving media preferences in key target audience areas, including the elimination of ineffective shortwave transmissions and further development of key affiliate relationships and owned and operated 24/7 FM stations in important markets.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 43
OVERVIEW
The International Broadcasting The infrastructure required to produce Bureau’s (IBB) TSI office oversees and and retain programs is also being manages a broad array of technical enhanced, and High Definition (HD) and infrastructure functions, primarily audio and video capabilities are being delivering program content for all BBG expanded to the greatest extent networks and providing information possible in order to ensure that agency technology support to many offices programs remain competitive in target throughout the agency. TSI will markets. Efforts to electronically jam or continue its support of essential otherwise block agency programs will agency technical operations in FY 2018 continue to be monitored and through carefully focused initiatives, effectively combatted. prudent but aggressive reductions, and maintenance of ongoing efforts in key TSI will continue to pursue areas. TSI will continue the agency’s modernization and business critical delivery network realignment improvements through process to ensure that programs are available streamlining and technical upgrades. to target audiences utilizing the most Risk Management and IT security appropriate technologies in the most efforts, already robust relative to the cost effective manner while not size of the agency and having abandoning sizable and valuable successfully kept at bay some of the audiences on legacy platforms. most sophisticated, state-sponsored cyber warfare teams in the world, are TSI continues to move the agency being further bolstered. from traditional broadcasting technologies, such as cross border About two-thirds of the agency’s radio transmissions (SW and AM) to 278 million weekly audience consume regions where the medium is no BBG’s content via more than 3,000 longer popular, to other delivery affiliates. TSI’s Office of Business systems that are growing in Development will continue to grow effectiveness and are often much less this syndication network to provide expensive to operate (e.g., FM, satellite, more opportunities for the strategic Internet streaming, mobile, and social placement of BBG programming while media). Some of these new platforms TSI’s Training component continues its are also helping BBG to deliver stellar global work in training programming to affiliate and thousands of journalists and partner stations. independent media personnel in some of BBG’s most strategic target markets.
44 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Technology, Services & Innovation (TSI)
FY 2017 AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
TSI will continue its support of essential agency operations in FY 2017 and FY 2018 through network realignment; enhanced program production, retention, and distribution infrastructure; High Definition (HD) program production and delivery capability; business process streamlining; and modernization in critical areas.
Transition to High-Definition (HD) TSI is supporting the on-going effort to implement a Wide Area Network (WAN) upgrade VOA video programming to migration initiative to upgrade the HD, requiring upgraded digital primary means of communication at production and storage infrastructure, as transmitting stations from satellites to well as expanded global HD distribution more flexible and economical local capability. Moving to HD enables VOA to Internet providers and terrestrial circuits. remain competitive by attracting and maintaining audiences and affiliates as The DaletPlus video production system they migrate to HD and as direct-to- will also be upgraded as part of the HD home satellite providers and users transition. An upgrade called “Galaxy” deploy new HD equipment. To which will be implemented in FY 2017 accomplish this, BBG is upgrading and FY 2018, will enable full access to components of both its program online archives in HD, greater versatility production and delivery system. In in the production of original HD content, FY 2017 core TV studios will be fully HD easy posting of content to web and capable and a raw automated HD TV social media, and seamless archiving of channel will be available for testing. As all VOA content. With Galaxy, audio this and additional automated HD TV production will also be handled within channels of VOA content are developed the same user interface, eliminating the in FY 2018, upgrades to the distribution need for two versions (one for audio, network will permit delivery of HD one for video) of the application. content to affiliates and direct-to-home. As HD video files are double the size of In FY 2017 and FY 2018, TSI will leverage standard definition files, TSI will also a variety of technology improvements to need to expand and upgrade its onsite ameliorate the high costs of satellite volume storage capacity. This upgraded delivery wherever feasible and storage will be optimized to handle the appropriate. In addition, TSI continues to high-traffic volume and file size of HD media.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 45
BBG’s Global Network Realignment
BBG’s Kuwait transmitting station.
LEVERAGING STRATEGIC LOCATION AND LOW COSTS OF KUWAIT STATION: Because of the superior strategic required antennas will continue in location and extremely low operating FY 2017 into FY 2018. This will complete costs of the Kuwait Transmitting Station, the build out of the station to the full in FY 2016 TSI began expanding that transmitter capacity allowed by the facility to provide transmission to places current agreement with the where shortwave remains important. Government of Kuwait, allowing BBG to Installation of one additional antenna serve virtually all legacy SW audiences in began in FY 2017. Installation of three the most cost-effective manner possible. other transmitters and procurement of
CONTENT DELIVERY MIGRATION:
As explained in the Transition to HD administrative services (telephone, section above, TSI is migrating to an satellite monitoring, and email) will be outsourced, managed MPLS and raw completed at all transmitting stations Internet Wide Area Network (WAN) to and news bureaus in FY 2017. The upgrade the primary means of migration to content delivery to stations communication at transmitting stations over digital terrestrial circuits is from satellites to local Internet providers projected to be also complete for most and terrestrial circuits. Migrating program feeds in FY 2017. Since 2017,
46 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Technology, Services & Innovation (TSI)
and with over 90% of BBG’s content to $19 million) have reduced per being distributed via satellite, the consumer distribution costs from combination of audience growth $0.17 to $0.06, a significant increase in (165 to 278 million weekly consumers) price/performance ratio. and satellite cost reductions ($26 million
SATELLITE DELIVERY TO CHINA AND ELSEWHERE:
TSI will continue to utilize leased To counter the ongoing threat of capacity on popular regional satellites to intentional interference (i.e., jamming) of deliver HD television channels to its broadcasts in any media, to China or affiliates and audiences. In China, elsewhere, the BBG will remain diligent including Tibet, TSI will continue to in pursuing regulatory, technical, provide satellite TV and radio service for political, and public communication only a fraction of the cost of shortwave avenues to address the issue. BBG has or medium wave transmissions to the remained at the forefront of the battle region. This allows TSI to leverage the against satellite jamming, working widespread use of satellite receiver closely with other international dishes across the country and provide broadcasters, the Department of State, accessible programming where local non-governmental organizations, cable and Internet access is restricted. satellite operators, and industry groups. In addition, TSI is initiating the As part of the official U.S. delegation to procurement of additional satellite the World Radio Communication capacity on the most popular satellite in Conference, BBG successfully lobbied China (Telstar 18). This will enable for a proposal calling on member states simultaneous distribution of HD and to “take the necessary steps” to end Standard Definition (SD) TV jamming. programming and mirror the Chinese audience migration to HDTV while not stranding legacy SD users.
EXPANDING FMS IN AFRICA:
Radio remains a strong, growing to include Brazzaville and Pointe Noire, platform in many BBG markets, Congo; Mogadishu, Somalia; and particularly Africa. BBG global weekly Mbuji-Mayi and Katanga, DRC. radio audiences increased by a BBG-owned and operated 24/7 FMs stunning 28 million in 2016 alone and also help to ensure that BBG remains by 35 million since 2012. In FY 2017 on the air, when affiliates may feel new FM transmission systems will be pressured to remove or limit their installed in several important markets, carriage of BBG programming.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 47
Business Process and Technology Modernization
TRANSFORMING AGENCY BUSINESS SYSTEMS: TSI is leading the BBG’s transformation electronic time and attendance system of business process systems. Following (webTA), and an improved procurement successful rollouts in FY 2016 and early and financial management system FY 2017 of a learning management (Momentum) and an electronic system to track training and employee performance management system development (Aglearn+), an upgraded (ePerformance). electronic travel system (E2), an
RISK MANAGEMENT (RM) AND CAPITAL PLANNING AND INVESTMENT CONTROL (CPIC): In FY 2017 the agency created a RM capital planning and investment control division in the Office of the CIO. This and agency enterprise risk management. unit has been developing policies and TSI is developing a CPIC program that procedures to establish IT risk will be fully implemented in FY 2018. management evaluation processes for
CONTINUED FOCUS ON CYBERSECURITY: FY 2017 and FY 2018 will see TSI’s Management Act (FISMA) audit findings. Information Security Division continue Together with the Justice Department, to leverage offerings from the Social Security Administration, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation, and key vendors to reposition BBG the BBG is one of only four Agencies resources to fill key cybersecurity government wide piloting DHS’s monitoring and defense gaps, in keeping Privileged Account Management and with best practices and efforts to Usage Monitoring Program. ameliorate Federal Information Security
LEVERAGING CLOUD SERVICES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO BOOST WORKFORCE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY:
The agency’s onsite digital archive headquarters directly to the cloud, system is nearing 70 percent capacity eliminating significant maintenance with current technology approaching its concerns. In FY 2017 TSI also completed end-life and no built-in disaster its migration of intranet content to the recovery. With an eye to aid emergency cloud-based SharePoint Online platform and business continuity efforts, TSI has that features robust collaboration tools created an archive in a private cloud to increase efficiencies and improve with recovery capability. Storage is workflows. being proactively migrated from agency
48 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Technology, Services & Innovation (TSI)
TSI also continues to upgrade BBG’s IT a one-stop shop for digital and facilities network infrastructure in its Washington support. FY 2017 will also see further headquarters, providing a ten-fold upgrades to the new state-of-the-art increase in bandwidth, more storage Network Control Center, which will capacity to enable users to more provide expanded control and effectively edit and distribute video, and monitoring of remote program feeds more than sextupled broadband wireless leveraging economies of scale and connectivity throughout the Cohen enabling further cost reductions. building. The upgrades include security enhancements to safeguard the In FY 2017, TSI completed the closure of agency’s network. the station in Sri Lanka and will continue to move towards closure of the BBG Consolidating a variety of Technology facility in Poro, Philippines. TSI’s Support Services into an integrated systematic and thorough review of all team, TSI is handling user support with transmission leases will continue, the latest technologies (SharePoint and identifying further opportunities for social media resources) with the goal of savings.
BBG Affiliate conference in Zambia.
Continue Leveraging Affiliates and Partners to Further BBG Mission: The latest Gallup audience figures programs on at least one of the BBG’s indicate the BBG has a combined 3,000+ affiliates. TSI’s Business audience of 278 million in FY 2016. Of Development and Distribution team is that audience, two-thirds (or focusing on several initiatives, including: approximately 185 million) view BBG
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 49
CONTINUED ENHANCEMENT AND PROMOTION OF “DIRECT”:
BBG Direct is BBG’s open digital content service that provides BBG content to affiliates for radio, TV, and digital use.
THE “WASHINGTON BUREAU” CONCEPT:
A service to affiliates in which BBG mention of the BBG entity name). This networks contribute reports about and initiative has been hugely successful from the United States for use in affiliate with national TV affiliates in Indonesia, networks’ regular programing, with Nigeria, and Latin America. branding built into the reports (i.e.,
50 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Technology, Services & Innovation (TSI)
CONTINUED PLACEMENT OF CURRENT TIME PROGRAMMING ON AFFILIATE NETWORKS:
Current Time, produced by Radio Free Time. Current Time fact checks false Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in narratives and offers a rich mix of cooperation with the Voice of America feature and entertainment programming (VOA), builds on the success of and is that underscores the values of free and named after BBG’s daily Russian- open societies. language news program called Current
BBG training session on reporting on polio in Islamabad, Pakistan.
TRAINING:
The Office of Business Development BBG expects to train about 1,000 also focuses on three areas in support independent journalists annually in FY of BBG’s mission: training international 2017 and FY 2018. The training journalists, negotiating interagency includes a range of subjects such as agreements with U.S. federal agencies journalism, digital, television and radio and forging public-private partnerships production, new tools for journalists with non-governmental organizations and sales and management operations. (NGOs). Using BBG’s funds, the office conducts training programs that benefit BBG’s affiliate stations.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 51
52 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $108,904 $109,900 $99,600 ($10,300)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Discontinue OCO-funded Pashto n Reduce the costs of Russian Service broadcasts to the Federally radio and 24/7 news operation by Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in finding efficiencies, streamlining northwest Pakistan. operations, and reducing operating expenses. n Develop a plan to reduce administrative costs, leverage n Reduce Azerbaijani service; technology, restructure contractual discontinue Macedonian language agreements, eliminate support broadcasts; discontinue Belarus services, and take a closer look at radio; localize Georgia operations in the proper role and size of RFE/RL Tbilisi; rationalize Radio Farda in in order to prioritize programs that order to continue shift to digital; provide the best return for taxpayers, restructure Crimean, Tatar, and as well as those that serve the most Ukrainian languages for Crimea critical functions, while consolidating website. or eliminating less effective or less critical programs and support services.
OVERVIEW
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) its audiences facilitates the production is a private, nonprofit, multimedia of compelling, locally-oriented broadcasting corporation that serves as programming in a cost-effective a surrogate media source in 26 manner. languages and in 23 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and Reaching nearly 27 million people each Ukraine. With headquarters in Prague, 17 week, RFE/RL promotes democratic local bureaus (including Kabul, values and institutions by reporting the Islamabad, Moscow, and Kyiv), and more news in countries where a free press is than 1,000 journalists throughout its banned by the government or not fully broadcast region, RFE/RL’s proximity to established. RFE/RL’s journalists provide what many people cannot get locally:
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 53
uncensored news, responsible supports the development of civil discussion, and open debate. society and thus makes a contribution to long-term development and stability in The basis for RFE/RL's operations is that the regions it covers. the first requirement of democracy is a well-informed citizenry. By promoting the free flow of information, RFE/RL
FY 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
RFE/RL is pursuing a comprehensive impactful journalism across its target multimedia strategy for refuting region, allowing for coverage of issues aggressive Russian pressure and not routinely publicized in regional disinformation by engaging Russian- media. Across the organization, RFE/RL speaking audiences both within Russia continues to achieve great success with and around the world via its Current digital engagement. Time television and digital network, its Russian Service, (Radio Svoboda), and other initiatives. RFE/RL also engages in
Current Time correspondent reports from the field.
Current Time Network
FY 2017: speakers globally with access to In February, in partnership with VOA, balanced, accurate, topical, and RFE/RL formally launched the Current trustworthy information, and serving as Time network, providing Russian a reality check on disinformation that’s
54 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
driving conflict in the region. Led by received in 135 million homes. A 12- RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, hour block is available on Astra 5B daily Current Time provides viewers with and channel content is also available on informed and up-close TV coverage of the website currenttime.tv. major news and events that are not reported, or are misreported, elsewhere. The Current Time digital team’s social The network focuses foremost on news, media videos on news and current but also offers a rich mix of feature and affairs issues, a new product for RFE/RL’s entertainment programming that broadcast region, were viewed more underscores the values of free and open than 125 million times in the first six societies. months of FY 2017 on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Russian social The Current Time network is available to networks. Last year, one video about nearly 10 million households in 12 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s countries on over 40 subscription unfulfilled election promises of five years satellite, cable and IPTV services. The ago became the top trending video on entire live stream is also available the popular Odnoklassniki social globally to another 75 million monthly network, receiving more than 5.4 million unique users on FilmOn.tv and views across social networks. regionally to another 32 million monthly unique users on MeGoGo. The stream also goes out across Eurasia on the free to air Eutelsat HOTBIRD satellite which is
FY 2018: RFE/RL will continue to focus resources research and feedback as feasible, on providing timely, balanced, fact- cultivating local reporting from its based journalism to advance press freelance network and affiliate partners, freedom and target audiences most increasing collaboration with its digital vulnerable to state-sponsored media arm to expand online audiences disinformation. Toward this end, RFE/RL and reach of content, and developing will work within available resources to expanded media partnerships and maintain the recently launched Russian- encouraging local filmmakers across the language Current Time television and region. digital network, gathering qualitative
Social Media Across RFE/RL language services, there 77% increase from the corresponding were 135 million engaged users on period of FY 2016. RFE/RLs Afghan Service Facebook in the first half of FY 2017, which has the highest level of engagement on represents a 33 percent increase from the Facebook, with a monthly average of previous year. RFE/RL also garnered nearly 4.5 million engaged users, followed by 208 million views on YouTube in the first Current Time at 3.3 million engaged users 6 months of FY 2017, which represents a per month.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 55
History. The project highlights the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan's northwestern region that has come under threat as Taliban and other groups destroy or neglect the rich pre- Islamic heritage sites in the area. In Pakistan, this kind of reporting is almost non-existent, and the project has received more than 500,000 views and a high level of engagement online. In the first six months of FY 2017, nearly 12 million users on Facebook engaged with In February 2017, Radio Mashaal, which Radio Mashaal content. Due to the provides an alternative to extremist elimination of OCO funding, RFE/RL will propaganda in Pakistan's tribal regions eliminate Radio Mashaal in FY 2018. through its reporting, produced a new documentary project, Vanishing
Content for Russia RFE/RLs Tatar-Bashkir and North streets in 99 cities across Russia on Caucasus Services launched hyperlocal March 26 in the largest anti-government websites for Russian speakers in their demonstrations seen since 2012, regions, providing relevant local Svoboda live streamed the opposition reporting in Russian and bringing event in Moscow for four hours, and scrutiny to actions of local authorities also worked with Current Time to offer that had previously gone unchecked and live coverage with commentary of the are not reported by state and other protests for regional audiences. Overall, media. The sites target areas particularly RFE/RL video coverage of the Moscow vulnerable to disinformation and protests was viewed more than two extremism and complement the Services million times across platforms. To continuing reporting in the Chechen, further reach its audience inside of Tatar and Bashkir languages while Russia, nearly 50% of whom are under extending their reach to new audiences. 35-years-old, Svoboda offered comprehensive live blogging and social Radio Svoboda is on the forefront of media reporting of the protests, reporting on discontent and the political including video reporting from more environment inside of Russia. When than five other Russian cities. anti-corruption protesters took to the
56 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Other Initiatives RFE/RLs Belarus Service boldly covered News is highly manipulated and the crackdown on civil society and controlled in Iran. RFE/RLs Persian human rights in Belarus. In March 2017, Service, known locally as Radio Farda, the Service covered extensive has built a formidable audience and antigovernment protests across Minsk credibility in the Iran. Fardas focus on and other cities, which culminated on digital initiatives is paying dividends with Freedom Day on March 25. Facebook followers numbering over 1.7 Demonstrators built on discontent that million and the average number of has been growing in Belarus since engaged users monthly reaching 2.5 President Lukashenkas government million users last year. The Service also attempted to implement a tax against introduced a new weekly program people who dont have full-time called Taboo, which discusses employment. In its coverage, the Service forbidden subjects inside Iran with social received 1.3 million views of its live scientists, political scientists, and streaming on YouTube in just one week, psychologists. Each edition of the and reporting was picked up by foreign program receives hundreds of website news outlets such as Reuters, Euronews, comments and thousands of Facebook BBC, Polish TV, as well as by Belarusian reactions, allowing the Service to State TV. facilitate interaction among the people of Iran.
RFE/RL, in conjunction with VOA, launched a new project, Polygraph.info, to serve as a resource for verifying the increasing volume of disinformation and misinformation being distributed and shared globally.
Polygraph.info provides reliable fact-checking to combat misinformation.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 57
RFE/RLs Afghan Service, known locally Uzbekistan for the very first time. Each as Radio Azadi, is one of the most week, RFE/RL produced content is popular and trusted media outlets in republished or quoted across all Afghanistan, providing accurate languages and media formats about information on domestic and regional 1,400 times. politics, extremism, corruption, warlordism, gender issues, human rights, and other pressing topics that are under-reported or misreported by other media. Azadi is closely following a serious Taliban-led insurgency throughout the country and reporting on the atrocities committed by ISIS. Azadi has also become a leader in online video journalism, documenting major events in the lives of the countrys women, youth, and internally displaced people. Azadis Facebook video views in January 2017 numbered 6.2 million, with one of the most popular videos telling the story of a young man’s capture and Iva Martinovic, Balkan Service Belgrade escape from the Taliban. correspondent, covering protests in Belgrade.
Security, corruption, extremism, terrorism, political and economic stability are issues of importance As tensions simmer in the Western spanning Central Asia and a common Balkans, RFE/RLs Balkan Service is one reporting focus of RFE/RLs language of the only news media in the region services to the region. In 2017, RFE/RLs that engages all sides in its coverage and Kyrgyz Service opened a new regional debate in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, reporting hub with TV production Macedonia, and Kosovo. The Balkans facilities in Bishkek. RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service has provided comprehensive Service now produces three TV coverage of the immigration crisis, programs on news and human interest political crises between Serbia and issues from its new studio. Kosovo, Macedonia, the influence of Russia in the region, and the recruitment RFE/RLs news wire service for Central of foreign fighters to Syria and Iraq from Asia provides alternative sources of Bosnia and Kosovo. The Services information in Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Kosovo Unit posted an in-depth story Tajik, and Uzbek languages to more than of Kosovan authorities trying to root out 1100 subscribers, including over 700 radical Islamist movements from the media outlets (TV, radio, print, and prison system that was quoted widely online) and media professionals. In FY by media in Kosovo and elsewhere in 2017, RFE/RL added media partners in the region.
58 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
RFE/RLs services report on the In Azerbaijan, where RFE/RLs news corruption rampant across its target bureau remains forcibly closed since region, including in Ukraine and December 2014, an investigation Azerbaijan where RFE/RL investigations conducted by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani frequently reveal corruption at the Service, about oligarchs secret business highest levels of government. holdings revealed that more than two dozen companies with ties to the family In March 2017, RFE/RLs Ukrainian of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev or Service covered the dramatic events to other government officials do not surrounding the filing of corruption appear on the Azerbaijani Tax Ministry's charges against Ukraine’s top tax public registry. collector, Roman Nasirov, who has been suspended amid a USD 75 million graft Across its target areas, RFE/RL will also investigation. Nosirov, 38, was continue to pursue investigative hospitalized shortly after being served journalism and uncover corruption; with charging papers with what was said bring to light the struggles of civil to be a heart attack, although some society and issues pertinent to women observers doubt this was truly the case. and youth audiences; dedicate The Services live coverage was used by substantial coverage to the impact of Ukrainian TV channel 112, News radical Islamic extremist forces on Channel 24, Kanal 5, and many other people in Southwest and Central Asia, media outlets cited the reporting the Balkans and North Caucasus including Reuters and Rossiya-24. regions; and report on stories that would otherwise not be covered by local media outlets.
In addition, RFE/RL will continue to boost digital engagement efforts across its regions, with special emphasis on the Russian-speaking world and Iran.
Roman Nosirov appears in court for a hearing on corruption charges. RFE/RL covered his arrest and the protests surrounding his possible release by anti- corruption activists when a judge could not be found for his hearing.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 59
60 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Asia (RFA)
Radio Free Asia (RFA)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $51,025 $39,846 $35,296 ($4,550)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Focus its Mandarin resources on n Reduce five support staff and travel social media, which is the platform expenses. the agency has determined to be most cost-effective.
OVERVIEW
RFA is a private, nonprofit, multimedia on well-trafficked global and regional corporation that serves as a surrogate blogs. These media pickups, broadcaster, substituting for domestic particularly by large syndicates and media in Asian countries that prevent wire services, amplify RFA’s reach into or restrict freedom of the press. RFA is its target countries. funded through, and operates under, a grant agreement with the BBG. RFA As part of BBG’s Internet Freedom broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, efforts, RFA manages the Open Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Tibetan, Technology Fund (OTF), which Uyghur, and Vietnamese on shortwave supports research to better understand (SW), medium wave (MW), satellite, the types of censorship occurring television, and the Internet. RFA around the globe and the effectiveness delivers accurate and timely local of the tools to combat that censorship. news, information, and commentary, RFA’s efforts help expand the providing a public forum for the knowledge base for the Internet audiences it serves. freedom community, improve the effectiveness of anti-censorship efforts RFA is an authoritative source of East and meet the needs of at-risk human and Southeast Asian news. Each rights, democracy and free speech month, RFA averages over 500 pickups defenders globally. OTF supports the of its exclusive news reports in major development of software to secure regional outlets and global communications in countries where publications. This includes RFA- governments engage in internet generated content that is re-published censorship, online repression and
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 61
offline reprisals for online speech. communications from repressive These tools provide individuals with regimes and offer more secure access the capabilities to protect their to censored content.
RFA reporters cover topics and events not covered by local media in target regions.
FY 2017 AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
RFA KOREAN: RFA Korean will provide television with a thirst for different perspectives. programming for the DPRK. RFA These new and original television brings to this effort strong credibility programs will be produced both in and brand recognition, and proposes Seoul and Washington DC. RFA Korean to tap into its extensive network of started the production of “My New North Korean defectors to create an Day,” the first program that highlights a appealing mix of documentaries and defector’s life changing experience in informative and entertaining reality TV Seoul. programs catering to North Koreans
XINJIANG UYGHUR AUTONOMOUS REGION (XUAR): RFA is the only international programs covering daily news and broadcaster providing news new analysis. The Service will also programming in the Uyghur language produce a TV program to promote to the XUAR. The predominantly Uyghur’s culture and history. The Muslim Turkic minority group, which Service’s stringers in Turkey and has faced extreme repression by Central Asia will further expand the Beijing, is a target for radicalization. pool of interviewees to include more RFA Uyghur will produce more web TV expert opinions and perspectives.
62 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Asia (RFA)
RFA BURMESE: RFA Burmese will participate in a data (most won’t even use the name, calling journalism project to produce in-depth them Bengalis instead), RFA will reporting on Myanmar’s deforestation, increase its reporting of this oppressed which is intended to increase audience group – to the extent it can – by by utilizing engaging multimedia and producing reports that can bring graphics to present the information. greater knowledge and The project is supported with aid funds acknowledgement of their plight and a from the French government. deeper understanding of inalienable human rights of all people in the With most Burmese media unwilling or country afraid to report on the Rohingyas
RFA KHMER:
RFA Khmer will produce extended of rule, and have made thinly veiled coverage of the 2018 national threats of civil war if they are not elections in Cambodia. The returned to power. The opposition has authoritarian Prime Minister and his been hobbled by the arrest of ruling Cambodian People’s Party are numerous members but is gearing up extremely threatened by the growing for its strongest challenge yet. dissatisfaction with their three decades
RFA TIBETAN:
RFA Tibetan will expand its television In other services, RFA will produce production from 30 minutes to 60 fewer discrete TV programs instead minutes. The program will include focusing on production of video and updated news with a special focus on digital media for social media to break the stories from inside Tibet and in the through government censorship with exile communities. Moreover, the content that is most appealing and Service will produce news analysis and accessible on smartphones and tablets. talk shows to further interpret the This content is particularly targeted to news events that concern the Tibetan youth who use this media heavily and community. will become decision makers in the future.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 63
FY 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Continuing the advancements that n RFA’S CANTONESE SERVICE were made possible with FY 2015 now pushing the envelope of investment funding, RFA accelerated broadcasting daily radio live show its move into television to meet the to social media. Their weekly growing demand and preference for satellite television program is TV as a source of news throughout its highlighting human rights target countries. This meant putting violations in target areas. The more resources into developing high Cantonese Service played a vital quality video content, whether created role in covering the Hong Kong or curated, which can live on both TV Chief Executive election by and other digital platforms. RFA providing timely live feeds and in- prioritized resources to expand its depth analysis over social media network of video content providers platforms. The Service has also and the production staff in Washington formed partnerships with Hong to shape this content into engaging Kong Web radio stations IBHK and programs that will appeal to younger Peanut, which now carry RFA audiences on television as well as on a Cantonese programming. In variety of online media. addition, Hong Kong-based website New School for n RFA BURMESE TV the vanguard of Democracy has entered into an RFA’s TV production efforts, agreement with RFA to re-publish developed additional reporting to RFA Cantonese news. track developments in Burmese n RFA TIBETAN produced a series of society, especially those that relate TV documentaries featuring events to role of youth, who have always and historical figures that have had a played an influential role in social major impact on Tibetan society and and political issues in the country. culture, such as the life and times of n RFA’S MANDARIN TV programming poet and writer Gedun Chophel and provided higher-quality content and expanded its satellite TV video on satellite TV as well as on transmission from three to five 30- social media. The daily 30-minute minute original programs per week. “Asia Pacific Report” covers updated This built on the Service’s launch, in news stories and in-depth analysis on FY 2015, of satellite television major issues. Starting from 2017, featuring visuals sourced from Mandarin television programs are also citizen journalists inside Tibet. More produced in portable digital formats to interviews and news analysis be consumed using mobile devices programs are being conducted in on the go. They include visuals the daily TV program. sourced from citizen journalists in
target areas, as well as the Service’s stringers across the Asia-Pacific region.
64 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Radio Free Asia (RFA)
n RFA KHMER producing and broadcasting in 2016. However, broadcasting a 30-60 minute daily because Cambodia’s authoritarian news magazine program on its government has become website and Facebook that was increasingly repressive and originally intended for broadcast prevented the station from being on Sun TV, a new independent built, RFA Khmer has focused its station scheduled to begin video efforts on Facebook.
Additional Accomplishments: As audiences move to mobile devices, RFA provides election coverage RFA continues to make its content focusing on the hallmarks of free and more appealing, accessible, and fair elections in democratic countries. available on smartphones and tablets. RFA coverage of the 2017 Cambodian Understanding the mobile markets of Communal Elections is currently each target country positions RFA to underway with a focus on citizen capture greater viewership with participation and government compelling, salient, visual content. The transparency. Another emphasis of exponential growth in digital RFA's election work has been training technology and penetration in most of for RFA journalists and scores of other RFA's markets offer RFA extraordinary Cambodian journalists in all facets of opportunities to reach young, engaged multimedia news production and audiences that offer the greatest hope highlighting the role of independent for change in some of the least free media to inform the public so that they places on Earth. can make better decisions and hold elected officials accountable. In Tibet, mobile phone ownership is growing and an increasing number of In Myanmar, the ongoing anti- people turn to portable digital devices Rohingya activities in Myanmar for news. Even in North Korea, the rise provided fodder for extremism. RFA in domestic mobile phones has Burmese continued its reporting on brought surprising growth in the use of the conditions of Rohingyas especially Bluetooth technologies as well as after a militant attack in Rakhine State texting. North Koreans also that led to a military “clearance increasingly use USBs and describe operation.” As government forces USBs and DVDs as important moved in, hundreds of Rohingyas were information sources, which presents murdered and raped, villages were set new opportunities for information on fire, and some 75,000 people fled to dissemination. neighboring Bangladesh to escape the violence.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 65
66 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $109,720 $108,400 $103,100 ($5,300)
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGE n Eliminate Afia Darfur Programming. be reduced in length and potentially MBN will eliminate a daily 30 minute number to ensure staffing news and information program efficiencies. Its two, primetime, currently broadcast via shortwave to hour-long newscasts will continue to Darfur and eastern Chad. MBN anchor the news line-up for Alhurra. launched the 30-minute Afia Darfur programming in 2008, initially n Reduce Salary and Support Costs. through funding from the To reduce salary and benefits costs, Department of State. Afia Darfur is MBN will: continue automation broadcast into Darfur via shortwave efforts in television production each evening at 9:00 p.m. local time systems and make associated and targets all people in Darfur and staffing changes; realign certain eastern Chad, and it is heard in production support functions; Khartoum. With a decade of tailored eliminate select support positions; content already provided, coupled and reduce employee support costs. with no current research available to n Offset Funding Requirements. MBN assess its effectiveness, this will review contracts and address programming is scheduled for funding cycles to achieve a one-time elimination in FY 2018. savings of $1.7 million in FY 2018. n Reduce Pan-Arab Live News MBN also proposes to offset FY Updates. Radio Sawa will eliminate 2018 operational costs through use live, Pan-Arab news updates in the of $2.5 million from recoveries of overnight hours across the Middle prior year obligations. East. On the Pan-Arab Alhurra channel, television news updates will
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 67
OVERVIEW
Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. engage directly with its target audience (MBN) is a private, non-profit multi- through new digital platforms and media broadcasting corporation initiatives. providing the United States with a direct line of communication with Arabic- MBN produces its multimedia speaking people of the Middle East. MBN programming at its headquarters in is funded exclusively through a grant Northern Virginia and production outlets from the BBG. MBN’s mission is to in Washington, D.C., Iraq, UAE, Lebanon, inform and engage the people of the Egypt, Israel, and Morocco. Satellite and Middle East and provide objective, terrestrial television broadcasts and accurate, and relevant news and medium wave (AM) and FM radio information about America, the region, broadcasts are transmitted via the IBB’s and the world. MBN works to counter global transmission network. MBN violent extremism across the Middle East engages with audiences across digital through its multi-media programming, platforms, including its Alhurra and and supports democratic values by Radio Sawa websites, Radio Sawa and expanding the spectrum of ideas, Alhurra apps, Facebook, Twitter, and opinions, and perspectives available in YouTube. the region’s media. With its established footprint across the MBN’s principal brands include Alhurra region, MBN is well placed to cover and Radio Sawa. BBG research estimates events and issues critical to Alhurra and Radio Sawa have an understanding the fight against Islamic unduplicated weekly audience of more extremism. MBN ensures rich content is than 26 million across the region. Over available to its audience, and regularly the past few years, there has been a shares content with the broader US measurable shift in the media habits and foreign policy community for its use. preferences of the target audience as Alhurra’s coverage of the battle for digital use across the region increases. Mosul, for example, has included regular MBN has identified and seized updates from the battlefield as well as opportunities presented by the new humanitarian stories related to the ISIS media landscape, accelerating efforts to invasion.
MBN PROGRAMMING
Alhurra Alhurra’s 24/7 Pan-Arab news and launched in April 2004 to provide information television channel was targeted local news and programming launched in February 2004 to provide a to the people of Iraq. Alhurra is unique reliable source of objective news and within the Middle East satellite television information across the Middle East and market in its ability to provide audiences North Africa. Alhurra-Iraq television was the American perspective, giving context
68 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
to the Administration’s policies as well Alhurra television airs on direct SD and as insight from diverse voices HD satellite across the region as well as throughout the broad U.S. public policy via terrestrial transmitters throughout community and the people of the Iraq. Beyond the 24/7 television United States. Its news and information channels, Alhurra content is distributed programming provides its audience through an array of digital platforms, unique content on social, cultural, and including its website, YouTube channels, political issues as well as a forum for Facebook pages, Twitter and mobile objective discussion and the app. introduction of viewpoints not routinely found on local media.
Radio Sawa Radio Sawa was launched in 2002 and Radio Sawa can be heard throughout broadcasts 24/7 on eight programming the Middle East through FM and medium streams targeted to the sub-regions of wave (AM) transmissions on eight the Middle East. Radio Sawa’s pioneering streams including: Iraq (FM and AM); format is designed to attract listeners Levant (including Jordan and the West from the overwhelmingly young Middle Bank) (FM); the Gulf (FM and AM); Egypt Eastern population. Research (AM); Morocco (FM); Sudan, Libya, consistently demonstrates the Djibouti and Yemen (FM and AM); effectiveness of Radio Sawa in reaching Lebanon and Syria (FM); and Mauritania listeners and commanding their (FM). Radio Sawa is also streamed on its attention to Radio Sawa’s news and news and information website and information programming. through a dedicated audio streaming mobile app.
FY 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
Expanding MBN’s Digital Reach While research continues to show that week rose to 58 percent in 2016, versus television is the most popular media for just 40 percent a year before. Digital news and information in the Middle East media users in Morocco and Egypt are and North Africa, more and more now just as likely to mention websites or countries rank digital media among their Facebook as TV stations when asked to most important sources of information. name their most important information In Iraq, Egypt, and Morocco—the source sources. The use of digital media of more than half of MBN’s measured remains high in the Gulf States -- an audience in the region—an average of average of 75 percent of Arab adults in 48% of adults have used digital media in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the past week. In Iraq, the percentage of Bahrain use the internet weekly, the population using internet in the past according to BBG surveys.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 69
The rapidly expanding digital reallocated resources to improve its environment across the region provides digital presence and establish a a solid stage from which to launch revamped digital department. Within the audience-specific channels on digital, expanded department, digital content is rather than more expensive traditional coordinated across all platforms, media platforms. Moreover, the digital including social media platforms. environment allows for two-way communication with the target Reflecting regional trends, beyond web audience; something not afforded by engagement platforms, Facebook has traditional media but at the core of our been the primary focus of MBN’s social mission. MBN is strategically managing media outreach. Total video views available resources to seize new across all MBN Facebook pages over the opportunities for digital programming as last 12 months (April 2016 – March 2017) they develop. MBN has judiciously was 1.67 billion views.
MAGHREB VOICES:
As an engagement platform, Maghreb Voices takes advantage of digital media’s two-way communication potential to connect with its audience and provide a discussion forum for all voices. Maghreb Voices website and social media properties provide opportunities 24/7 for the audience to engage directly on topics of concern. Daily on the website, audiences will find a steady stream of Launching in the spring of 2017, new video content; polls and questions Maghreb Voices is a new MBN digital of the day; citizen journalist content; platform targeted to inform and engage and articles. Maghreb Voices is staffed the people of the Maghreb region. The around the clock to facilitate related new initiative provides objective conversations via Facebook, the website, coverage of social, political, and cultural WhatsApp and other social media issues impacting the region, including properties. those which have the potential to fuel Maghreb Voices will foster freedom of radicalization. It expands the spectrum expression throughout the North Africa of ideas, opinions, and perspectives region. Beyond freedom of expression, available in the region’s media, and the platform will communicate broader provides a trustworthy source of American values and provide context for balanced coverage on issues that American policy affecting the region. influence the lives of the region’s people and their future.
70 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
Countering ISIS Narrative MBN’s Raise Your Voice–Iraq digital platform counters false ISIS narratives and provides a forum for discussion of issues at the root cause of extremism. Established in late 2015, the platform continues to evolve to invigorate content and conversation around the root causes of violent extremism. Daily, the content includes coverage of ISIS victims, ISIS losses, education, children’s rights, economic issues and other related topics. In FY 2017, the platform is increasing video content and adding a Alhurra’s documentary “Invisible Enemy” is a three-part landing page specifically to further documentary series that takes an in-depth look at what engage Syrians. Traffic to the site has Moroccan citizens are doing to counter violent extremism. increased over 20 percent in the past year. freedom of expression. In FY 2017, new television documentary programming While the digital properties are the will provide more powerful personal keystone of the Raise Your Voice-Iraq testimonies that reveal the realities of engagement initiative, call-in radio and life in ISIS territory and the pain and television programming shore up MBN’s suffering ISIS inflicts on families and efforts to provide forums for community communities. leaders, youth and others to share their ideas on topics such as sectarian relationships, religious freedom, and
Providing Unique Programming BROADENING PERSPECTIVES:
The media landscape of the Middle East broadcasters would never provide on and North Africa is filled with issues and matters critical to the region broadcasters affiliated with political, and its future. For example: social, and religious organizations inside and outside official governments. The n A significant majority of Alhurra’s multimedia content produced by Iranian talk show guests are not Alhurra, Alhurra-Iraq, and Radio Sawa invited into discussions on Arab provide audiences news and news networks. Recently on Gulf information free of sensationalism, Talks, Alhurra hosted Iranian and political influence, and religious Bahraini guests together, unique to underpinnings. MBN brands include Gulf-oriented shows; information and perspectives that local
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 71
n Arab liberals have found voice n Well-respected Arab scholars seek to through Alhurra roundtables; appear on Alhurra to discuss American foreign policy with U.S. n Muslim moderate clerics and scholars have chosen Alhurra’s scholars, an opportunity other Pan- Arab stations do not regularly shows to send their moderate anti- ISIS, anti-terror message – finding it provide. a “comfort zone” as stated by a MBN continues to create and provide prominent Islamic scholar who audiences a richer, substantive appeared on Alhurra’s discussion of the political, social, and Special Report program; cultural issues across the region through its news coverage and information programming.
TELLING AMERICA’S STORY:
MBN consistently provides the people of n A report on Dr. Azedine Stambuli, the Middle East unfiltered information President of the Maghreb-USA about America, American policies and its Medical Association, and his team people without the distortion or filters who go to Tunisia, Algeria and imposed by the majority of the region’s Morocco offering free medical care media. With so many broadcasters saving the lives of hundreds of primed to pervert American intentions children; and values, MBN programming assures n A Detroit Iraqi family, who started an an accurate reflection. Robust coverage Adopt-a-Refugee foundation that of the historic election cycle is but one has helped over 2,000 refugees in shining example. Beyond news and its Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey; correspondents at the White House, Congress, Pentagon, and State n Coverage of how communities of Department, MBN informational diverse religious, racial, and ethnic programming continues to provide clear backgrounds in the United States insight into America’s culture and have become united in times of values. In addition to scores of crisis; interviews with Members of Congress, n Features related to Arab-American Administration policy officials, and a Heritage Month, including a profile wide spectrum of think tank of Dina Habib Powell, an Egyptian- commentators, MBN programs also American who currently serves as reflect the actions and values of U.S. Deputy National Security American citizens. Examples include: Advisor for Strategy to President Trump, and an interview with Arab- American Mona Simpson, a novelist and sister of Apple’s founder Steve Jobs;
72 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
n Reports on Muslim communities in who encourage peace and co- New York working side by side with existence. the NY Police Department fighting MBN programming works to expand and extremism and terror; bridging the inform the Middle East’s understanding gap with local communicates of America and its policies. Several new through intercultural and series that delve deeper into the Arab interreligious dialogue; American experience will launch in FY n A report series on US Muslims 2017 with broadcasts continuing in FY fighting terror, which included 2018. interviews with 8 American Imams
Recalibrating Digital As the prevalence of digital media use being evaluated to ensure formats and across the region increases, how focus target audiences effectively. audiences access information and what content audiences are seeking While mindful of increasing mobile continues to evolve. Through research consumption patterns, developing and analytics, MBN will step-up strategies to increase engagements monitoring of the new media through mobile and other means will landscape to ensure the most effective continue in FY 2018. As MBN explores means to reach audiences are and reveals opportunities, resources employed to the extent practicable. and level of effort will be reallocated as Beyond Facebook, new tools and necessary to meet new challenges. formats are being explored and MBN’s Furthering engagement will remain a digital focus will continue to evaluate high priority to exploit the power of and react accordingly to significant digital media. trends to stay current. Websites are
Rebalancing Television and Radio Programming Priorities Newscasts have been the traditional Parlaying the trust we have garnered backbone of all U.S.-funded international over the past decade, a review of the broadcasting. Likewise, Alhurra and level of news programming and the mix Radio Sawa’s accurate, credible, of information programming on comprehensive, and carefully balanced television and radio is being evaluated. news reporting instills confidence in To make the best use of taxpayer MBN brands. The credibility established funding, a reassessment of the through news products allows for programming mix will continue into FY deeper discussion and exchange on 2018 as will strategic adjustments. critical issues through its variety of Planned changes include a realignment information programming. of television information programming, development of radio podcasts, and a new Pan-Arab radio call-in show.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 73
Engaging in Syria In FY 2018, MBN looks forward to looks forward to developing content ground truth that will allow for greater specific to the information needs of access to content inside Syria. While the people of Syria in and outside the more Syrian reporters are being country as they look towards their engaged now as access allows, MBN future.
74 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 75
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
76 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Capital Improvements (BCI)
Broadcasting Capital Improvements
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $6,839 $4,791 $4,791 $0
NOTABLE FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES n Continued high-priority Maintenance n Consolidation of VOA Master Control and Repair projects for TSI’s global facilities for improved workflows and network of transmitting stations. operational efficiencies. n Critical Cohen building headquarters HVAC and electrical system upgrades.
OVERVIEW
Broadcasting Capital Improvements America (VOA), the Office of Cuba (BCI) provides funding for large-scale Broadcasting (OCB), and the IBB Office capital projects and for improvements of Security. These BBG offices will and maintenance of BBG’s global continue support of essential agency transmission network and digital technical operations in FY 2017 through multimedia infrastructure. The Office of carefully focused investments and Technology, Services, and Innovation maintenance of ongoing efforts in a (TSI) manages many of the BCI projects number of critical areas. BCI funds for International Broadcasting Bureau support the capital and equipment (IBB). The BCI account also supports aspects of these critical agency efforts. capital projects managed by Voice of
FY 2016 AND 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
HD Television Initiative
VOA made significant progress on the n Launching the first daily HD live essential HD television initiative in the show, Current Time, in October Washington DC broadcast facility 2016. including: n Completing conversion of television studious to High Definition (HD).
n Making the first two channels of HD Master Control are operational.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 77
Consolidating TV and Radio Master Control VOA installed first phase (of two) Control areas for improved workflows consolidating TV and Radio Master and operational efficiencies.
Upgrading Miami Broadcast Facility OCB improved several areas within the Miami broadcast facility and the Marathon medium wave transmitter site n Upgraded laptop edit stations used n Replaced the one big satellite dish for editing out in the field, replacing with two smaller ones at OCB’s end of life laptops that no longer Miami headquarters. One of the functioned properly. dishes is on line and we are awaiting the engineering designs and permits n Improved radio production with the for the second dish. introduction of the AVRA production system. AVRA allows for radio n Completed the resurfacing of the programs to be streamed with both access roads, installation of the video/audio and incorporates remote control system, and the elements such as pictures, videos, tower guide wire foundation etc. grounding.
FY 2017 AND FY 2018 INITIATIVES
BCI investment funds will be used to Transmitting Station is the least continue the planned reconfiguration expensive IBB station to operate. This and expansion of the shortwave project will allow the agency to shift broadcast infrastructure at the Kuwait mission-critical but higher cost Transmitting Station. This will allow transmissions from other stations in the BBG to enhance transmission to multiple IBB network to Kuwait. regions, including Africa, and achieve cost savings for shortwave broadcasts. Because of the very low cost of electrical power in Kuwait, the Kuwait
78 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Capital Improvements (BCI)
TSI will fund: n Maintenance and repair of n Network wide update of short circuit deteriorating antenna structures in coordination and arc flash studies to corrosive environments, including ensure a safe and reliable addressing antenna maintenance electrical system. concerns in Cyprus, Commonwealth n Facilities condition surveys for the of the Northern Mariana Islands agency’s most critical sites. (CNMI), Greenville, and Kuwait. n Replacement of HVAC system in n Replacement of Sao Tome medium Greenville. wave (MW) Tower due to weather related failure. n Replacement of Fire Alarm system in Tinang, Philippines. n Refurbishing the agency’s transmission infrastructure at key n Maintenance and repair on agency’s locations, including routine building mission-critical emergency power maintenance, roofing repairs and and equipment to support replacement, water line and septic broadcasting at Wilbur J. Cohen systems maintenance, heating and building. cooling equipment maintenance n Replacement of power supplies and and replacement, power plant capacitor to the uninterruptible maintenance, generator power supply (UPS). maintenance, building facilities and n Upgrades and repairs to the antenna structures painting, and agency’s 1.5 megawatt emergency roads and grounds maintenance. generator.
VOA will fund: n Complete conversion to end-to-end n Initial installation of consolidated High Definition television project Master Control facilities, co-locating with the installation of an HD radio and television master controls television routing system, expanding to save money. the use of Internet Protocol signal n Reconfigure existing studios to handling to save costs and more improve operational efficiencies. efficiently process incoming and outgoing video content.
OCB will fund: n OCB has an imminent need to n Replacing Radio Marti’s audio router replace the video server system, as and studio audio boards which are the current Imagine Software Nexio outdated. system is past its end of life.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 79
IBB (Office of Security) will fund:
Continuing security assessments and n Cohen Headquarters full upgrade to projects that are vital to the protection Physical Access Control Systems of life and safety of BBG personnel at (PACS) to meet HSPD-12 PIV cards headquarters in Washington, D.C., VOA requirements and ID Management overseas news bureaus, and TSI systems. overseas transmitting stations. Projects n Tinang, Philippines life-cycle Armor will include: Vehicle, CCTV, and Selectone replacement. n Life-Cycle upgrade of fence protection system (FPS), n Kuwait life cycle Vehicle Barrier, upgrade/replacement of Selectone CCTV, Selectone, and Forced (imminent danger notification Entry/Ballistic Resistant (FEBR) system) and anti-ram barriers, FEBR replacement. Doors/Windows, and Closed-circuit n Sao Tome’ life cycle CCTV, FEBR, television (CCTV). Maintenance and and Selectone replacement. repair of security systems and emergency radio systems and n Marianas Islands Access Control and expansion of access control/alarm gates, CCTV, and Selectone systems. replacement.
80 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 81
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
82 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
Performance Budget Information
INTRODUCTION
This Performance Budget includes a requirements of the Government summary of the Broadcasting Board of Performance and Results Modernization Governors strategic plan, a summary of Act of 2010 for an annual performance the status of the agency’s performance, plan. BBG’s annual Performance and and descriptions of the agency’s Accountability Report (PAR) provides performance indicators. This integrated detailed performance information and budget and performance section can be found on the agency website, connects the BBG strategic goals, bbg.gov. strategic and management objectives and performance goals, and it fulfills
SUMMARY OF THE 2014-2018 BBG STRATEGIC PLAN
BBG’s 2014-2018 strategic plan This mission is achieved through two continues an ambitious roadmap to strategic goals: refine and expand the reach and impact of U.S. international media in support of n Expand freedom of information and American strategic interests. The plan expression informs the FY 2018 budget request and n Communicate America’s democratic continues the integration of experience performance, budget planning and These goals further BBG’s mission of management of BBG. supporting freedom and democracy. The purpose of communicating The mission of the Broadcasting Board America’s democratic experience is not of Governors is to inform, engage and merely public diplomacy. By presenting connect people around the world in a case study in the American experience, support of freedom and democracy. BBG also seeks to help other countries navigate their governance challenges.
CURRENT CONTEXT OF BBG
The key environmental factors facing Free expression, religious liberty, human BBG are: national security challenges, rights, and similar values important to rising media competition and the the United States are under assault multitude of modern communications across the globe. Resurgent technologies. authoritarianism and spreading extremism imperil U.S. interests. Europe
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 83
is witnessing a return to Cold War transmitting and receiving broadcast tensions of state authority versus signals is constantly improving and popular will. Extremist rhetoric and changing. BBG has kept up with these incitement to violence directly threaten developments, which offer extraordinary U.S. national security interests in Iraq, opportunities for unfiltered, direct Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and dialogue with audiences around the elsewhere, compounded by the adroit world. BBG transmits programs through adoption of digital and social media by radio (shortwave, medium wave, FM, actors around the world, including ISIS and satellite), terrestrial and satellite and others. television, the Internet (websites with streaming audio and video as well as The struggles unfolding have significant social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, information or propaganda and YouTube), and numerous mobile components. A war for influence is technologies, including SMS, apps, and playing out on the stage of public mobile Web. opinion. Non-democratic forces run increasingly sophisticated information To serve audiences in less developed campaigns. areas of the world, BBG must continue to broadcast via traditional technologies Consumers of news and information such as shortwave and maintain have an unprecedented array of options capability on these platforms by from which to choose. For example, replacing antiquated equipment. But to citizen journalism and social media stay relevant in competitive news provide broadcasters with opportunities markets and serve current and future to collect and disseminate information, audiences, BBG must invest in new while interacting with audiences. In cutting-edge technology. In areas many regions, BBG broadcasts face where ownership and usage of growing competition from local news shortwave radio has declined sources and international broadcasters. significantly, the agency has evolved While this information explosion seems away from broadcasting in shortwave. to point to more openness and freedom, BBG has closed transmission stations, the trend in recent years has been repurposed equipment and invested toward less press freedom and growing these savings in platforms that the Internet censorship in key markets. audience has shifted to, primarily in Freedom House and Reporters Without digital media technology and other Borders have documented steep high-priority programming. declines in world freedom and press freedom. BBG relies on extensive market research to identify audience preferences and the When U.S. international media began in most appropriate programming mix and 1942, programs were broadcast via delivery options for specific audiences. shortwave. Since then, the number of In addition to research about the transmission options has grown, and effectiveness of programming, BBG listener preferences and media access commissions research on the overall have changed. The technology driving media markets in its broadcast countries
84 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
to better understand how these markets existing language services, start new are developing and the capabilities that ones, or, in some instances, end each agency network needs to remain broadcasts. competitive. As new technologies emerge, market research enables BBG to BBG’s Strategic Plan gives highest be forward-thinking and strategically priority to setting the program mix and positioned to fulfill its mission. BBG delivery platforms to meet market undertakes a comprehensive demand. This is critical to ensure that assessment of the languages in which BBG achieves its legislative mandate to agency networks broadcast during its reach as many people as possible with annual Language Service Review. This news and information that gains their review examines qualitative and trust and makes a difference in their quantitative research on the lives by communicating standards for performance of programming, audience human rights, civil society, religious reach and impact, as well as media tolerance, and transparency of usage and ownership. The review forms government via the most effective the basis for proposing to enhance delivery systems.
IMPACT MODEL
In recognition that impact is about more employs a mix of quantitative and than only audience reach, BBG’s qualitative measures. previous strategic plan set the goal of developing a multi-factor model to This Impact Model informs the strategic define impact. In 2014, BBG began plan and performance goals that support implementing the model. It ties to BBG’s BBG’s strategic objectives. During the mission statement and examines past two years, the model has formed effectiveness in the areas of informing, the basis of BBG’s strategic review engaging and connecting audiences, process in which the agency sets clear and being influential. These effects are goals and targets for performance considered in the short, medium and indicators that define success in each long term in various sectors – people, target country and region. local media and institutions. The model
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 85
STRATEGIC AND MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE GOALS
BBG’s two strategic goals are supported by six strategic objectives and three management objectives, each of which has supporting performance goals. These objectives and goals map out Agency priorities for the next two years.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1: PRODUCE JOURNALISM OF EXCEPTIONAL VALUE THAT RESPONDS TO THE MISSION, MEETS AUDIENCE INTERESTS, AND EXPANDS ALTERNATIVES IN THE MARKETPLACE
Journalism is the daily work of the BBG of subjects that matter to their lives broadcasters, and producing fact- and, at the same time, must add value based, verifiable news and information in expanding the range of media must be preeminent in agency alternatives. BBG’s aim is not just to strategy. To have impact, BBG follow the 24-hour news cycle but to journalism must reach audiences, drive the news agenda through meet their interests along the breadth original reporting, in-depth analysis,
86 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
and a unique cross-cultural the target area, e.g., human rights perspective that helps the audiences and good governance. become sophisticated consumers of n Offer non-news content that news and media. research, web analytics, and audience and affiliate feedback n As Congressionally mandated, show are of vital interest to provide news and other audiences, such as health, science, programming that is accurate, and technology. objective, and comprehensive and in accordance with the highest n Produce enterprise reporting professional standards of broadcast through deep and lasting journalism. exploration of critical issues in the countries BBG targets. n Produce news and information, consistent with audience n Co-create content with reputable preferences and mission partners, as appropriate and requirements, which are not consistent with broadcasting addressed adequately by media in standards and editorial guidelines.
BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 1 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: REACH SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCES
Measured Weekly Audiences FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 (in millions)1 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target6 BBG2 215 226 230 278 278 179 VOA 171.6 187.7 188.0 236.6 237.0 141.0 RFE/RL 23.3 23.6 27.4 26.9 25.9 23.6 RFA3 7.8 7.5 8.0 6.4 6.4 6.4 MBN4 29.3 25.7 27.0 27.5 28.0 28.0 Radio Sawa4 11.3 10.9 Alhurra4 20.9 17.6 OCB5 NA NA NA NA NA TBD
1 Measured weekly audience is the number of people in target areas listening to or viewing BBG programming or online materials in the past week. It is influenced by a number of factors that vary across broadcasters, including number of languages, number and type of distribution platforms, and media environment.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 87
2 The BBG weekly audience is unduplicated, i.e., a member of the audience is counted only once, regardless of the number of times, platforms, or networks they consume each week.
3 RFA figure include audiences for six of their nine language services. BBG is not able to conduct representative quantitative audience research for Korean, Tibetan, and Uyghur.
4 Since the FY 2015 PAR, BBG is reporting performance indicators for MBN overall, rather than reporting separately on Radio Sawa and Alhurra. This move brings them in line with the other broadcast entities and allows inclusion of MBN’s Afia Darfur audiences.
5 Because of the historical limitations of reliable survey data in Cuba, it has not been possible to reliably measure weekly audience for OCB. BBG conducted a survey in February and March 2017 and expects results in May 2017 and will set future targets at that time.
6 Assumes a reduction in audience reach based on FY 2018 budget level. Audience losses are anticipated related to reductions in Spanish, Central Africa, Cantonese, Indonesian, Mandarin, Thai, Lao, Macedonian, Belarusian, Dari and Pashto, Kurdish, and Persian, as well as reductions in transmission and general operating expenses.
Indicator: Measured Weekly Audience: This Internet) has over the years been indicator measures the number of consistently defined as all adults people in target areas listening to or listening or viewing at least once a viewing BBG programming or online week, as determined by an audience materials in the past week. The survey that has an adequately measure is obtained for each language designed sample. BBG does not service (except Spanish-to-Cuba, conduct surveys in every country Korean, Uyghur, and Tibetan) and for every year, so reach figures may in the countries served by the BBG that some cases reflect weekly reach were surveyed within the past five measures collected from up to five years. It is based upon the years in the past. This may result in an measurement of the “regular listening over or underestimation of actual audience,” a statistical standard long reach. Additionally, political volatility used to report international radio in certain markets may prevent the audience reach. Regular listening or measurement of current reach for viewing audience (radio, TV or services broadcasting to these areas.
88 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THAT AUDIENCES FIND TRUSTWORTHY
Program Credibility
Percent of weekly
audience who consider information to be very or somewhat FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 trustworthy Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
VOA 89 86 86 86 87 87
RFE/RL 92 88 92 87 82 84
RFA 87 84 87 86 85 85
MBN1 86 86 82 86 86
Radio Sawa1 83
1 Alhurra 84
OCB2 NA NA NA NA NA TBD
1 Since the FY 2015 PAR, BBG is reporting performance indicators for MBN overall, rather than reporting separately on Radio Sawa and Alhurra. This move brings them in line with the other broadcast entities and allows inclusion of MBNs Afia Darfur audiences.
2 Due to historical limitations of reliable survey data in Cuba, it has not been possible to reliably measure credibility for OCB. BBG conducted a survey in February and March 2017 and expects results in May 2017 and will set future targets at that time.
Indicator: Program Credibility: This indicator is index is the percent of those determined by the survey question answering the question in the survey about trustworthiness of news and (excluding those who did not respond information of those sampled or did not know) who endorsed trust a respondents who listened to or viewed great deal or somewhat. Credibility each station at least once a week. The estimates are not included for answers are registered on a four-point countries where the number of regular scale – Trust a great deal, Trust it listeners/viewers/online users is so somewhat, Do not trust it very much, small (n = <50) that the estimate is
Do not trust it at all. The credibility unreliable.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 89
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3: PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THAT INCREASES THE AUDIENCES’ UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT EVENTS
Understanding Percent of weekly audience who report that the broadcasts have increased their understanding of current events somewhat or a great deal FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
VOA 90 85 85 86 86 86 RFE/RL 86 84 88 81 82 83 RFA 88 80 85 NA 85 85 MBN1 81 81 80 81 81 Radio Sawa1 77 Alhurra1 77 OCB2 NA NA NA NA NA TBD
1Historically, RFAs understanding scores have been based on data from Burma and Cambodia, where audiences have been robust. In FY 2016, BBG had no new data for Cambodia. In Burma, the understanding question was not asked using the standard language from previous years, meaning answers were not comparable with past data or with those used for other broadcasters.
2 Since the FY 2015 PAR, BBG is reporting performance indicators for MBN overall, rather than reporting separately on Radio Sawa and Alhurra. This move brings them in line with the other broadcast entities and allows inclusion of MBNs Afia Darfur audiences.
3 Due to historical limitations of reliable survey data in Cuba, it has not been possible to reliably measure understanding for OCB. BBG conducted a survey in February and March 2017 and expects results in May 2017 and will set future targets at that time.
Indicator: Understanding of current events*: a great deal, somewhat, very little, or This indicator is determined by the not at all. The understanding indicator survey question asking weekly measures the percent of those listeners/viewers/online users of answering the question in the survey [language] whether the broadcasts (excluding those who did not respond have “increased their understanding of or did not know) who chose “a great current events.” The answers are deal” or “somewhat.” registered on a four-point scale –
90 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 4: PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL NEWS AND INFORMATION
Uniqueness1 Percent of weekly audience reporting that broadcaster presents information they FY cannot get from 2018 other media FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 Target2 Actual Actual Target Actual Target VOA 25 25 25 25 20 RFE/RL Question has 32 34 25 27 29 been RFA incorporated No data yet NA NA NA 25 into core MBN questionnaire No data yet NA NA NA 48 OCB NA NA NA NA NA
1This was a new measure in FY 2015. Baselines are based on a small subset of countries, those surveyed since 2013 through BBG surveys and with a sufficient sample size of weekly users to allow analysis. There was insufficient data to report FY16 uniqueness scores for RFA, MBN, and OCB.
2 VOA assumes FY18 Budget levels may likely result in diminution of journalistic resources, leading to less unique coverage and programming.
Indicator: Uniqueness: This indicator is All of it is available elsewhere, Some of determined by the survey question it is available elsewhere, Very little of it asking weekly listeners/viewers/online is available elsewhere, None of it is users of any language how much of available elsewhere. The unique the information provided by the entity information indicator measures the is also available from other sources on percent of those answering the the radio, TV, or Internet. The answers question in the survey who chose are registered on a four-point scale – “very little” or “none.”
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 91
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2: REACH THE INFORMATION-DENIED, UNDERSERVED, AND TARGETS OF EXTREMIST RHETORIC AND VIOLENCE
In deciding where to broadcast, BBG n Prioritize countries lacking considers the local media situation and freedom and democracy or faced prioritizes countries that lack a free or with extremism where accurate, developed press. Special consideration credible news and information are is given to populations at risk of lacking; boost service to these violence due to extremist rhetoric. In areas, where feasible. all target countries, BBG broadcasters n Introduce service in selected new seek to grow their audience base and languages to reach sizeable new reach those traditionally underserved audiences in important countries by its broadcasts. Populations in the where BBG’s products are urgently target countries are overwhelmingly needed. young – a challenge but also a chance for us to connect with a demographic n Reach out to women and youth that in the main has never even heard with the kinds of content and of us. BBG’s current audiences are conversation they wish to have approximately 60 percent male and 40 beyond traditional news and percent female – an imbalance ripe for information paradigms. correcting. BBG understands that to n Sharpen audience segmentation reach and be relevant with these and targeting to drive content audiences, it needs to provide them strategies and better address with content that not only informs gender and age demographics, as them of international and local news, well as psychographic segments. but assists them in building and n Create country-specific content participating in a civil society. BBG streams in existing languages to pays special attention to audiences in augment news and information for areas plagued by extremism, as priority countries, e.g., Egypt, Mali. extremist forces espouse a violent ideology and execute campaigns of n Serve as a conduit for the terror that threaten U.S. and regional transmission of reporting from security and stymie free, open, inside closed societies to outside democratic societies. Support for audiences. programming to these audiences is in n Ensure strong local news coverage, the interests of U.S. national security. as warranted by events, to meet urgent audience needs in areas of crisis.
n Draw on the experiences of the world’s many models of free societies, in particular the U.S., to present a broad array of political views and debates.
92 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 2 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCE REACH IN ENVIRONMENTS SUBJECT TO EXTREMIST VIOLENCE
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 1 Baseline Actual Target Actual Target Target
Maintain significant reach 42.4% 43.5% 42.6% 43.5% 42% 2 35.5% in Iraq Maintain significant reach 5.0 4.0 million 4.0 million 6.8 million 5.0 million in the Persian 3.9 million million Gulf3 Increase reach in Francophone 8.9 million 12.9 13.0 10.4 8.9 million 10.0 million Sub-Saharan million million million Africa4 Increase reach in Anglophone 34.6 47.2 46.5 37.2 33.0 million 35.0 million Sub-Saharan million million million million 5 Africa 1 percentage 12.1% point additional No new Increase weekly 6.0% (Aug weekly reach data 15.0% 12.0% reach in Kenya 2015) (over FY 2015 available (Oct 2013) levels) 1 percentage Increase weekly point additional 31.0% 17.8% reach in 20.3% weekly reach (Feb 31.0% 24.8% (Jun 2015) Tanzania (over FY 2015 2016) (Sep 2012) levels) 1 percentage point additional 21.0% Increase weekly 18.1% 16.9% weekly reach (Feb 21.0% 21.0% reach in Nigeria (Jun 2015) (over FY 2015 2016) (Mar 2014) levels) 1 percentage points 16.0% No new Increase weekly additional 16.0% (Dec data 20.0% 20.0% reach in Niger weekly reach 2013) available (Dec 2013) (over FY 2015 levels) 1 Multi-country estimates are presented in real numbers, rather than percentages, because of the potential high variations in percentages across covered countries.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 93
2 Iraq includes audience for Alhurra, Radio Sawa, and VOA Kurdish. FY 2018 target also includes audience for www.Irfaasawtak.com. 3 Survey dates for 2016 Actual: Bahrain (Dec 2014); Kuwait (Jan 2014); Qatar (Jun 2014); Saudi Arabia (Nov 2012); UAE (Oct 2015); Yemen (Nov 2015); Total surveyed population in 5 countries = 35.6 million 4 Survey dates for 2016 Actual: Benin (Jun 2013); Burkina Faso (May 2015); Burundi (Jan 2016); Cameroon (Apr 2013); Central African Republic (Jul 2016); Chad (Oct 2012); Congo, Brazzaville (Jun 2013); Congo, Kinshasa (Nov 2012); Cote dIvoire (Jun 2015); Gabon (June 2016); Guinea (Jun 2014); Madagascar (Mar 2016); Mali (Oct 2015); Rwanda (May 2014); Senegal (May 2015). 5 Survey dates for 2016 Actual: Botswana (May 2016), Ghana (Nov 2013); Kenya (Aug 2015); Liberia (Sep 2012); Malawi (Oct 2014), Nigeria (Feb 2016); Sierra Leone (Apr 2015); Somalia (Feb 2013); South Africa (Aug 2016); South Sudan (Dec 2015); Tanzania (Feb 2016); Uganda (Nov 2015); Zambia (Dec 2014). 6FY 2018 targets assume a reduction in audience reach based on FY 2018 budget level. In addition to language service and transmission cuts, reductions to contractors and general operating expenses at VOA are expected to reduce audiences in most markets. Strong audience loyalty in Nigeria and Niger may make those audiences more resilient.
Indicator: Measured weekly audience is weekly audience is expressed as a explained above under Strategic percentage of the adult population Objective 1, Performance Goal 1. For covered by the survey. individual countries, the measured
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: INCREASE AUDIENCE REACH IN ENVIRONMENTS LACKING INFORMATION
FY FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 2017 FY 2018 Baseline Actual Target Actual Target Target
Expand weekly 11.2% 11.2% +2 7.1% (Dec 9.1% 9.1% audience reach in (Mar 2014) (Mar 2014) percentage 2015) Burma points Expand weekly 30.8% 39.5% +2 No new data 29.5% 25.0% audience reach in (Jun 2014) (May 2015) percentage available Cambodia points Expand weekly 1.9% 3.6% +0.5 No new data 4.1% 4.1% audience reach in (Mar 2013) (Mar 2015) percentage available Vietnam point 0.03% 0.25% +0.25 No new data 0.5% 0.5% Expand digital (Nov 2009) (Jun 2014) percentage available audience reach in points China
Indicator: Measured weekly audience is explained audience is expressed as a percentage of above under Strategic Objective 1, the adult population covered by the Performance Goal 1. For individual survey. countries, the measured weekly
94 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3: REACH AUDIENCES WITH FACT-BASED, CREDIBLE INFORMATION IN ENVIRONMENTS TARGETED BY STATE-SPONSORED MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS
FY 15 Actual FY 2016 FY 2016 Actual FY 2017 FY 2018 Target Target Target
Increase reach 2.7% Increase 4.9% Maintain FY Reach 6% of in the Russian (Dec 2013) weekly reach (Jun 2016) 16 adults on all Federation by 1 audience platforms percentage reach point over current level Increase reach 20.8% Reach 24% of 18.0% Reach Reach 20% in Ukraine (Apr 2014) adults on all (Jun 2016) 20% of of adults on platforms adults on all platforms all platforms Increase reach 8.3% Reach 14% of 32.1% Maintain Maintain in Moldova (Oct 2010) adults on all (Feb 2016) FY16 FY17 platforms audience audience reach reach Increase reach 0.9% Reach 1.5% of No new data Reach 9% Maintain in Kazakhstan (Jan 2011) adults on all available of adults on FY17 platforms all audience platforms reach Increase reach 6.8% Reach 10% of 11.4% Reach Maintain in Tajikistan (Nov 2014) adults on all (Jun 2016) 11% of FY17 platforms adults on audience all reach platforms
Attract 5.2% Reach 6% of No new data Reach 6% Reach 7% of audiences in (Aug 2015) adults on all available of adults on adults on all Estonia platforms all platforms platforms Attract No data Reach 3% of 7.2% (Aug 2015) Reach 6% Reach 7% of audiences in adults on all of adults on adults on all Latvia platforms all platforms platforms
(continued on next page)
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 95
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3: REACH AUDIENCES WITH FACT-BASED, CREDIBLE INFORMATION IN ENVIRONMENTS TARGETED BY STATE-SPONSORED MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS (continued)
Attract No data Reach 3% of 10.0% Maintain Reach 11% audiences in adults on all (Aug 2016) FY16 of adults on Lithuania platforms audience all platforms reach 1 Provide Russia: 91.9% 80% of weekly Russia: 67.2% 80% of 80% of programming (Dec 2013) audience in (Jun 2016) weekly weekly that audiences Ukraine: 93.4% each market Ukraine: 68.4% audience in audience in (June 2016) find trustworthy (Apr 2014) consider each each market Moldova: 90.4% Moldova: 88.8% information to market consider be very or (Feb 2016) consider information to (Oct 2010) somewhat Kazakhstan: no information be very or Kazakhstan: trustworthy data to be very somewhat no data Tajikistan: 87.8% or trustworthy Tajikistan: (Nov 2014)—no somewhat 87.8% (Nov new data trustworthy Estonia: no data 2014) Latvia: no data Estonia: no data Lithuania: 71.7% Latvia: no data (for Current Time, Lithuania: no Aug 2016) data
1 VOA only; both RFE/RL and Current Time do not have a sufficiently large regular audience sample for analysis. Indicators: Measured weekly audience is percentage of the adult population explained above under Strategic covered by the survey. Objective 1, Performance Goal 1. For individual countries, the measured Program credibility (trustworthiness) is weekly audience is expressed as a explained under Strategic Objective 1, Performance Goal 2.
CONTEXTUAL INDICATORS: # of BBG target countries ranked as: 2017 Freedom House Rankings Not Free Partly Free Free
Freedom of the Press 61 53 10
Freedom in the World (political) 61 53 10
96 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3: OVERCOME CENSORSHIP
For almost 70 years U.S. international distribute their content. The Internet broadcasting has fought censorship in in particular is under assault. The all its forms. Today, as the global agency upholds the universal right of media environment undergoes a citizens everywhere to receive and dynamic revolution, access to a truly impart information without restriction. free press is actually in decline. BBG works on many fronts to make Jamming of radio and TV broadcasts, news and information accessible to its including the BBG’s, continues in a global audiences with the aim of number of countries. Journalists suffer enabling not only unfettered access to harassment and violence daily. Media agency products but also the full laws often restrict free flows of spectrum of independent news information, limiting the ability of sources on the Internet. international news organizations to n Lead in assisting the world’s citizens to gain access to information on all platforms, advocating on the international stage and coordinating within the U.S. government and with international broadcasters and other allies. n Help audiences understand through journalistic reports the practices and policies of Internet censorship and circumvention. n Fund technologies that counter Internet censorship and Internet blocking. n Increase effective use of social media and digital platforms to combat censorship. n Provide in-house digital expertise to address real-time censorship and jamming issues in targeted regions. The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 3 with the following performance goal:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: INCREASE TRAFFIC THROUGH INTERNET ANTI-CENSORSHIP PRODUCTS
FY FY FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 2017 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
Increase proxy traffic 21,900 18,250 23,000 21,900 23,000 23,000 through Ultrasurf TB TB TB TB TB TB
Increase proxy traffic 4,125 8,900 9,000 11,048 12,000 13,000 through Psiphon TB TB TB TB TB TB
Number of messages 3.1 6.9 8.2 8 million NA NA sent via Piramideo1 million million million
1 OCB has discontinued deployment of Piramideo due to inappropriate usage.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 97
Indicator: Proxy traffic: Proxy traffic through through the Psiphon, a BBG-supported Ultrasurf measures the volume of proxy tool for circumventing Internet Internet traffic through the Ultrasurf, a censorship. Number of messages sent BBG-supported proxy tool for via Piramideo measure traffic through circumventing Internet censorship. OCB’s social networking tool, Proxy traffic through Psiphon Piramideo, which has now been measures the volume of Internet traffic discontinued
CONTEXTUAL INDICATOR:
# of BBG target countries ranked as: 2016 Freedom House Rankings Not Free Partly Free
Freedom on the Net 10 2
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4: OPTIMIZE THE MEDIA MIX AND PROGRAM DELIVERY BY MARKET
It is essential that BBG reaches n Increase distribution on platforms audiences on their preferred media that BBG knows audiences are using platforms. Yet the agency’s distribution – FM, satellite TV, and mobile methods and means have lagged shifts devices – migrating away from in media use. BBG must therefore align legacy platforms where they do not how it delivers content with how reach audiences. consumers now access it now and in n Find creative ways to penetrate the future. The BBG must accelerate closed societies, through flash investment into growing and enhancing drives, DVDs, and other alternative new distribution methods, with specific delivery means. attention to social and mobile platforms. For traditional media, BBG must migrate n Expand local distribution through to the most effective broadcast affiliation with strong local television channels, including satellite TV and FM and FM radio stations and, where radio. Considering the BBG has one of possible, installation of FM the world’s largest affiliate networks, the transmitters. agency must aggressively expand and n Draw on research and other inputs improve its affiliations and syndication to tailor format and presentation of content in effective formats. styles to audience needs and media Ultimately, the agency is platform- usage habits, creating content that agnostic. The BBG seeks to do what can break through ever increasing works best for the market at hand to get clutter. content to as many users as possible.
98 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
n Exploit the falling cost of video n Integrate and digitize all content – production by updating BBG e.g. text, audio, photos, graphics, and broadcasting facilities to support video – on a common content growing audience appetite for TV management system to facilitate use and video. Support audience’s across platforms, support on- growing appetite for social media, demand needs of the audience, and TV, and video by purchasing increase use via syndication. equipment and rebuilding aging infrastructure and broadcasting facilities. The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 4 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: INCREASE WEB AND MOBILE TRAFFIC1
FY 2018 Average weekly FY 2016 Target visits to Target (increase web and (increase in visits mobile in visits over sites1 FY 2014 FY 2015 over FY15 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY17 Actual2 Actual3 levels) Actual Target levels)
VOA 4,948,200 5,990,400 10% 6,957,800 8,700,000 10%
RFE/RL 5,911,900 7,890,400 Maintain 7,500,200 8,250,220 5%
RFA 922,700 764,700 Maintain 848,700 933,570 10%
MBN3 249,400 10% 490,300 539,330 10%
Alhurra3 147,2002
Sawa3 243,0002
OCB 75,000 119,200 10% 162,800 179,080 10%
1 Data in the chart above should be compared across years and not across broadcasters, in part because broadcasters are measuring different numbers of web and mobile sites and languages. Numbers do not include some proxy visits. Traffic to apps is not included because it was not available for the full fiscal year for all broadcasters. Traffic to social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is also not included here.
2In FY 2014, the BBG made an investment in enterprise-quality digital analytical systems to provide digital measurement and insights across all of its websites and mobile applications. This switch resulted in a data discontinuity that required rebaselining in FY 2014. For FY 2014, VOA, RFE/RL, RFA, and OCB numbers were based on the initial configuration of the new analytics tool; FY 2014 actuals and FY 2015 targets for MBN were based on the legacy analytics tool. FY 2015 actuals are based on the new analytics tool.
3Since the FY 2015 PAR, BBG is reporting performance indicators for MBN overall, rather than reporting separately on Radio Sawa and Alhurra. This move brings them in line with the other broadcast entities.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 99
Indicator: Average weekly visits: This indicator based on 52 weeks of data coinciding measures the number of visits to BBG with the fiscal year. This indicator does websites and mobile sites over a 52 not measure visits to social media sites week period and creates an average such as Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: BUILD STRONG AFFILIATE RELATIONSHIPS
Number of affiliations FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 (broadcast, 1 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target online, and mobile)
VOA 1,838 2,088 2,192 2,265 2,302 1,626
RFE/RL 528 577 606 761 636 530
RFA 23 30 35 35 40 35
1 Anticipated losses are due to FY18 reductions to services with large affiliate networks in both VOA and RFE/RL. VOA affiliates are expected to decline mainly due to elimination of Spanish and Macedonian and reductions to Indonesian. RFE/RL affiliates are expected to decline mainly due to reductions in the Balkans Service and Russian radio.
Indicator: Affiliations: Affiliates are a primary growth of digital and mobile gatekeeper between the BBG networks technology, there are new forms of and their end users – the audiences affiliations, including online and that listen, watch, and read their mobile. In FY 2013, the BBG changed content online, on mobile and by its methodology for counting affiliates. broadcast outlets. Counting the This stemmed, in part, from an number of affiliates, then, offers a upgrade to its affiliate database to measure of the appeal of the promote better communication with programming to these vital affiliates, as well as the growing gatekeepers and distributors of the importance of digital outlets. Where BBG networks’ content. As shortwave previously only high impact, high usage wanes in parts of the world, the quality radio and TV affiliates with importance of affiliations with local signed contracts were tallied, the medium wave and FM radio and affiliation indicator now counts all television stations grows. With the stations or outlets that regularly retransmit content from BBG networks.
100 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5: SERVE AS A ROBUST U.S. NEWS BUREAU AND CULTURAL BRIDGE Representing American society and n Serve as a U.S. bureau for media presenting and discussing U.S. policy are outlets across the world that wish to legislated mandates for the agency and engage with us for news, analysis, thus constitute mission imperatives. and perspectives from the United BBG’s coverage of the U.S. is States – on the model that has comprehensive across all elements of succeeded in Ukraine, Turkey, Latin society but aims overall to convey the America, Nigeria, Indonesia, and practice of democracy in all of its others. complexity. It is not about persuading n Emphasize English learning as a audiences to admire the U.S.; it is about vehicle for positive audience helping them see how the U.S. manages engagement and interaction as well the challenges of a democratic society – as information on American society from economic growth to fiscal crises to and culture. race relations to educating youth to addressing environmental change. n Meet the global interest in American These topic areas find ready politics with in-depth coverage and comparisons in BBG’s target countries analysis of national elections and and resonate with the agency’s coverage of other political events to audiences in practical, meaningful ways. impart the news and to elucidate the Carrying them out requires sensitivity democratic process, with stories and creativity. Currents of anti- localized to make them interesting Americanism still run strong in some to specific target regions. parts of the world, necessitating deft n Satisfy the world’s growing appetite outreach that stresses dialogue not for learning English through TV and monologue. The way people interact radio programs, online instruction, with media today, with emphasis on printed instructional materials, and interaction, further affirms this approach. innovative short-form videos posted At the same time, America’s still on the Web. dominant role on the global stage makes it a focal point of international attention, and its national language is the one that tens of millions of people around the world seek to learn. VOA, in particular, is uniquely mandated and positioned to leverage these advantages to connect with diverse international audiences, serving as a U.S. news bureau for affiliate partners and providing English-learning programming.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 101
The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 5 with the following performance goal:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THAT INCREASES AUDIENCES’ UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNITED STATES
Understanding of U.S. society Percent of weekly audience who report that the broadcasts have increased their FY FY FY FY FY FY understanding of U.S. society 2014 2015 2016 2016 2017 2018 somewhat or a great deal Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target VOA 66 60 62 62 62 62
Indicator:
Understanding of American Society:
This indicator is determined by the great deal, somewhat, very little, or not survey question asking weekly at all. The understanding indicator listeners/viewers/online users of a BBG measures the percent of those entity’s broadcasts in a particular answering the question in the survey language whether the broadcasts have (excluding those who did not respond “increased their understanding of or did not know) who chose “a great American society.” The answers are deal” or “somewhat.” registered on a four-point scale – a
Understanding of U.S. foreign policy Percent of weekly audience who report that the broadcasts have increased their understanding of U.S. foreign policy somewhat or FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 a great deal Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
VOA 64 61 62 60 61 61
Understanding of U.S. Foreign Policy:
This indicator is determined by the survey – a great deal, somewhat, very little, or not question asking weekly listeners/ at all. The understanding indicator viewers/online users of a BBG entity’s measures the percent of those answering broadcasts in a particular language whether the question in the survey (excluding those the broadcasts have “increased their who did not respond or did not know) who understanding of U.S. foreign policy.” The chose “a great deal” or “somewhat.” answers are registered on a four-point scale
102 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 6: EMPOWER CITIZEN INFORMATION GATHERING AND EXCHANGE
New and powerful web, mobile, and n Facilitate dialogue across religious, social media tools are enabling national and ethnic groups. increasingly diverse voices to be heard n Enter into a “global conversation” around the world. These tools have with BBG audiences by using social made media personal, moving the media tools to identify, source, and power from centralized broadcasters to distribute news content into the a new class of bloggers, activists, channels where people are having videographers, and a content- conversations about their generating public. They are using media community and the world. not only to tell their stories on a digital world stage but also to connect with n Build new partnerships to create one another to chart the future of their tools that help us more efficiently communities and build new forms of and effectively translate content for civil society. Social media is also a global audience around high- changing the way news is gathered and quality news and information. distributed, requiring news organizations n Pursue partnerships with to adopt new work flows that allow technologists around the globe who them to use multiple platforms to deliver are building the next generation of content to a global audience. The digital media technology through Agency must aggressively pursue an mobile and social media. innovation agenda that develops the n Develop a suite of new media next generation of content, tools, and products that can be easily deployed distribution platforms. by language services based on n Nurture citizen journalism and market consumption data, with an channel user-generated content eye toward maximizing from inside repressive states. opportunities for user generated content, peer-to-peer sharing, and n Link citizens within repressive audience interactivity. societies and to external audiences through social media networks.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 103
The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Strategic Objective 6 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: INCREASE AUDIENCE INTERACTION VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
Digital Engagement FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actions Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
VOA Not System for reported RFE/RL automated Set targets this year collection during FY due to a Baselines RFA of social Establish Establish 2019 required not media data baselines. baselines. budget reconfig. established. rolled out formulation MBN of data in Q4 FY . collection 2014. OCB tool.
Indicator: Digital Engagement Actions: This to a BBG post, commenting on a BBG indicator measures the weekly average post, sharing/retweeting a BBG post, number of engagement actions on liking or following a BBG account or currently measurable platforms, profile for the first time (i.e. this is currently Facebook, Twitter, and counted only once, during the first YouTube. Engagement actions include week someone follows a BBG measurable actions that demonstrate account.) These actions are tracked by an activity beyond just consuming a third party vendor (Socialbakers) and content: liking or favoriting or reacting will be reported after a full year of tracking and monitoring.
104 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: INCREASE SHARING OF BBG PROGRAMMING
Percent of weekly audience who shares news heard/read/seen on broadcaster at FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 least once a week Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
VOA 54 52 53 55 55 60
RFE/RL 48 54 56 44 50 52
RFA 55 56 57 64 60 60
MBN NA NA Set baseline 52 52 53
OCB NA NA NA NA NA NA
Indicator: Sharing of programming: This indicator on a five-point range – Daily or most is determined by the survey question days per week, At least once a week, At asking weekly listeners/viewers/online least once a month, Less than once a users in any language how often they month, Never. The sharing indicator share news that they have heard, seen, measures the percent of those or read from a BBG entity with friends answering the question in the survey or relatives, or with their social who chose “Daily or most days per network. The answers are registered week” or “At least once a week.”
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE 1: TRANSFORM THE BBG INTO AN AGILE AND COST-EFFECTIVE ENTERPRISE, RESPONSIVE TO RAPID GEOPOLITICAL CHANGE AND ONGOING FISCAL CONSTRAINTS
By virtual of historical circumstance, appropriately fulfill its charter amidst todays BBG is a complex amalgam of growing geo-political instability and diverse media outlets and respective substantial budgetary challenges. support organizations, operating under different legal and administrative n Enhance the agency’s technological frameworks. The result is an platforms and workflows enabling it organization lacking the agility essential to continually adapt to global to operate in a rapidly evolving global standards in content acquisition, media environment and the manipulation, distribution, and standardization that enables rational audience consumption behaviors. resource allocations. Going forward, the n Transform the workplace and agency must undergo rapid and increase collaboration by leveraging fundamental transformation in order to open space concepts.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 105
n Make innovation a core value of n Automate and streamline business how BBG works and interfaces with processes and work flows. audiences and other stakeholders.
The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Management Objective 1 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: ENHANCE THE AGENCY’S TECHNOLOGICAL POSTURE
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2016 Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target
Execute Multi-Protocol 80% of OCB, 100% of BBG 50% of 75% of seamless Linked BBG PNN and owned/ operated satellite- satellite transition to Switches owned/ VOA uplink facilities based based (MPLS) operated China TV distribution distribution Internet and have MPLS or fiber optic infrastructure uplink (approx. feeds feeds internet content put in place to facilities 13%) of transferred transferred to distribution facilitate have MPLS satellite- connectivity for to terrestrial terrestrial to stations satellite connectivity. based content circuits. circuits; and uplinks optimization. 100% of distribution distribution. Complete MPLS has satellite feeds reengineering replaced based transferred 40% of satellite- of MPLS leased fiber circuits to based distribution network from optic cables. used for terrestrial feeds (including Hub and 80% of agency data circuits (by OCB, PNN, and Spoke to owned uplink (non- end of VOA China TV) Multi-Point facilities have broadcast 1Q). have been direct to MPLS content) transferred to 40% of uplink connectivity. moved from terrestrial circuits. satellite- distribution satellite to based architecture; terrestrial distribution circuits. 25% of feeds 15% of satellite transferred satellite- based to based contribution terrestrial distribution feeds circuits. feeds have transferred to been commodity transferred Internet to terrestrial circuits. circuits.
106 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: TRANSFORM WORKPLACE AND INCREASE COLLABORATION
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
62% of 41% of 42% of 61% of 59% of total 64% of Leverage open total total total total footprint, total space concepts footprint footprint footprint footprint pending footprint funding.
Note: 33% of the total footprint is technical space not suitable for open space concepts, e.g., conference rooms, data rooms, and broadcasting studios.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3: AUTOMATE AND STREAMLINE KEY BUSINESS PROCESSES
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
Complete Complete business Automated Automated Automated Automated Complete integration process time and Time and Time and Time and integration of of financial reengineering attendance Attendance Attendance Attendance payroll, and and HR and system has System in System System time and systems. automation of been testing rolled out to rolled out to attendance business and delayed due phase. Pilot all federal 85% of systems media to to roll-out in entities and federal workflows unavailability Q1 FY incorporated entities, with Integration of funds; 2016; into existing a projected financial and payroll completion in Analysis of HR systems (DFAS) Q1 FY 2017. financial, HR Integration put on hold system; Automated and payroll of HR and due to lack Time and systems Payroll of funding; Attendance substantially delayed due Completion system now underway in to planning of Procure to Implement being FY 2014 and funding Pay analysis; electronic incorporated and issues; performance Begin into existing completed in management 80% of integration of payroll Q1 FY system. Procure to financial, HR, (DFAS) 2015. Pay analysis payroll, and system. completed. time and attendance Procure to systems. Pay has been put on hold, pending funding.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 107
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE 2: LEVERAGE AND HARMONIZE AGENCY ASSETS AND BRANDS
The BBG is one of the world’s largest n Ensure coordinated and news-gathering and reporting complementary mission-driven enterprises with more than 80 language operations and content served by services, 50 overseas news bureaus, two BBG media entities. 4,000 employees, and 1,500 stringer n Build the internal content-sharing reporters. Each of the agency’s five network, aligning internal editorial broadcasters generates original support and coordination, as reporting every day from and around needed. the world’s hotspots – the Sahel and Central Africa, Afghanistan-Pakistan n Channel original reporting from the border region, Burma, China, Egypt, Iran, language services to the central North Korea, Russia, Syria, Yemen, et al – newsrooms and across the BBG to primarily in vernacular languages for get maximum mileage out of the target audiences in these areas. Too content it currently produces. little of this rich content is translated and n Harmonize news gathering, shared across the BBG to augment including stringer and international news coverage for other correspondent networks, across the BBG vernacular services or made BBG to ensure required editorial available to other global audiences in coordination and avoid redundancy. English. BBG will remedy this by n Use BBG’s coordinated news facilitating coordination between gathering and reporting structures broadcast entities through the as assets to provide affiliates with International Media Coordinating greater value, through interactive Council (ICC), comprised of the heads of segments and other special each of our five networks, and offerings. reinforcing their unique and respective mission-driven legislated roles in areas n Complement original BBG reporting served by multiple broadcasters. through curation, commissioning, and acquisition of external content.
108 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Management Objective 2 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: DEVELOP COORDINATED STRATEGIES, OPERATIONAL PLANS, AND BUDGETS FOR BBG LANGUAGE SERVICES IN COUNTRIES/REGIONS SERVED BY MORE THAN ONE NETWORK
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
Establish coordinated Launched Refined Continue Integrated Continue Continue goals and strategies for BBG-wide Strategy and refine Strategy and refine and refine each target Strategy Review Strategy Review with Strategy Strategy country/region Review, process with Review annual Review Review developing goals and process, Language process, process, goals and targets tied aligning to Service further further targets for to BBG agency Review and aligning to aligning to each Impact priorities and budget agency agency country/ Model impact formulation priorities and priorities and region impact impact
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: INCREASE THE QUANTITY OF ORIGINAL REPORTING SHARED ACROSS LANGUAGE SERVICES
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
Share content across Various Tracking Increase IBB Increase Increase language services systems in mechanisms coordination performance coordination coordination place for have not and content analysts and content and content sharing been sharing as monitored sharing as sharing as among established assessed by the BBG assessed by assessed by language the Office of networks the Office of the Office of services and Performance and found Performance Performance entities (e.g., Review, in growing Review, in Review, in News Share, key areas: coordination key areas: key areas: VOA • Reporting in all five • Reporting • Reporting Insights, on Russia areas on Russia on Russia RFE/RL Editorial • Covering • Covering • Covering Agenda) Violent Violent Violent Extremism Extremism Extremism • Influence of • Influence of • Influence of Iran Iran Iran • China and • China and • China and South China South China South China Sea Sea Sea • Cuba • Cuba • Cuba
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 109
BBG’s diverse, multi-cultural, and multi- n Consistently communicate talented workforce offers a rich range of organizational goals, objectives, experience and expertise to carry out priorities, and performance the agency’s mission. Key to success in expectations in a timely manner to a rapidly changing, highly competitive staff at all levels in the agency. global media environment is flexibility to n Ensure a safe and secure work develop innovative products for the environment for all employees. agency’s target countries consistent with emerging priorities, programming n Implement manager training formats, and advances in technology. curriculum focusing on performance Enhanced skill sets are required to management, human capital program for and transmit via multiple planning and processes, media platforms – radio, TV, Internet, communication, and financial and mobile, and though social media. BBG administrative management. employees are most effective when they n Improve the consistency and are well motivated, trained, and led. credibility of agency performance Continued efforts to equip and energize management processes. the entire BBG workforce are critical as n Develop cross-training and internal the agency confronts mounting development standards and competitive pressures worldwide. procedures, as applicable. n Promote human capital planning n Foster employee participation in and management as a top priority agency health and wellness for senior executives, managers, and programs. supervisors throughout the agency. The BBG tracks its progress in achieving Management Objective 3 with the following performance goals:
PERFORMANCE GOAL 1: IMPROVE PERFORMANCE CULTURE OF AGENCY
Results-oriented performance culture index (from Federal FY FY FY FY FY FY Employee Viewpoint 2014 2015 2016 2016 2017 2018 Survey) Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
BBG 44 47 48 47 50 55
Government-wide (for 52 51 53 comparison)
110 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2: IMPROVE EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Percentage of employees who believe that the workforce has the job- relevant knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish organizational goals (from Federal FY FY FY FY FY FY Employee Viewpoint 2014 2015 2016 2016 2017 2018 Survey) Actual Actual Target Actual Target Target
BBG 53 55 57 53 57 59
Government-wide (for 69 69 69 comparison)
Note: BBG expects slower implementation of this performance target as the result of budgetary constraints forcing a greater reliance on subscription-based, online training.
REGIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
BBG has established long-term performance objectives based on regional priorities. The following highlights each of the performance objectives, recent accomplishments, proposed program changes and FY 2017 annual performance objectives.3
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: REACH CRITICAL AUDIENCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018
(Actual) (Target) (Target)
Measured Weekly Audience 27.4 28.0 28.0 (in millions)*
*In Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen.
3 For more information on the accomplishments of each BBG broadcast network, please see the individual narratives in the preceding sections of this document.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 111
Program Accomplishments n MBN’s Raise Your Voice developed percent growth in Facebook “likes” new television and digital in FY 2016, and growth in audience programming encouraging Iraqis share in Iraqi Kurdistan. and Syrians to share their thoughts n MBN provides the people of the and opinions on extremism and the Middle East unfiltered information underlying causes of terrorism. This about America, American policies programming provides firsthand and its people without the distortion accounts of the realities of life under or filters imposed by the majority of ISIS, including the pain and suffering the region’s media. Robust coverage of families and communities. of the historic election cycle is but n Launching in spring 2017, Maghreb one shining example. Beyond news Voices is a new MBN digital platform and its correspondents at the White targeted to inform and engage the House, Congress, Pentagon, and people of the Maghreb region. The State Department, MBN new initiative provides objective informational programming coverage of social, political, and provides clear insight into America’s cultural issues impacting the region, culture and values. including those which have the n MBN regularly shows the challenges potential to fuel radicalization. that women face in the region, as n VOA Kurdish developed new well as Arab women who are television programming focused on fulfilling their dreams. In FY 2016, US policies toward the region and Alhurra launched a new reality addressing ISIS disinformation for program that followed four key affiliates in northern Iraq and successful Egyptian women as they Turkey, as well as expanded Kurdish worked in traditionally male social media content for its web and dominated jobs. Facebook sites. As a result, VOA Kurdish has seen more than 600
Notable Program Changes n Proposes elimination of shortwave n Proposes reductions in live radio radio programming targeted to the and television Pan-Arab news Darfur region of Sudan. updates.
n Proposes reductions to the VOA Kurdish Service.
112 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
FY 2018 Performance Objectives n Produce engaging programming to n Continue building digital and social serve as a platform for moderate media audiences in the region by voices in the Middle East and North producing original content Africa, countering extremist targeted to emerging news narratives. audiences.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: EXPAND AUDIENCE REACH IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS IN THE NEAR EAST, SOUTH ASIA, CENTRAL ASIA AND EURASIA
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018
(Actual) (Target) (Target)1
Measured Weekly Audience 54.3 53.0 40.5 (in millions)*
*In Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Estonia, Georgia, Iran, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Pakistan, Pakistan FATA, Russia, Serbia, South Ossetia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan. 1 Assumes FY 18 Budget levels may likely result in audience losses related to reductions in Dari and Pashto, Persian, Belarusian, and Balkan languages, as well as reductions to transmissions and general operating expenses.
Program Accomplishments n In February 2017, RFE/RL and VOA involving relations between Russia jointly launched their Current Time and the West, its analysis will be 24/7 digital and cable network, expanded to other areas of the providing Russian-speaking world. audiences with accurate and n VOA and RFE/RL have expanded independent local, regional, and their collaboration on Afghan and international news. The Current Pakistan coverage with a joint Time network is available to nearly seminar on the current and future 10 million households in 12 status of media in Afghanistan; countries on over 40 subscription extensive shared coverage of key satellite, cable and IPTV services. events; close coordination on the n In December 2016, VOA and RFE/RL shared Kabul bureau; and joint launched Polygraph.info, an English- journalism trainings and exchange language fact-checking website that fellowships. serves as a resource for verifying the n RFE/RL Ukrainian’s flagship increasing volume of disinformation investigative TV program, Schemes, and misinformation being has become one of the leading distributed and shared globally. Initially focused on statements
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 113
media platforms in Ukraine for RFE/RL-produced content is holding public officials to account. republished or quoted across all languages and media formats about n RFE/RL’s news wire service for Central Asia provides alternative 1,400 times. sources of information in Kazakh, n VOA Persian launched Tablet, a new, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, and Uzbek to edgy weekly current affairs talk more than 1,100 subscribers, show, hosted by Masih Alinejad, an including over 700 media outlets award-winning investigative and media professionals. Each week journalist.
Notable Program Changes n Proposes reductions to VOA Persian n Proposes reductions to VOA radio language broadcasts to Iran, and broadcasting to Afghanistan, and rationalization of RFE/RL’s Persian- reductions to VOA programming in language Radio Farda in order to Turkish. continue shift to digital. n Proposes reductions to RFE/RL’s n Proposes reductions to VOA Russian and Azeri Services, programming to the Federally localization of RFE/RL Georgia Administered Tribal Areas of operations, and restructuring of the Pakistan (FATA) and elimination of Krim.Realii website targeting Crimea. RFE/RL programming to FATA. n Proposes reductions to RFE/RL Macedonian staffing and elimination of VOA Macedonian.
FY 2018 Performance Objectives n Provide solid journalism on n Leverage the newsgathering assets television and social media to refute of VOA and RFE/RL and increase propaganda in Russia and the coordination in countries where surrounding regions. both entities broadcast.
114 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: FOCUS BROADCASTING TO AUDIENCES OF STRATEGIC PRIORITY IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 1 (Actual) (Target) (Target)
Measured Weekly Audience 66.2 66.2 54.0 (in millions)*
*In Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
1 Assumes FY 18 Budget levels may likely result in audience losses related to reductions in Cantonese, Indonesian, Mandarin, Thai, and Lao, as well as reductions to transmissions and general operating expenses.
Program Accomplishments n As the Chinese government SoundCloud links and RFA Tibetan tightened censorship of the web and TV programming within multiple social media, VOA and RFA used WeChat groups. domestic social media connections, n The VOA Khmer Facebook page has including the public WeChat maintained its position in the top messaging service, to get reporting two Facebook pages in Cambodia tips, ask questions, and provide since October 2014, according to content links. Socialbakers. While the RFA n VOA Tibetan capitalized on the Cambodian Service has not been growing use of VPNs and other able to get terrestrial TV broadcast circumvention tools that allow rights in the country, its regular digital distribution of information to Cambodian TV program has solid reach audiences within Tibet. RFA’s viewership on Facebook Live. Tibetan team has been particularly
active in sharing unblocked
Notable Program Changes n Proposes elimination of the VOA n Proposes reductions to the VOA Lao Cantonese Service and shifting VOA and Thai Services and VOA radio Mandarin resources away from radio broadcasting to Indonesia. to more effective digital platforms, n Proposes consolidation of VOA and a focus of the RFA Mandarin English language content. Service to more social media platforms.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 115
FY 2018 Performance Objectives n Engage with and produce new video n Leverage the newsgathering assets content for social/digital audiences of VOA and RFA, and increase in East Asia, especially in Burma, coordination in countries where Cambodia, China, and Vietnam. both networks broadcast. n
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: REACH NEW AUDIENCES WITH INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN AFRICA
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 (Actual) (Target) (Target)1
Measured Weekly Audience 68.4 68.4 56.7 (in millions)*
*In Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
1 Assumes FY 18 Budget levels may likely result in audience losses related to reductions in the Central Africa Service, as well as reductions to transmissions and general operating expenses.
Program Accomplishments n Somali President Hassan Sheikh from correspondents under fire and Mohamoud participated in a live an on-air surrender from the VOA town hall, connecting the mutinous presidential guard president in Mogadishu with Somali surrounded by loyalist troops. diaspora in Minnesota. The program n BBG continued to expand program aired on Somali National Television availability on FM by establishing and was streamed on the VOA several new FM stations in Africa in Somali webpage as well as on the FY 2016, including new BBG FM service’s Facebook, where it stations in: Niamey, Niger; and received 300,000 views and over Lubumbashi, Bukavu, Goma, and 18,000 engagement actions. Kisangani, Democratic Republic of n VOA’s Straight Talk Africa host Shaka Congo. VOA developed new content Ssali moderated Uganda’s first appropriate for these FM streams in presidential debate in 30 years, French, Hausa, Swahili and English. broadcasting live from the Ugandan In FY 2017 new FM transmission capital, Kampala. systems will be installed in several important markets, including n When violence from a counter-coup Brazzaville and Pointe Noire, Congo; in Burkina Faso closed private radio Mogadishu, Somalia; and Mbuji-Mayi stations, VOA’s Ouagadougou FM and Katanga, DRC. stayed on the air with live reports
116 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
Notable Program Changes n Proposes reductions to the VOA n Proposes consolidation of VOA Central Africa Service English language content. (Kinyarwanda/Kirundi to Rwanda
and Burundi).
FY 2018 Performance Objective n Provide strong coverage of violent underrepresented among BBG extremism in Africa, including audiences in Africa and especially documentaries for use and sharing vulnerable to extremist recruitment on all platforms. and violence. n Reach and engage young people and women, who are
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: EXPAND AUDIENCE REACH IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS OF LATIN AMERICA.
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 (Actual) (Target) (Target)1 Measured Weekly Audience 61.8 61.8 2.0 (in millions)*
*In Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.
1 Assumes significant audience losses due to FY18 budget reductions, which would eliminate most broadcasting to the region. Broadcasts to Haiti in Creole would continue.
Program Accomplishments n VOA provided on-the-ground radio and television stations reporting from demonstrations in throughout the region. Venezuela. As police stopped n OCB’s network of independent demonstrators from reaching reporters in Cuba kept growing, downtown Caracas, VOA Spanish spurring the creation of more reports from the scene soared in independent news media agencies popularity on the service’s Facebook on island and the launch of many page. One report reached more than emergent digital outlets. a half million people, and generated more than 6,000 reactions. VOA’s n The Martís took the lead in Internet Spanish-language audience reached freedom efforts by hosting the a record high of 59.4 million weekly inaugural Cuba Internet Freedom users, through affiliations with top Conference (CIF), in September 2016. The widely-reported event
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 117
brought together digital innovators agency and eliminating coverage and independent journalists from redundancy. OCB and VOA LatAm Cuba to discuss how to improve collaboratively provided blanket digital rights and foster uncensored coverage of key events ranging from access to news and information on the first U.S. Presidential visit to the island. Cuba, to the Republican and Democratic conventions and the n OCB and VOA’s Latin America Division increased collaboration, 2016 U.S. Elections. resulting in financial benefits for the
Notable Program Change n Proposes elimination of VOA n Proposes elimination of ineffective programming in LatAm (Spanish). leased broadcast transmissions to Cuba, such as commercial satellite n Proposes that BBG develop a plan to and supplementary AM frequencies, create a new Spanish-language and substantial reduction to OCB grantee to target Cuba and/or FTE positions and contractor merging with VOA’s Spanish support. language service. The new organization would perform the functions of the current Office of Cuba Broadcasting and incorporate VOA’s Latin America language service functions, if such a merger was approved.
FY 2018 Performance Objectives n Explore merging OCB and VOA Spanish into a Spanish-language
surrogate network.
118 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: ALIGN ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FUNCTIONS WITH BROADCASTING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE GOALS
Program Accomplishments n VOA launched the Extremism Watch n The BBG made progress in Desk in early FY 2016 to develop improving its transmission content that dispels the myths capability. Major improvements to associated with ISIS. The desk is the shortwave transmission staffed with writers proficient in capability of the Kuwait Transmitting thirteen languages and produces Station are in process, which will content across all three platforms – provide increased transmission radio, television and online. Content capability to Iran, Central Asia, and from the Desk is shared across BBG Africa at very economical cost. language services and videos have These areas are of strategic been published with attribution by importance and still have notable independent and state media outlets shortwave audiences. BBG ceased all in over a dozen countries. In a transmissions from the Sri Lanka carefully crafted multipart report, station in June 2016 and optimized “Descent into Jihad,” the Watch Desk the remaining network to focus chronicled the pressures that led a shortwave transmissions where they successful architect to join ISIS, and are still effective. the road to his death. n BBG’s Office of Research and n In 2017 VOA created a series of Assessment, now integrated into the “bridge editor” positions, stationed Office of Policy and Research, not in the English newsroom but working with Research Directors across the language services. These from each BBG network, designed editors are embedded with their and commissioned approximately 75 language service counterparts and audience research studies during FY work to quickly and efficiently take 2016. Survey data is used to provide reporting from across the globe and strategic audience and platform use version it back into English for data for key markets. distribution to all VOA services. n The BBG conducted over 30 media n In July 2016, the BBG named Dr. training programs for more than 700 Nnake Nweke as the first Director of people in FY 2016, including a water- the newly created Office of Internet focused seminar for journalists from Freedom. This office will strengthen across the Middle East; research- BBG’s efforts to counter censorship focused training for Russian-language of BBG-funded, affiliated, or partner stations; a polio-focused supported content, and other health journalism training in credible, independent news and Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Ukraine; information. social media training in Cambodia; and TV production training in Burma.
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 119
Notable Program Changes n Proposes enhanced video and of instructional materials that allow audio production and distribution audiences to bypass internet capabilities, including upgraded censorship. digital television production and n Proposes initiatives for increasing global HD distribution, to ensure research for critical areas such as the development and Russian digital and video content; dissemination of competitive interactive media for regions program material to affiliates and impacted by ISIS and violent directly to consumers. extremism. n Proposes continued transmission n Proposes reductions in network realignment to satisfy administrative areas, including evolving media preferences in key service contracts, training, and target audience areas, including travel, and restructuring research the elimination of ineffective contracts towards priority shortwave transmissions and countries and regions. further development of key affiliate relationships and owned and n Proposes activities to modernize operated 24/7 FM stations in and streamline agency operations important markets. through improvements in use of cloud services and other n Proposes continued consolidation technology tools and resources. and streamlining of the BBG’s global digital distribution network n Proposes reductions in staff costs to maximize efficiencies, while in an effort to promote the maintaining high reliability. executive order intended to improve the efficiency, n Proposes programs to assist effectiveness, and accountability of content producers in the creation the executive branch.
FY 2018 Performance Objectives n Strengthen research capacity to media outlets in countries that identify appropriate target audiences restrict and censor Internet access. and their preferred media, with the n Provide enterprise-wide technical formats and content that appeal to support for digital and social media them, and assess the impact of BBG innovation. programming. n Build strong and collaborative n Realign BBG transmissions to relationships with affiliate partners in maximize the effectiveness of target markets. program delivery resources. n Maintain the firewall and n Provide cutting-edge circumvention continuously monitor programming tools to audiences and independent quality in line with modern
120 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Performance Budget Information
broadcast journalism principles n Carry out BBG’s mission and goals through annual performance with a workforce that is agile, skilled, reviews of all broadcast services. diverse, well-led and motivated. n Support initiatives to improve n Address BBG’s most critical financial, performance and budget infrastructure maintenance and integration as well as financial and repair requirements. acquisition processes.
PERFORMANCE BUDGET APPENDIX: INFORMATION ON KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The impact indicators that BBG uses to uniqueness, understanding of American measure performance are explained society, understanding of U.S. foreign above, following each performance goal. policy, and sharing of programming) are Most of these indicators are drawn from based on a subset of surveyed markets. BBG surveys of target countries and This is due to one of the following regions. These surveys are conducted in reasons: accordance with the highest professional standards via local market n The weekly audience was too small research firms around the world through for analysis (n < 50). a contract with an outside research n The question was not asked due to organization. Response rates vary space limitations. This is mainly the widely by country, with the higher case in cases where BBG buys space response rates generally in Africa on third party surveys, and in some (Burundi is highest with 99%) and lowest instances where BBG needs uses response rates in Eurasia (Belarus is phone rather than face-to-face lowest with 26%). The BBG has included interviews (the former require a non-response bias testing as part of its shorter questionnaire.) research plan for FY 2017. Further n In some markets where data is information on the BBG research between 3 and 5 years old, the program and methodology can be question may not have yet been part found on the BBG website at: of the standard questionnaire. https://www.bbg.gov/strategy-and- performance/performance- Furthermore, the scores presented in accountability/ this section are simple averages of all such scores obtained by an entity. Several of the impact indicators (including program credibility, understanding of current events,
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 121
VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF INDICATORS
The performance indicators are a best The standards of the Conference of effort to measure each broadcast International Broadcasting Audience network’s level of performance and Researchers and other standards-setting effectiveness. To achieve maximum organizations are followed for the objectivity and independence from the design and conduct of sample surveys. networks being evaluated, these A technical report is produced for every measurements are coordinated by IBB survey, which describes the sampling and performed by outside contractors. plan, the problems encountered in the VOA, OCB, RFE/RL, RFA and MBN field, and the methods of resolution. audience research is carried out by an These standards are being improved to outside research contractor, in recent allow computation of margins of error years Gallup. The IBB research director that will include design effects, where computes network-wide performance feasible. values, and sends them to the appropriate network research director for verification.
122 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
Appendix A
INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING BUREAU Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2017-18 ACTUAL ANNUALIZED REQUEST CHANGE FUNDING ($ in thousands) $15,000 $15,000 $10,000 ($5,000)
MAJOR FY 2018 PROGRAM CHANGES
Prioritize anti-censorship investments n Support tools that support access within FY 2018 budget levels to: to BBG content, or that support the practice of journalism in closed or n Reach a wider mass-market repressive societies, or that support audience; open and uncensored access to n Encourage and promote ongoing information, in closed or repressive use of anti-censorship tools, societies; and
including by focusing investments n Assist broadcasters in the creation on content that users will find of instructional materials and compelling; training on bypassing Internet censorship and digital safety.
OVERVIEW
Since 2002, BBG has supported BBG-funded Internet Freedom activities to circumvent Internet activities, on behalf of the CEO and censorship by foreign governments in Board. order to distribute news content and better provide a forum for free In FY 2018, consistent with the expression and the practice of agency’s Internet Freedom strategic journalism in closed countries. planning, and consultation with Congress and other U.S. agencies, BBG In 2016, BBG established OIF to will invest in the initiatives below and conduct governance and oversight of in the Open Technology Fund section
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 123
on the next page. BBG will prioritize BBG will keep congressional funding based on a number of factors, stakeholders updated as it makes the including each initiative’s ability to difficult trade-offs to select its Internet expand Internet Freedom across Freedom investments. desktop and mobile platforms and avoiding duplication of any other existing Federal efforts.
Increase Capacity and Reach of Internet Circumvention Efforts OIF is identifying opportunities to to allow citizens and journalists across expand the capacity and reach of its BBG broadcasting regions to safely successful FY 2016 online access and share information without circumvention programs across fear of repression. desktop computers and mobile devices
Internet Freedom Tool Publication Initiatives OIF is reviewing new initiatives audiences, in order to increase and designed to publicize the availability of extend the adoption of anti-censorship Internet freedom technologies and technologies through social media and services, both internally and in key other promotions.
Conduct Education and Training OIF will educate and train BBG’s technologies to safely access and broadcasting and network services, share online information, as well as on and target audiences, on the existence the security of digital communications and use of anti-censorship
Research and Studies OIF is exploring working with vendors, studies in support of BBG’s Internet as needed, to conduct research and Freedom activities.
Anti-Censorship Analytics Tool OIF plans to work with a vendor to censorship circumvention maintain and leverage its anti- technologies into a unified view for censorship analytics tool to aggregate enhanced monitoring and tracking of online data consumption and other the online data. analytics from multiple BBG-funded
124 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
Supplement Existing Anti-Censorship Tools and Develop New Tools OIF is considering working with mirroring technologies allow a vendors to test and deploy mirrored copy of censored web sites to technologies, such as web mirroring be made available on shared web technologies, that will supplement infrastructure that repressive existing circumvention tools and to governments are hesitant to block. build new circumvention tools. Web
Open Technology Fund (OTF) OVERVIEW
The Open Technology Fund (OTF) is to taxpayers low and ingenuity high in the BBG-supported private global the global fight against censorship. internet freedom program fighting online censorship by providing With the rapid expansion of everyday internet freedom tools, techniques and digital usage, the BBGs ability to technology for BBG networks to Inform, Engage and Connect people source, create and disseminate around the world in support of accurate news and information to freedom and democracy is dependent audiences around the world. OTF on our ability to have unrestricted supports the development of access to a free and open internet. At technology, software, research, and the close of 2016, the program capacity-building initiatives that received the highest level of support protect and help human rights requests to date. Combined with defenders, journalists, political budget declines this resulted in an dissidents, and others among the acceptance rate of less than 2 percent worlds most vulnerable and despite viable solutions being oppressed living in unfree societies, proposed for various threats to often under authoritarian rule. Each Internet freedom. These efforts OTF project is subjected to a rigorous significantly increased internet multi-disciplinary review process. OTF freedom globally, as measured by the supports a diverse range of projects in number of people able to experience a various life stages - such as proof-of- more open, secure internet, and by concepts, on-the-ground rapid advancing emerging technologies and deployments, and multi-year efforts. techniques. They did so in the face of When possible, OTF seeks to act as an more sophisticated online censorship incubator for fresh approaches and than ever seen before. The year began new ways of thinking. This open with millions of people utilizing OTF approach to supporting internet supported technologies, and ended freedom and coordination with federal with over a billion. internet freedom programs keeps costs
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 125
Despite these gains, global internet program budget on direct and indirect freedom remains under threat. There is support for well over 100 projects.6 a large and widening gap in resources between those supporting free and We listened to the field and safe access to the internet and the communities most at risk, leveraging exorbitant amounts spent by their collective knowledge and repressive regimes to prevent access capacities to change with their needs. or otherwise threaten internet OTF Labs -- our in-kind, and technical freedom. Sophisticated attacks assistance programs -- were adjusted continue to increase on those who and expanded as required. Our seek to exercise their basic rights in fellowship evolved to focus on the repressive environments. In 2016 there hyper-local needs of communities was a tightening of censorship in under threat, to harness their collective countries such as Russia, China, knowledge and capacity, and to Turkey, Cambodia, Ecuador, promote the research, collaboration Bangladesh, Uganda, Colombia, and and development potential of Libya, as instances of internet individuals. censorship rose globally for the sixth Finally, pursuant to OTF’s year in a row.5 In response, OTF has congressional mandate to leverage continued its support of technology- government funds to the greater centric efforts that increase global internet freedom effort globally, it internet freedom. continues to help other donors in OTF projects have made notable unlocking more than 100 million technological advances that ensure a dollars of private funds to support resilient open internet, including these efforts since its creation five identifying and addressing emerging years ago.7 OTF also increased threats to internet freedom, exposing platform based censorship, mitigating the use of social media sock-puppets, and hardening key technologies to protect users from digital attacks. The 6 OTF team reviewed and responded to This number encompasses all directly funded projects including general internet freedom projects, more 650 requests for funding totaling all fellowships, and rapid response support, as well more than $85 million in 2016 alone, as indirectly supported projects through OTF Labs. and expended 85 percent of our 7 S.2130 - An Act Making Appropriations for National Security and for Other Purposes, Fiscal Year 2016
114th Congress (2015-2016), Global internet freedom Sec. 7078. (a) https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th- congress/senate-bill/2130/text [...] That funds 5 Freedom House. Privatizing Censorship, Eroding made available pursuant to this section shall be Privacy: Freedom on the Net 2016. December matched, to the maximum extent practicable, by 2016. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom- sources other than the United States Government, net/freedom-net-2016 including from the private sector.
126 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
engagement with other U.S. National Institute of Standards and Government funders supporting Technology at the Department of Internet privacy and security such as Commerce as well as relevant the National Science Foundation, counterparts at the Defense Advanced Department of Homeland Security’s Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Science and Technology Division, in the Department of Defense.
“China and Russia have industrialized the process of censorship. We have the Open Technology Fund. It’s sad how different the level of resources are.” – Matthew Green, Expert Cryptographer, Johns Hopkins University
FY 2016 AND 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Fighting the Censors & Expanding the Internet Freedom Community n Nearly 2 billion people regularly n Open Whisper System Signal use OTF-supported technology to Protocol was integrated into circumvent restricted internet WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, connections, strengthen their Google’s Allo, Silent Circle, online security, and enhance their ChatSecure, Riot, Cryptocat and digital privacy. others resulting in nearly 2 billion adopting secure messaging, most n OTF’s Localization Lab enabled translations of internet freedom without needing to install an app or adopt a new platform. tools and ensured their accessibility to a global audience; n OTF has supported The Onion The Lab now supports 61 tools Router (Tor) and a number of with over 5,400 participating related efforts. Tor remains one of volunteers contributing to the the most secure and widely used submission and verification of tools people in repressive political more than half a million translated environments rely on to keep words into over 240 languages and themselves safe online. From well- dialects. known Chinese bloggers to Egyptian activists, with applications n Numerous circumvention tools ranging from protecting victims of supported by OTF integrated and sexual violence to providing access built upon the “collateral freedom” to the internet around government approach noted in our 2014 and imposed outages, to anonymity of 2015 annual report by taking US law enforcement professionals advantage of widely used cloud conducting investigations, Tor is a servers to overcome internet vital tool for privacy and security. censorship. Recently, with OTF support
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 127
through Orbot app, Facebook University College London, and extended its own support for Tor Simply Secure. users to Android devices. n OTF’s Information Controls n OTF supported security audits of Fellowship Program (ICFP) was 12 internet freedom projects, jointly established in 2014 with identifying in total 171 privacy and Citizen Lab at the Munk School of security vulnerabilities in 2016; to Global Affairs at the University of date, OTF has supported 77 audits Toronto to cultivate research, identifying and patching a total of programs, and creative 1,870 security vulnerabilities. collaboration focusing on information controls - specifically n To meet the expanding need for repressive internet censorship and individuals to work on internet surveillance. The ICFP supports freedom technology, OTF offered fellows to work within host numerous fellowship programs organizations that are established receiving more than 100 centers of expertise by offering applications for support to improve competitively paid fellowships. individual research, analysis, and Fellows have performed novel development work that is critical research on Internet censorship in to the future growth and capacity understudied regions; built new of the internet freedom tools to bolster existing community; circumvention and IF tools; and n OONIProbe is a censorship investigated security vulnerabilities detection platform that has in popular performed hundreds of thousands communication applications. of tests in more than 100 countries n OTF’s Digital Integrity Fellowship in 2016. Censorship was confirmed Program was established in 2015 in many countries offering some of to simultaneously support local the only verified confirmations of technical expertise to keep front- the scope of government blocking; line organizations safe from digital n OTF expanded collaboration on attacks and to inform the broader capacity building in the realms of internet freedom field of the types research and development of threats at organizations working through fellowships hosted at in some of the most high-risk premier organizations and environments are experiencing, research institutions including ultimately ensuring that existing Princeton University, Electronic and emerging internet freedom Frontier Foundation, University of tools most accurately meet their California - Berkeley, Harvard needs. The first round of fellows University, Oxford University, are working in: Central America, Centre for Intellectual Property and South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Information Technology Law at Sub-Saharan Africa Strathmore University Law School,
128 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
Journalist, Civil Society and Governmental Outreach n OTF supported Rapid Response Journalists and Bloggers, Detecting engagements across the globe DNS Root Manipulation, Zambia: assisting at-risk individuals Internet censorship during the (journalists, human rights activists 2016 general elections?, The State and NGO workers) in response to of Internet Censorship in Thailand, digital attacks and other forms of Kenya: Censorship-free internet?, online censorship including in The State of Internet Censorship in places such as Gambia, DRC, Tibet, Malaysia, Ethiopia: Evidence of Iran, Thailand, Bahrain, Sudan, social media blocking and internet Ethiopia, Pakistan, Vietnam and censorship, The Gambia: Internet Azerbaijan. Working in Shutdown during 2016 Presidential coordination with partner Election, Tor's Usability for programs OTF works to thwart Censorship Circumvention, SNI censorship and digital threats as proxies, A Tough Nut to Crack: A they arise. Further Look at Privacy and Security Issues in UC Browser, n OTF supported numerous Privacy and Security Issues in BAT individuals and organizations Web Browsers, Harmonized producing ground-breaking Histories? A year of fragmented analytical and research reports, censorship across Chinese live including Baidu’s and Don’ts: streaming applications, An uneven Privacy and Security Issues in balance: Analysis of Internet Baidu Browser, The Crime of Censorship in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Speech: How Arab Governments and Swaziland, and Journalists in Use the Law to Silence Expression Distress: Assessing the Digital Online, Every Rose Has Its Thorn: Viability of a Global Emergency Censorship and Surveillance on Assistance Network. Social Video Platforms in China, Pay No Attention to the Server n OTF worked with internet freedom Behind the Proxy: Mapping technologists, researchers, FinFisher’s Continuing policymakers as well as users Proliferation, No Encore for (independent journalists, Encore? Ethical Questions for Web- investigation teams, civil society Based Censorship Measurement, and other content sources) while Forgive Us our SYNs: Technical participating in key conferences, and Ethical Considerations for including the Internet Freedom Measuring Internet Filtering, Festival, RightsCon, Hackers on Politics, Rumors, and Ambiguity: Planet Earth (HOPE), Freedom Tracking Censorship on WeChat’s Online Coalition, Mekong ICT, Public Accounts Platform, Ethical Privacy Enhancing Technologies Concerns for Censorship Symposium (PETS), Chaos Measurement, Understanding Communication Congress, Internet Freedom: Tunisia’s Stockholm Internet Forum, Forum
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 129
on Internet Freedom in East Africa, n In addition to security-focused Arab Internet Governance Forum, tools, OTF has also supported and the DG7 internet freedom technologies that help journalists working group. do their jobs better when reporting in difficult environments or on n OTF co-hosted the Internet Freedom Festival (IFF), one of the complex topics. Examples include the Transparency Toolkit, which is largest gatherings in the world that brings together journalists, an open source software that lets journalists, activists, and human researchers, activists, developers, humanitarian workers and others rights workers chain together tools to collect, combine, visualize, and working on Internet freedom, privacy and security, and freedom analyze documents and data; 8 GlobaLeaks, which enables media of expression. Using a un- conference format, the event is organizations and activist groups to set-up and maintain secure focused on hands-on creation and collaboration. In addition, the submissions platforms; and SourcesDB and open-source event puts a huge emphasis on empowering individuals from the annotation and database tool which seeks to help journalists Global South and other communities that are not yet well establish the credibility of online sources through metadata on represented in the IF community. The 2016 IFF had over 160 those sources. sessions, and brought together n Multiple OTF funded tools more than 800 people from including Freewechat, 74 countries. Turkeyblocks, HikingGFW, OONIProbe, and others help n OTF-supported tools are widely journalists identify and verify considered to be among the most censorship activities so that they safe, secure, and effective tools can then report on those activities available and are recommended for the public. for use by journalists and activists in high-risk environments by the n A study by The Journalists in Committee to Protect Journalists, Distress network, a group of free Reporters Without Borders, expression organizations that Freedom House, EFF, and the UN, operate emergency response among others. programs to assist at-risk journalists and human rights defenders globally, found that journalists in distress tend not to adequately prioritize digital security, despite recognition of the risks involved.
8 See https://www.opentech.fund/project/internet- freedom-festival.
130 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
Funding Collaboration n OTF advanced efforts to diversify these projects to more than support for internet freedom 30 million dollars. beyond U.S. government funding n OTF regularly participated in programs by engaging with private numerous external review panels foundations, tech companies, of related technology proposals startup incubators, foreign like- including those at the State minded government funders, and Department’s Internet Freedom venture capitalists. Program, National Science n OTF raised awareness of the need Foundation’s Secure and for internet freedom funding Trustworthy Cyberspace Program, around the world and helped Linux Foundation’s Core increase globally available funding Infrastructure Initiative, Access by unlocking over 100 million Now, Media Democracy Fund, Ford dollars of private funds set aside for Foundation, Open Society internet freedom related efforts Foundations, MacArthur since 2012. Foundation, Knight Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, British n Through active coordination with Broadcasting Corporation, other donors, OTF more than quadrupled the impact of 4 million Deutsche Welle, Swedish International Development dollars in public funding through collaborative joint funding, Agency, German Federal Foreign Office, and many others. expanding the amount of funds for
FY 2017 AND 2018 INITIATIVES
Boosting Research and Implementations of Emerging Circumvention Techniques Supporting projects creating new content consumers. Individual projects forms of circumvention in response to will be competitively determined ever more sophisticated censorship which previously have included China tactics occurring in real-time against Digital Times sources, journalists, netizens, and
Evolving Established Circumvention Tools with New Features Supporting the continued day features known to meet the development of those mature and threats of the day. Individual projects established circumvention tools used will be competitively determined by journalists, their sources, which previously have included Tor researchers and activists every day to and Lantern. overcome censorship with modern-
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 131
Advancing the Security and Usage of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies Privacy-enhancing technologies serve increasing the accessibility of a critical role both as a circumvention anonymity tools and improving third tool and to protect the identity of the party integrations. Individual projects most vulnerable communities such as will be competitively determined journalists and activists when using the which previously have included Tor, Internet. These projects will focus on BSD Diversity and Subgraph. mitigating known vulnerabilities,
Prioritizing Mobile Apps and Browser Extensions that Increase Access and Security Mobile apps and browser extensions overcoming internet shutdowns and have become an important vehicle for increasing communication security. overcoming internet interference for Individual projects will be journalists, activists, researchers and competitively determined which content consumers. Projects will focus previously have included Mailvelope on fostering circumvention for third and Open Whisper Systems. parties such as media outlets, thwarting malicious attacks,
Enhancing Censorship Detection, Analysis and Visualization Supporting projects developing creating, accessing and sharing detection tools and analyzing information online. Individual projects censorship events including website will be competitively determined blocking, app specific blocking, which previously have included Citizen shutdowns, the underlying techniques Lab, Greatfire, NetBlocks, and being employed and exposing OONIProbe. censorship on country specific content platforms that prevent people from
Capacity Building through OTF Fellowships Building capacity by supporting fellows supports individuals to enhance the through the information controls digital safety of organizations subject (ICFP) and digital integrity fellowship to repressive government surveillance (DIFP) programs. ICFP supports and attacks. Individual fellowships will individuals performing research and be competitively awarded. In FY 2016, development to monitor or mitigate OTF provided 26 fellowships for a total information controls in repressive of $687,200. Fellowships for FY 2017 environments and disseminate are currently under review. findings to relevant actors. DIFP
132 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix A: Office of Internet Freedom (OIF) and Open Technology Fund (OTF)
Internet Freedom Convenings OTF partners with the State experts in the field (including public Department to support the Internet and private funders) to an annual Freedom Festival, an annual global event focused on strengthening convening of the Internet freedom collaboration and growing the impact community. Since its inception, OTF of the Internet freedom community. has invited independent journalists, Events include the Internet Freedom netizens, researchers, projects, fellows, Festival and OTF Summit advisory council members and other
Expanding the Robustness of Core Infrastructure This program supports digital security These are the technologies that are and circumvention projects by core to secure internet freedom tools providing core infrastructure or the used to protect journalists and their building blocks of everyday Internet sources in closed communication Freedom technology used by people environments. Individual projects will throughout the world to increase their be competitively determined which access, privacy, and security online, previously have included EFF and such as sustaining or improving PGP, Trevor Perrin. SSL, SSH, Tor, OTR, pluggable transports and code libraries.
Improving Usability, Accessibility, and Localization Tools and information focused on grows OTF's Localization Lab (more Internet freedom need to be accessible than 60 Internet freedom projects and if they are to be effective. These nearly 6,000 volunteer translators in projects and labs will focus on 240 languages). Individual projects will improving the usability of IF tools and be competitively determined which expanding the audiences of relevant previously have included Transifex and research to those directly impacted. Localization Lab. This focus area also manages and
Analyzing the Security of Widely Used Internet Freedom Technology This includes projects and services that protocols. Individual projects will be reverse engineering widely used competitively determined which communication tools and performing previously have included Citizen Lab, security audits of IF tools and Cure53 and iSec. foundational internet security
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 133
Speeding Up the Transition From Idea to Implementation Support engineering services making it rights tools used by journalists and easier for good ideas to quickly democracy supporters. Due to the prototype and/or deploy. A primary threat of take-down and seizure, the service is the secure cloud, infrastructure provides more data geographically dispersed microclouds, security protection than traditional within beachhead countries, offering cloud services. Individual projects will Virtual Private Servers (VPS) to OTF be competitively determined which projects and other related previously have included Greenhost circumvention, security and human
Increasing Digital Security Capacity, Assistance, Needs-finding Supporting projects strengthening the technology is doing in the field. safety of at risk journalists and human Individual projects will be rights defenders and their competitively determined which organizations in repressive previously have included ASL19, Viet environments through trainings, Tan Belarusian Human Rights House internal support and help desks. This and Tibet Action. support provides OTF an on-the- ground views of how Internet Freedom
Rapidly Responding to Urgent Digital Emergencies Provide as-needed support and This support provides OTF an on-the- services for at risk factors such as ground view of how Internet Freedom independent media and human rights technology is doing in the field. defenders facing threats such as Individual projects will be website defacements, DoS attacks, competitively determined which malware found on websites, internet previously have included Qurium and blocking, and hacked email accounts. Greenhost.
Strengthening and Broadening the Internet Freedom Talent Pipeline These efforts provide support and improve knowledge share, services that maintain and grow the collaboration, diversity, and ultimately Internet Freedom community's resiliency and effectiveness within the technological advantage. Efforts will next generation of Internet Freedom continue to make it easier for new and leaders. Individual projects will be better talent to augment the existing competitively determined. core community's capabilities. We will
134 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Appendix B
Budget Charts
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 135
136 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 137
138 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 139
140 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 141
142 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 143
144 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 145
(page left intentionally blank for tabs)
146 Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification
Miscellaneous
Broadcasting Board of Governors | FY 2018 Congressional Budget Justification 147
330 Independence Ave., SW • Washington, DC 20237 202.203.4400 • bbg.gov • @BBGgov