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GAO-12-243R: 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

December 13, 2011: 

The Honorable Patrick Leahy:
Chairman:
The Honorable Lindsey O. Graham:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: 
Committee on Appropriations:
United States Senate: 

The Honorable Kay Granger:
Chairwoman:
The Honorable Nita M. Lowey:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: 
Committee on Appropriations:
House of Representatives: 

Subject: Broadcasting Board of Governors Should Provide Additional 
Information to Congress Regarding Broadcasting to Cuba: 

For more than two decades, the U.S. government has broadcast news and 
information to Cuba via Radio Martí (and subsequently TV Martí) to 
promote freedom and democracy. Over this time period, Congress has 
provided more than $660 million to fund these efforts.[Footnote 1] 
Radio and TV Martí is produced by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting 
(OCB), a U.S. government entity overseen by the Broadcasting Board of 
Governors (BBG). In January 2009, we reported on the effectiveness of 
OCB broadcasts and found that due to limitations on audience research, 
decision makers lacked basic information to help assess the relative 
success or return on investment from each of OCB's transmission 
methods.[Footnote 2] We also found that OCB's broadcasts faced varying 
levels of jamming[Footnote 3] by the Cuban government. 

In the conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010[Footnote 4], the conferees directed BBG to submit a 
strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba, and directed the plan contain 
information on six specific requirements. The conference report also 
directed GAO to conduct an assessment of that plan within 90 days of 
its issuance.[Footnote 5] BBG's strategic plan was issued on August 
26, 2011. To satisfy the congressional directive, this report examines 
the extent to which BBG's strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba 
includes the information required under the directive. 

To conduct this work, two GAO analysts independently assessed BBG's 
strategic plan against the six requirements in the congressional 
directive in the conference report and met to reconcile the 
differences. A supervisor then reviewed and approved the results of 
the analysis. To determine the extent to which the plan addressed a 
requirement, we considered whether the plan contained the information, 
but did not independently evaluate the quality of the information 
included in the plan. We determined a requirement to be "fully 
addressed" if the plan contained information related to all components 
of the requirement. We determined a requirement was "partially 
addressed" if BBG's plan contained information related to at least one 
component of the requirement. In addition, we interviewed officials 
from BBG and OCB and reviewed previous GAO reports. 

We conducted this performance audit from September 2011 through 
December 2011, in accordance with generally accepted government 
auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform 
the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a 
reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit 
objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a 
reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit 
objective. 

BBG's Strategic Plan for Broadcasting to Cuba Partially Addresses 
Congressional Directive: 

While BBG's strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba includes certain 
information called for in the congressional directive, such as an 
analysis of the current situation in Cuba, it does not include other 
information, such as the estimated audience size of Radio and TV Martí 
and the effectiveness of various transmission methods in increasing 
audience size. The conference report accompanying the Consolidation 
Appropriations Act, 2010, directed BBG to submit a strategic plan for 
broadcasting to Cuba, including information listed in table 1. 

Table 1: Information to be Included in BBG's Strategic Plan for Cuba 
Broadcasting: 

Information required by the congressional directive: 

An analysis of the current situation in Cuba and an allocation of 
resources that is consistent with the relative priority of 
broadcasting to Cuba as determined by the annual Language Service 
Review and other factors, including input from the Secretary of State 
on the relative United States interest of broadcasting to Cuba. 

The estimated size of the audiences in Cuba for Radio and TV Martí, 
and the sources and relative reliability of the data on which such 
estimates are based. 

The annual operating cost and total cost over the life of the contract 
of--any and all--types of TV transmission and the effectiveness of 
each in increasing such audience size. 

The principal obstacles of increasing such audience size. 

An analysis of other options for disseminating news and information to 
Cuba including DVDs, the Internet, and cell phones and other handheld 
electronic devices, and a report on the cost effectiveness of each. 

An analysis of the program efficiencies and effectiveness that can be 
achieved through shared resources and cost saving opportunities in 
radio and television production between Radio and TV Martí and the 
Voice of America. 

Source: H. Rept., No. 111-366, pp. 1450-1451. 

[End of table] 

In response to the directive, BBG produced a strategic plan for 
broadcasting to Cuba and submitted it to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations in August 2011. We assessed BBG's 
strategic plan and found it lacked key information. Of the six 
requirements in the directive, we found BBG's strategic plan fully 
addressed one and partially addressed the remaining five. BBG cited 
challenges obtaining valid data on audience size in Cuba as the 
primary reason that several of the requirements could not be 
satisfied. The results of our analysis are included in table 2 below. 
(Our detailed evaluation of the information contained in BBG's 
strategic plan can be found in enclosure 1. For each requirement, 
enclosure 1 contains our assessment of the information contained in 
BBG's strategic plan, as well as our prior observations related to 
each of the six requirements.) 

Table 2: GAO Assessment of BBG's Strategic Plan for Broadcasting to 
Cuba: 

Information required: Current situation in and priority of 
broadcasting to Cuba as determined by the Language Service Review and 
input from the Department of State; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes information on the current media situation in Cuba and 
input from the Department of State; 
* Does not include information on the priority of broadcasting to Cuba 
as determined by the Language Service Review; 
Assessment: Partially addressed. 

Information required: Estimated audience size of Radio and TV Martí; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes audience size estimates from 2008, but does not include 
current audience size estimates, which the plan concludes are not 
feasible; 
Assessment: Partially addressed. 

Information required: Annual operating and lifetime contract costs of 
TV transmission methods and the effectiveness of these methods in 
increasing audience size; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes annual operating costs; 
* Does not include total lifetime contract costs for TV transmission 
methods; 
* Does not analyze the effectiveness of TV transmission methods in 
increasing audience size; 
Assessment: Partially addressed. 

Information required: Principal obstacles to increasing audience size 
for Radio and TV Martí; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes information on the five principal challenges faced by BBG, 
including Cuban government jamming and lack of open access to news 
within Cuba; 
Assessment: Fully addressed. 

Information required: Analysis and cost effectiveness of alternative 
transmission methods; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes discussion of alternative transmission methods such as the 
Internet and DVDs; 
* Does not include the cost effectiveness of the alternative 
transmission methods; 
Assessment: Partially addressed. 

Information required: Analysis of program efficiencies, effectiveness, 
and cost saving opportunities that can be achieved through shared 
resources between Radio and TV Martí and Voice of America; 
BBG's strategic plan: 
* Includes a discussion of the types of efficiencies gained by sharing 
resources; 
* Includes a discussion of program effectiveness gained by sharing 
resources; 
* Does not include an analysis of the cost saving opportunities of 
such sharing; 
Assessment: Partially addressed. 

Source: GAO analysis of BBG's strategic plan. 

[End of table] 

During the course of our audit, BBG provided us some of the required 
information it did not include in its strategic plan. For instance, 
BBG provided us with information on the priority of broadcasting to 
Cuba as determined by the Language Service Review. According to the 
2009 Language Service Review, the development of a unified 
broadcasting plan for Latin America, including coordination between 
OCB and the Voice of America, is an area of strategic importance for 
BBG. BBG also provided us the lifetime costs of all contracts for TV 
Martí. We have included this information in our evaluation of the 
requirements found in enclosure 1. 

Lack of Valid Data on Audience Size Prevented BBG from Addressing 
Several Requirements: 

According to BBG officials, data necessary to fully address multiple 
requirements are not currently available. For instance, several of the 
requirements, such as the audience size of Radio and TV Martí and the 
cost effectiveness of various transmission methods, require BBG to 
have comprehensive information about its audience in Cuba, such as 
national audience size estimates. While BBG's strategic plan includes 
results of a national survey to estimate the audience size of Radio 
and TV Martí in 2008, it does not include current audience size 
estimates because it concludes that such estimates are not feasible. 
From 2003 to 2008, BBG conducted telephone surveys of households in 
Cuba to estimate audience size. The results of these surveys estimated 
the weekly reach of Radio and TV Martí at less than 2 percent of Cuban 
adults in households with landline phones.[Footnote 6] According to 
BBG officials, the 2008 survey results showed a sharp drop in the 
reach of all foreign broadcasters compared to previous years' surveys, 
which they attributed to respondents' fear of acknowledging their use 
of foreign media. BBG officials stated this concern raises questions 
regarding the validity of the audience size estimates of the 2008 
survey. As a result, since 2008, BBG has not conducted telephone 
surveys of Cubans to estimate the audience size of Radio and TV Martí. 
[Footnote 7] Consequently, BBG officials told us they cannot obtain 
valid data needed to address portions of the congressional directive 
related to audience size and cost effectiveness estimates. (For 
information on BBG's efforts to obtain data on Radio and TV Martí 
since 2008 see enclosure 1.) 

BBG Has Not Determined the Cost Savings of Resource Sharing 
Initiatives between OCB and Voice of America: 

BBG's strategic plan contains a discussion of the efficiencies and 
effectiveness of sharing resources between OCB and Voice of America, 
but does not include the required analysis to identify the cost saving 
opportunities of doing so.[Footnote 8] BBG's strategic plan proposes 
that some Voice of America Latin America Division personnel should be 
moved from Washington, D.C., where they are currently located, to OCB 
offices in Miami, Florida, where Radio and TV Martí are produced. The 
strategic plan states sharing studio space and reporters in Miami 
would generate efficiencies; however, it does not estimate the amount 
of money that could be saved. Moreover, the strategic plan states that 
BBG has not estimated the one-time costs associated with relocating 
Voice of America personnel to Miami. BBG officials told us this 
information was not included in the strategic plan because BBG has not 
yet produced a cost analysis of sharing resources between OCB and 
Voice of America. BBG officials noted BBG is considering completing 
such an analysis as a part of implementing the agency's new strategic 
plan, which emphasizes agencywide integration. Without such an 
estimate, BBG and Congress may face challenges in assessing the levels 
of funding needed to effectively implement a strategy of shared 
resources between OCB and Voice of America. 

Conclusions: 

For more than two decades the United States has broadcast news and 
information to Cuba to promote democracy on the island. To assist 
Congress in its oversight of these activities, congressional conferees 
directed BBG to provide detailed information in its strategic plan. 
However, the plan submitted by BBG does not include some key 
information. While BBG faces challenges obtaining some of this 
information, such as estimates of audience size, BBG officials can 
develop and provide some information that could further assist 
Congress. In particular, BBG could provide an analysis of the cost 
savings opportunities of sharing resources between Radio and TV Martí 
and Voice of America's Latin America Division, such as estimating the 
costs associated with moving staff from Washington, D.C., to Miami, 
Florida, and the savings associated with sharing production studios. 
Congress has expressed its desire to receive this type of information, 
which could assist in more effectively allocating resources for U.S. 
international broadcasting activities. 

Recommendation for Executive Action: 

To ensure that Congress has information necessary to exercise its 
oversight responsibilities, we recommend that the Broadcasting Board 
of Governors report to Congress an analysis of the estimated costs and 
cost savings of sharing resources between the Office of Cuba 
Broadcasting and Voice of America's Latin America Division. 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation: 

We provided a draft of this report to BBG for review. BBG provided us 
written comments, which are included in enclosure 2. In its written 
comments, BBG concurred with our recommendation that it provide an 
analysis to Congress of the estimated costs and costs savings of 
sharing resources between the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and Voice of 
America's Latin America Division. BBG noted it will work to develop 
this information as part of its strategic planning process. BBG also 
provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. 

We are sending copies of this report to the appropriate congressional 
committees and BBG. In addition, the report is available at no charge 
on the GAO website at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. 

If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please 
contact me at 202-512-3149 or gootnickd@gao.gov. Contact points for 
our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found 
on the last page of this report. Jason Bair, Assistant Director; 
Debbie Chung; Martin De Alteriis; Ernie Jackson; Biza Repko; and Kira 
Self made key contributions to this report. 

Signed by: 

David Gootnick: 
Director, International Affairs and Trade: 

[End of section] 

Enclosure I: Assessments of the Six Requirements of BBG's Strategic 
Plan: 

The following pages assess the six requirements of BBG's strategic 
plan for broadcasting to Cuba. 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Current Situation in and Priority of 
Broadcasting to Cuba: 

Congressional Directive: 

The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan, including information on:  

* an analysis of the current situation in Cuba and an allocation of 
resources that is consistent with the relative priority of 
broadcasting to Cuba as determined by the annual Language Service 
Review (LSR) and other factors, including input from the Secretary of 
State on the relative United States interest of broadcasting to Cuba.  

Prior GAO Observations:  

We have previously reported that the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) 
faces increasing competition from domestic and international 
broadcasters, and that OCB could do more to address these challenges. 
For instance, while OCB had gathered information relating to its 
competitors, as of our last review in 2009, OCB had not compiled 
comprehensive information regarding the number, nature, and quality of 
other radio and television programming available to Cuban listeners 
and viewers. Since our last report, OCB has surveyed Cuban immigrants 
who recently arrived in the United States to gather feedback on their 
media habits.  

GAO Assessment: 

BBG's strategic plan partially addresses the current situation in and 
priority of broadcasting to Cuba. While it contains information on the 
current situation in Cuba and input from the Department of State, the 
plan does not contain information on the relative priority of 
broadcasting to Cuba as determined by the annual LSR. 

BBG's strategic plan includes information about the current situation 
in Cuba. The plan notes that the media environment in Cuba is tightly 
controlled by the government. It cites, for example, prohibitions in 
the Cuban constitution against private media ownership and strict laws 
regulating journalists on the island. The plan also contains a list of 
television and radio channels available to Cubans on the island with 
content controlled by the Cuban government. 

BBG's strategic plan includes information from the Secretary of State 
and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs 
attesting to the importance of democracy in the Americas and free flow 
of information to Cuba, respectively. (See the following figure.) 
Moreover, officials from BBG told us that a number of Department of 
State officials reviewed BBG's plan.   
   
Figure: Political and Media Environment in Cuba: 

[Refer to PDF for image: map of Cuba and accompanying information] 

The U.S. Department of State reports that: 

* Cuba severely restricts human rights and engages in harassment of 
political opponents;  

* the Cuban government maintains complete control over all forms of 
mass media, including newspapers, radio, and television; and;  

* independent journalists in Cuba face censorship as well as detention 
and harassment. 

Source: U.S Department of State; Art Explosion; Map Resources (map).  

[End of figure] 
 
While BBG officials told us that Cuba broadcasting is a priority, 
BBG's strategic plan does not contain information on the relative 
priority of broadcasting to Cuba as determined by the annual LSR. 
However, during the course of our audit, BBG provided us information 
on priorities in the LSR. The LSR is designed, in part, to evaluate 
the need for strategically allocating funds on the basis of priority 
and impact. The 2009 LSR states that an area of strategic importance 
is the development of a unified broadcasting plan for Latin America, 
including coordination between OCB and Voice of America. 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Estimated Size of Audiences for Radio and 
TV Marti and the Reliability of Such Estimates: 

Congressional Directive: 

The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan, including information on:  

* the estimated size of audiences in Cuba for Radio and TV Marti, and 
the sources and relative reliability of the data on which such 
estimates are based.  

Prior GAO Observations: 

We previously reported in 2009 that significant challenges exist to 
conducting valid audience research in Cuba due, in part, to the U.S. 
government's lack of access to Cuba. Despite these limitations, we 
reported that the Office of Cuba Broadcasting conducted a variety of 
research efforts to obtain information on Radio and TV Marti's 
audience size and characteristics, including telephone surveys of 
Cuban households and surveys of recently arrived Cuban immigrants. We 
reported that despite the lack of reliable nationally representative 
data, BBG had determined that telephone surveys of Cuban households 
were among the best available methods of estimating audience size for 
Radio and TV Marti. These telephone surveys of Cuban households 
indicated that audience size was small, with less than 2 percent of 
respondents indicating they had tuned in to Radio or TV Marti during 
the past week.  

GAO Assessment: 

BBG's strategic plan partially addresses the estimated size of 
audiences for Radio and TV Marti and the sources and reliability of 
such estimates. The plan states that it uses multiple sources of data 
on media use in Cuba, but that valid national estimates of audience 
size for U.S. broadcasting to Cuba are not currently feasible. From 
2003 to 2008, BBG conducted telephone surveys of Cuban households to 
estimate audience size. The results of these surveys estimated the 
weekly audience of Radio and TV Marti at less than 2 percent of Cuban 
adults in households with landline phones. According to BBG officials, 
the 2008 survey results showed a sharp drop in the reach of all 
foreign broadcasters compared to previous years' surveys, which they 
attributed to respondents' fear of acknowledging their use of foreign 
media. BBG officials stated this concern raises questions regarding 
the validity of the audience size estimates of the 2008 surveys. As a 
result, BBG has not conducted telephone surveys of Cuban households to 
estimate the audience size of Radio and TV Marti since 2008.    

Alternatively, BBG has conducted surveys of Cubans who recently 
arrived in the United States in order to gather feedback on their 
media preferences. In 2010, 661 immigrants were interviewed within 6 
months of their departure from Cuba. According to these surveys, 40 
percent of respondents reported hearing Radio Marti and 6 percent of 
respondents reported seeing TV Marti at least once a week on average 
during their last year on the island. However, according to BBG, while 
these surveys offer insights into respondents' media preferences and 
the effectiveness of various ways of delivering content from Radio and 
TV Marti, they are not appropriate for estimating national audience 
size since survey respondents are not drawn from a probability sample 
of the adult population of Cuba. Moreover, according to BBG officials, 
rates of viewing and listening may be higher among Cubans from 
circumstances that led them to emigrate to the United States than 
among other Cubans. According to BBG, it is presently unable to obtain 
valid estimates of audience size in Cuba. (See the following figure.)   
   
Figure: Data Sources and Relative Reliability: 

[Refer to PDF for image: illustrated table] 

Survey method: Telephone survey of Cuban households; 
Limitations reported by BBG: 
1) Potential respondent sensitivities; 
2) Surveys reach only those with land-line phones, estimated at 20 
percent of Cuban households; 
3) Last conducted in 2008. 

Survey method: Surveys of recently arrived Cuban immigrants; 
Limitations reported by BBG: 
1) Indicator of media preferences, not audience size; 
2) Higher viewing and listening rates are expected among recent 
arrivals. 

Source: GAO analysis; Art Explosion. 

[End of figure] 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Operating Costs and Effectiveness of 
Television Transmissions in Increasing Audience Size: 

Congressional Directive: 

The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba, including 
information on: 
* the annual operating cost (and total cost over the life of the 
contract) of—-any and all—-types of television transmission and the 
effectiveness of each in increasing such audience size. 

Prior GAO Observations:  

We previously reported that assessing the relative success of 
different transmission methods by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting 
(OCB) is challenging due to jamming by the Cuban government and 
difficulty in obtaining valid audience data. As such, we recommended 
that BBG conduct an analysis of the relative success and return on 
investment of broadcasting to Cuba, showing the cost, nature of the 
audience, and challenges related to each of the transmission methods. 
Since 2009, BBG has taken some steps to address this recommendation. 
For instance, on surveys it administers to Cuban immigrants who 
recently arrived in the United States, BBG has included questions to 
capture information on the transmission method they used most 
frequently to view TV Marti while in Cuba. BBG has also conducted a 
telephone survey of Cuban households to test how well Cubans were able 
to tune in on their television and see TV Marti while AeroMarti was 
transmitting.  

GAO Assessment: 

BBG's strategic plan partially addresses the annual operating and 
lifetime contract cost for all television transmissions and the 
effectiveness of each in increasing audience size. The plan includes 
the annual operating cost for each transmission method but not the 
lifetime cost for each related contract. The plan also does not 
address the effectiveness of each transmission method in increasing 
audience size. 

TV Marti uses three types of transmission methods: (1) an over-the-air 
broadcast via an airplane (AeroMarti); (2) satellites operated by 
HISPASAT, DirecTV, and New Skies; and (3) the Internet. Aeromarti, 
which broadcasts 12.5 hours per week, is the most expensive 
transmission method, costing about $2.5 million in fiscal year 2011. 
During our audit, BBG provided the lifetime contract cost of each 
television transmission method, which we have included in the 
following table, along with the method's annual operating cost. 

Table: Television Transmissions' Annual Operating and Lifetime 
Contract Cost: 

Transmission method: AeroMarti[B]; 
Date established: 2006; 
Annual operating cost[A]: $2,553,808; 
Lifetime contract cost[A]: $28,797,065. 

Transmission method: DirecTV satellite; 
Date established: 2006; 
Annual operating cost[A]: $481,271; 
Lifetime contract cost[A]: $2,101,150. 

Transmission method: HISPASAT satellite; 
Date established: 2003; 
Annual operating cost[A]: $366,550; 
Lifetime contract cost[A]: $3,596,308. 

Transmission method: New Skies satellite; 
Date established: 1990; 
Annual operating cost[A]: $160,650; 
Lifetime contract cost[A]: $8,888,997[C]. 

Source: GAO analysis of BBG data. 

[A] Annual operating costs estimated based on fiscal year 2011 costs. 
Lifetime contract costs calculated from date established through the 
end of fiscal year 2011, unless otherwise noted. 

[B] Annual operating cost includes air services and fuel. Lifetime 
contract cost includes all contracts associated with AeroMarti for 
development and air services from 2006 through January 2012. 

[C] Includes the cost of multiple contracts from 1990 through March 
2011, supporting broadcasts for various U.S. agencies. Lifetime 
contract cost is estimated based on the proportion of OCB's usage of 
the satellite service. 

[End of table] 

According to BBG's plan, the effectiveness of television transmissions 
to Cuba can be measured by formal audience surveys. However, due to 
concerns regarding the validity of audience size estimates from such 
surveys, BBG has not conducted a phone survey to estimate audience 
size in Cuba since 2008. The plan notes that BBG is using alternative 
means of obtaining information on media preferences by surveying 
recent arrivals from Cuba. These recent arrivals most often reported 
viewing TV Marti via DirecTV and DVDs; however, these results cannot 
be used to estimate audience size. BBG has also collected information 
on the signal reception of TV Marti, which is an issue due to 
government jamming. A 2010 BBG phone survey of Cuban households in 
AeroMarti's broadcast area reported that about 5 percent of households 
were likely or very likely to be able to see TV Marti via AeroMarti. 
However, this survey also does not estimate audience size. Currently, 
BBG does not have the data necessary to determine the cost 
effectiveness of each transmission method in increasing audience size. 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Principal Obstacles to Increasing the 
Audience Size of Radio and TV Marti: 

Congressional Directive: 
The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan, including information on: 
* the principal obstacles to increasing the audience size of Radio and 
TV Marti.  

Prior GAO Observations: 

We have previously reported that the Cuban government's jamming of 
certain signals presented a challenge to the Office of Cuba 
Broadcasting (OCB). At the time of our last review in 2009, the 
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and OCB were working to better 
understand and quantify the extent of Cuban jamming and its impact on 
the technical reception of Radio and TV Marti broadcasts. However, we 
reported that despite these efforts, IBB and OCB lacked reliable data 
on the number, location, type, and effectiveness of Cuban jamming 
equipment. As a result of this lack of information, we concluded that 
it was unclear how much of the radio and television signals could be 
heard and seen in Cuba.  

GAO Assessment: 

BBG's strategic plan addresses the principal obstacles to increasing 
the audience size of Radio and TV Marti. The plan contains a section 
citing five principal challenges BBG faces in broadcasting to Cuba, 
including: 

* establishment of means of transmission to consistently "break 
through" Cuban government jamming, censorship, and regulation; 

* lack of open access to news sources within Cuba; 

* harassment of independent journalists by the Cuban government; 

* limited access to the Internet within Cuba; and; 

* inability to conduct valid audience research through on-the-ground 
surveys in Cuba to determine BBG program impact. 

BBG officials cited jamming by the Cuban government as the top 
obstacle they face. Jamming refers to the deliberate use of radio 
noise or signals to prevent the listening to or viewing of broadcasts. 
(See the following figure for examples of TV Marti despite Cuban 
jamming efforts.)    
    
Figure: Photographs of TV Marti in Cuba: 

[Refer to PDF for image: 2 photographs] 

Source: Miscelaneas de Cuba. 

Note: These photographs, provided by an organization that reports on 
Cuban affairs, reportedly depict evidence of Cubans' ability to watch 
TV Marti despite Cuban jamming efforts. The TV Marti logo can be seen 
in the bottom right-hand corner. 

[End of figure] 

In an effort to overcome jamming, OCB broadcasts Radio and TV Martí 
through multiple transmission delivery methods. OCB broadcasts radio 
through shortwave, AM, satellite television, and the Internet. OCB 
broadcasts TV Martí through satellite television, an over-the-air 
transmission via an airplane (AeroMartí), and the Internet. 
Additionally, BBG and OCB officials told us that they are testing the 
broadcasting of radio via AeroMartí through the use of FM radio 
transmitters. OCB also provides news and information to Cuba via 
alternative media, such as DVDs and SMS text messaging. 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Other Options for Disseminating News and 
Information to Cuba and the Cost Effectiveness of Each: 

Congressional Directive: 
The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba, including: 
*  an analysis of other options for disseminating news and information 
to Cuba including DVDs, the Internet, and cell phones and other 
handheld electronic devices, and a report on the cost effectiveness of 
each. 

Prior GAO Observations: 

We reported in 2009 that U.S. officials suggested that the 
transmission methods used to broadcast to Cuba—including an over-the-
air broadcast using an airplane (AeroMarti), satellite television, 
shortwave or medium wave radio, and the Internet—may not be the most 
cost-effective way to reach a Cuban audience. We noted that an 
official from the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, stated that 
the most successful distribution of TV Marti has been via DVD (rather 
than satellite or over-the-air AeroMarti broadcasts) and suggested 
that there could be avenues for others to increase the distributions 
of DVDs throughout Cuban society. We also recommended that BBG conduct 
an analysis of the relative success and return on investment of 
broadcasting to Cuba, showing the cost, nature of the audience, and 
challenges related to each of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting's (OCB) 
transmission methods. 

GAO Assessment: 

BBG’s strategic plan partially addresses other options for 
disseminating news and information to Cuba and the cost effectiveness 
of each. While the BBG plan discusses alternative methods OCB uses to 
disseminate news and information to Cuba, it does not include a report 
on the cost effectiveness of each of these options. 

BBG’s plan discusses three alternative transmission methods OCB uses 
to disseminate news and information to Cuba including the Internet, 
mobile phones, and file sharing. See the following figure for more 
information on each transmission method. 

Figure: Alternative Transmission Methods: 

[Refer to PDF for image: illustrated table] 

Alternative transmission methods: Internet;  
OCB activities: OCB maintains a website that provides late breaking 
news and information related to Cuba, live streaming of Radio and TV 
Marti programming with on-demand archives, and links to social 
networking sites. OCB also provides information using social 
networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and has established a 
YouTube channel which has features stories on activities by the 
blogging community in Cuba. BBG is also working to overcome government 
jamming to provide information through e-mail and instant messaging. 

Alternative transmission methods: Mobile phone; 
OCB activities: OCB uses text messaging on mobile phone to disseminate 
news and information to Cuba. According to BBG's plan, text messaging 
is one of the most viable solutions for communicating with Cuba 
because technology found within mobile phones make texts difficult for 
the Cuban government to filter. 

Alternative transmission methods: File sharing; 
OCB activities: OCB shares news and information with Cubans phone-to-
phone and computer-to-computer using USB flash drives, DVD disks, and 
the Bluetooth feature found on most mobile phones. According to BBG's 
plan, file sharing in Cuba is driven mostly by youth who are actively 
sharing music and American movies. 

Source: BBG; Art Explosion.  

[End of figure] 

According to BBG officials, BBG cannot provide estimates on audience 
size for each method given its inability to conduct reliable surveys 
in Cuba. BBG does conduct surveys and focus groups among recently 
arrived immigrants from Cuba, which provide BBG information on the use 
of alternative transmission methods. The means of viewing most often 
reported in 2010 surveys by those immigrants who had seen TV Martí in 
Cuba were DirecTV and DVDs. However, neither these surveys nor focus 
groups can be used to estimate the audience size for each method, 
because the respondents are not drawn from probability samples of the 
adult population in Cuba. Since BBG does not have valid audience size 
estimates for each of the alternative methods it uses to disseminate 
information, it is unable to report on their cost effectiveness. 

Cuba Broadcasting Strategy: Efficiencies, Effectiveness, and Cost 
Savings that Can Be Achieved by Resource Sharing between the Office of 
Cuba Broadcasting and Voice of America: 

Congressional Directive: 

The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2010, directed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to 
submit a strategic plan for broadcasting to Cuba, including: 
* an analysis of the program efficiencies and effectiveness that can 
be achieved through shared resources and cost saving opportunities in 
radio and television production between Radio and TV Martí and Voice 
of America. 

Prior GAO Observations: 

GAO has not conducted prior work on this issue. 

GAO Assessment: 

BBG’s strategic plan partially addresses program efficiencies, 
effectiveness, and cost savings that can be achieved by sharing 
resources between the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) and Voice of 
America (VOA). While BBG’s strategic plan identifies opportunities for 
OCB and VOA to share resources to maximize their programs’ efficiency 
and effectiveness, it does not include an analysis showing the 
potential cost savings associated with each proposed initiative. 

The strategic plan proposes restructuring VOA’s Latin America Division 
and OCB to produce programming for Cuban and other audiences in Latin 
America. To do so, BBG plans to relocate portions of VOA’s Latin 
America Division from its current headquarters in Washington, D.C., to 
OCB headquarters in Miami, Florida. The plan notes that OCB’s facility 
in Miami would serve as the base of BBG operations hemisphere wide. 
According to an OCB official, the OCB facility in Miami has office and 
studio space available for use by relocated VOA personnel. (See the 
following figure.) 

Figure: Restructuring of VOA’s Latin America Division and OCB: 

[Refer to PDF for image: map of U.S. East Coast with accompanying 
information] 

Voice of America Latin America Division staff to be relocated from 
Washington, D.C., to Miami, Florida. Voice of America Latin America 
Division to maintain a small office in Washington, D.C. 

Miami, Florida, to serve as the base of BBG operations for Cuba and 
Latin America. 

Source: GAO analysis; Map Resources (map). 

[End of figure] 

According to BBG’s plan, once relocated, VOA’s Latin America Division 
and OCB will combine regional newsrooms, share field resources (such 
as local reporters), integrate production units, and streamline 
network management. Together, OCB and VOA’s Latin America Division 
have about 150 professional staff. VOA’s Latin America Division will 
maintain a small Washington, D.C., office, which will continue to 
report on U.S. politics. 

While this restructuring may result in cost savings, the strategic 
plan does not include cost savings estimates. BBG officials told us 
that BBG has not conducted an analysis to determine potential cost 
savings associated with this restructuring. Moreover, the strategic 
plan notes that BBG has yet to determine the extent of the one-time 
costs associated with this restructuring. 

[End of Enclosure I] 

Enclosure II: Comments from the Broadcasting Board of Governors: 

Broadcasting Board of Governors: 
United States of America: 
330 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 3360: 
Cohen Building: 
Washington, DC 20237: 
(202) 203-1515; Fax (202) 203-4568: 

December 5, 2011: 

Mr. David Gootnick: 
Director: 
International Affairs & Trade: 
U.S. Government Accountability Office: 

Dear Mr. Gootnick: 

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) appreciates the opportunity 
to comment on the draft report of the Government Accountability 
Office, "Broadcasting Board of Governors Should Provide Additional 
Information to Congress Regarding Broadcasting in Cuba," which 
assesses the BBG's multi-year strategy for broadcasting to Cuba. We 
accept the report's recommendation that the BBG report on the 
estimated costs and cost savings of sharing resources between the
Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) and Voice of America's (VOA) Latin 
America Division. During the upcoming phases of our overall strategic 
planning process, the BBG will work to finalize the concept of 
operations for the shared resources model and will assemble and 
analyze the information related to this element of the strategic plan. 

The BBG's unprecedented year-long strategic review, in which it 
engaged internal and external stakeholders and public and private 
experts, provided a wealth of information to inform the strategic 
process. The BBG's plan for Cuba broadcasting proposes a strategic 
realignment of its Spanish-language programming to Latin America and 
the Caribbean, offering examples of program efficiencies to be 
achieved through shared resources and cost saving opportunities. As
GAO noted, these opportunities include sharing of office space and 
production studios, sharing stringer resources in Latin America, and 
the opportunity to utilize programming produced by OCB and VOA to best 
advantage in Cuba as well as the rest of the hemisphere. The agency is 
eager to work on implementation strategies for the broader plan, 
including estimated cost savings associated with it. 

As GAO noted in its report, the inability to obtain valid, 
comprehensive information about the Marti's audience in Cuba 
eliminates a key baseline for calculating other measures of 
effectiveness as requested by the Congress. 

Throughout the history of international broadcasting, the U.S. 
government has attempted to gain reliable information about its 
audiences and the quality of its broadcast signals in the midst of
jamming. In its early years, such information was attained through 
anecdotal reports and interviews of travelers to or near broadcast 
target areas. More recently, the BBG has developed a comprehensive 
research program, conducted in accordance with modern research 
standards in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, as in North Korea 
and Iran, BBG cannot freely operate in Cuba and thus cannot obtain a 
reliable national estimate of listeners and viewers to Radio and
TV Marti — baseline information that is required to provide the 
Congress the specific cost-benefit information it requested regarding 
each transmission method. 

Annual surveys of hundreds of Cubans recently arrived to South 
Florida, along with expanded qualitative studies (focus groups, 
monitoring panels) to explore media use habits and experiences, inform 
programming decisions and delivery strategies. These surveys also 
suggest use of Radio and TV Marti among the Cuban population at levels 
higher than appeared in the 2008 phone survey. However, while these 
research efforts continue to provide valuable information to help 
guide BBG planning and programming to Cuba, the information is not of 
the quality or accuracy required to support/project credible 
effectiveness estimates. 

We thank you for the opportunity to comment on the GAO's draft report 
and its recommendation. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Walter Isaacson: 
Chairman: 

[End of Enclosure II] 

Footnotes: 

[1] The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) is an independent 
federal agency responsible for overseeing all U.S. government-
sponsored, nonmilitary, international broadcasting programs. For 
fiscal year 2012, BBG requested approximately $28.5 million for 
broadcasting to Cuba. 

[2] GAO, Broadcasting to Cuba: Actions Are Needed to Improve Strategy 
and Operations, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-127] 
(Washington, D.C.: Jan. 22, 2009). 

[3] Jamming refers to the deliberate use of radio noise or signals to 
prevent the listening to or viewing of broadcasts. 

[4] Pub. L. No. 111-117. 

[5] H. Rept., No. 111-366, 111th Cong., 1st Sess., (Dec. 8, 2009), pp. 
1450-1451. 

[6] According to BBG, at the time the 2008 survey was conducted 
approximately 20 percent of Cuban adults lived in households with 
published landline telephone numbers. 

[7] In the absence of telephone surveys to estimate national audience 
size of Radio and TV Martí in Cuba, BBG officials told us they have 
(1) conducted phone surveys of Cuban households to measure the signal 
reception of TV Martí broadcasts, and (2) conducted surveys and focus 
groups among recently arrived Cuban immigrants to gather feedback on 
Radio and TV Martí. However, according to BBG, while such immigrant 
research offers insights into target audiences' media preferences, 
they are not appropriate for estimating audience size since survey 
respondents are not drawn from a probability sample of the adult 
population of Cuba. 

[8] BBG broadcasts to Cuba via the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and 
Voice of America. Voice of America also broadcasts to Latin America. 

[End of section] 

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