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Improvements Made, Some Still Needed in Management of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

ID-81-16 Published: Mar 02, 1981. Publicly Released: Mar 02, 1981.
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Highlights

The U.S. Government, through the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), is the largest Western international broadcaster to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. RFE/RL is a private, government-financed organization. The Board for International Broadcasting, an independent government agency, receives appropriated funds and allocates them to RFE/RL. A review was made of the efforts being made by RFE/RL to achieve effectiveness and economies in fulfilling its mission.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
Congress should have the executive branch conduct a comprehensive review of U.S. international broadcasting activities. This study should among other things address satellite broadcasting and other technological advances, sharing of technical facilities, merging of separate broadcast organizations, and the relationship between the Board for International Broadcasting and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Incorporated.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Board for International Broadcasting The Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting should request from RFE/RL management a plan to complete the RFE/RL Policy and Procedure Manual. The manual should include an expansion in both administrative and programing sections. There is a need to address the roles and responsibilities of the major operating units within RFE/RL. This manual should be available in three working languages: German, Russian, and English.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Board for International Broadcasting The Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting should request from RFE/RL management a plan to devote greater attention to employee orientation by developing a new orientation program containing pertinent organization materials, including copies of the Mission Statement and Program Policy Guidelines in the native tongue of the employee (or as a minimum the three working languages).
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Board for International Broadcasting The Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting should request from RFE/RL management a plan to examine the current recruitment practices and projected staff needs over the next 10 years with an eye toward developing a major staff rejuvenation and recruitment plan. Because of the anticipated large scale turnover to be incurred in the mid-1980s, GAO believes RFE/RL management must now begin to address this important issue. This plan should, at a minimum, identify programing and management needs by service, determine the linguistic and management skills required, project costs to the extent feasible, and develop alternative proposals to best meet these needs.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Board for International Broadcasting The Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting should work with the top management of RFE/RL, Incorporated, to strengthen the policy assessment and program evaluation functions of the Broadcast Analysis Department. Some of the areas that should be addressed include defining the Department's authority and responsibilities, providing some autonomy for the Department, establishing accepted criteria and standards for assessments and evaluations, communicating and responding to the results of the assessments and evaluations, and providing adequate staff.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

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Expense allowancesFinancial managementIndependent agenciesInteragency relationsInternational relationsPersonnel managementPublic diplomacyRadioRadio broadcastingInternational broadcasting