U.S. International Communication Agency's Overseas Programs: Some More Useful Than Others
ID-82-1
Published: Feb 11, 1982. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 1982.
Skip to Highlights
Highlights
GAO examined some of the U.S. International Communication Agency's (USICA) overseas information programs.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should direct overseas missions to discontinue programming of those methods that they believe irrelevant to their needs or even significantly less useful than others to their needs. |
The agency believes that this is an ongoing process. No special action will be taken by it.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should determine, through monitoring of foreign receptivity to changes in publication formats, those which are too narrowly targeting recipient audiences and threatening through oversophistication to lose an existing broad base of readers. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should: (1) eliminate redundant cultural program efforts within a given host country; and (2) seek more mission input for planning the Arts America program to better match the cultural programs to the needs of the individual posts. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should examine the usefulness of the overseas libraries as they are currently maintained and eliminate those that are no longer useful. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should develop a policy outlining the responsibilities of the overseas missions toward the Binational Cultural Centers, particularly those category "B" centers where USICA has invested funds but has maintained no direct management control of those funds. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should establish a policy for the overseas missions concerning the role to be played, if any, in carrying out its mandate, referred to as the Second Mandate, to assist Americans in enhancing their understanding of other societies. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should establish a realistic timetable for the orderly delivery of Distribution and Record System equipment and the necessary training for system operators. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should contact the Department of State and the Agency for International Development to solicit their cooperation in ensuring the recording of personal contacts in the Distribution and Record System. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| International Communication Agency | The Director, USICA, should reassess the need for each mission to have all of the various communication methods, such as speakers, films, videotape, recordings, and printed matter. |
The agency believes that no specific action is needed or planned. It has an ongoing process to reassess the need for missions to have all of the communication methods. It is aware of certain problems that missions have with each of the methods and the GAO review confirmed that the problem is one that must be dealt with as an ongoing process.
|
Full Report
Public Inquiries
Topics
Agency missionsCost controlCultural exchange programsInformation systemsInternational relationsLibrariesPublic diplomacyTelevision programmingReorganizationPublications