Posted on 04/07/2008 8:42:16 PM PDT by nuconvert
Coburn Delays State Nominee Over Pro-Iran Radio
April 07, 2008
The Washington Times
Nicholas Kralev
President Bush's nomination of a successor to his longtime friend Karen P. Hughes as the nation's top public diplomacy official is being held up in the Senate over concerns about anti-American bias in the Voice of America's broadcasts for Iran.
Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, has put a hold on the confirmation of James Glassman, whom Mr. Bush nominated in December and who went before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in late January, administration and congressional officials said.
Mr. Coburn has sought for years to obtain English transcripts of Farsi-language U.S. government broadcasts from the body in charge of those programs, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Mr. Glassman is BBG chairman.
In his requests, the senator has cited reports of mismanagement of VOA's Persian service that has allowed anti-American content to creep into broadcasts. He also has expressed concerns that the service gives too much time to guests with pro-Iranian views.
"VOA has not been aggressive enough in promoting values of individual liberty and freedom in its Persian broadcasts," said an aide to Mr. Coburn, who declined to give his name.
The senator's office did not provide specific examples of anti-American or pro-Iranian language used in broadcasts.
Mehdi Khalaji, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, published a paper last year on U.S. government broadcasts in Iran. He is a former producer at Radio Farda, a joint project between VOA and U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is based in Prague.
"Some of Radio Farda's Prague team members are noticeably anti-American, which can be discerned from their language and the news they choose to produce," Mr. Khalaji wrote, but he did not cite specific examples.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Danforth Austin, VOA's director, said the broadcaster "provides accurate, objective and comprehensive news and information" and "presents the policies of the United States, including responsible discussions and opinion on these policies."
"equal airing of opposing views" ??? "opinion on these policies"???
This is VOA not CNN. You give the PRO-AMERICA side
Yes, Senator No! Keep holding their feet to the flames!
What the F%$#%^ is wrong with this government! The only thing that should be broadcast is pro American content. How the heck the terrorist's media department is able to come and go freely or get anywhere near the place instead of being captured and given free room and board at Gitmo just boggles the mind.
Good for Coburn. We get enough anti-American foreign press without manufacturing our own as well.
They were saying the Germans killed them in the Katyn Forest rather than the Russians.
Really bad considering the whole world knew it was the Commies.
Again, kudos to Senator Coburn. The man is a genius AND a patriot! .....and, yes, I'm bragging!
No, it’s not new. But it’s nice to see a senator speaking out about it in this way.
Close down the VOA. Let the democRATS get a real job.
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