Audio

Ted Lipien’s 1976 Interview with Card. Karol Wojtyla – future Pope John Paul II

Ted Lipien’s 1976 Interview with Card. Karol Wojtyla – future Pope John Paul II (opening segment in Polish)   This interview was broadcast first by the Voice of America (VOA) in 1976. Those interested in broadcast quality copy of the entire interview should send an email to: mail@tedlipien.com   English Transcript Ted Lipien: I believe the just-concluded Eucharistic Congress in…

Read more
Poland, Religion

Dr. Wanda Poltawska Defended Against Attacks by Pope’s Former Male Associates

Some of Pope John Paul II’s male friends and associates, including the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, have attacked Dr. Wanda Poltawska, a Polish psychiatrist and defender of traditional family values, for publicizing her private correspondence with the Pope. They claim that Dr. Poltawska has exaggerated her close personal and professional relationship with Karol Wojtyla. Nothing could be further…

Read more
Uncategorized

With VOA Left Voiceless, Obama Fails to Reach Russian Public – Jonathan Liedl, The Heritage Foundation

This post by Jonathan Liedl of the Heritage Foundation on the SZONE.US Forum includes several links to FreeMediaOnline.org reports. With VOA Left Voiceless, Obama Fails to Reach Russian Public President Obama’s foreign policy thus far has been marked by an emphasis on public diplomacy. As a result, successfully engaging foreign publics has become a top priority of his administration. The…

Read more
Uncategorized

White House Video From Russia Released 10 Days Late, Without Russian Translation, And A Message Overtaken By Events

AS RELEASED BY THE WHITE HOUSE, FRI, JULY 17, 12:51 PM EST Highlights from the President’s Trip to Russia Posted by Katherine Brandon Get a behind-the-scenes look at the highlights of the President’s trip to Moscow earlier this month. See images of his trip, and listen to the President speak at the New Economic School. You can read the whole…

Read more
Uncategorized

With Obama in Moscow, Voice of America Russian Reporters Saw Their Work Vanish

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has put all the eggs of broadcasts to Russia from the U.S. in one basket. FreeMediaOnline.org, Free Media Online Blog, GovoritAmerika.us, Commentary by Ted Lipien, July 10, 2009, San Francisco — Established in 1942 in response to wartime emergency, the Voice of America (VOA) has been the official U.S. broadcaster, funded by American taxpayers…

Read more
Uncategorized

U.S. International Broadcaster Voice of America Unable to Recover from a Crippling Cyber Attack for More Than Two Days

FreeMediaOnline.org, Free Media Online Blog, GovoritAmerika.us, July 09, 2009, San Francisco — While other U.S. government computer networks have long been back in operation after the cyber attack launched last weekend, the lead Federal agency in charge of communicating with the world on behalf of the United States suffered a catastrophic failure, which it has been unable to overcome for…

Read more
Uncategorized

Voice of America International News Website Blocked by Suspected Cyber Attack

FreeMediaOnline.org, Free Media Online Blog, GovoritAmerika.us, July 08, 2009, San Francisco –The Voice of America (VOA) multi-language international news website has been down most of the time during the final day of Barack Obama’s first presidential visit to Moscow as a result of a suspected North Korean cyber attack. Other U.S. government websites were also affected by the same cyber…

Read more
Uncategorized

The Humpty Dumpty Strategic Plan for U.S. International Broadcasting

FreeMediaOnline.org & Free Media Online Blog The Federalist Commentary, July 8, 2009, San Francisco — This commentary is by The Federalist, one of our regular contributors with inside knowledge of US government bureaucracy. The Humpty Dumpty Strategic Plan at the Broadcasting Board of Governors by The Federalist Let us refresh our memories… Last year, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)…

Read more
Uncategorized

Cautious to a Fault: Solidarity with Reformers in Poland and Iran – Reagan’s Response in 1981 Markedly Different from Obama’s in 2009

FreeMediaOnline.org,  Free Media Online Blog,  GovoritAmerika.us, Commentary by Ted Lipien, June 26, 2009, San Francisco — Ronald Reagan’s strong response to the imposition of martial law  against the independent Solidarity trade union in Poland in 1981 was distinctly different from President Barack Obama’s nuanced comments about the crackdown on demonstrators in Iran in the aftermath of the disputed Iranian presidential elections. While President Obama may have wanted to show his appreciation…

Read more
Uncategorized

Report Cites Continued Weaknesses in US Broadcasting to Cuba – Voice of America

U.S. lawmakers have heard testimony about continuing weaknesses in U.S.-government funded television broadcasting to Cuba. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) updated members of Congress on steps taken by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and its Office of Cuba Broadcasting on recommendations to deal with management, morale and other problems. Since its inception in 1990, TV Marti has been the subject…

Read more
Uncategorized

In Search of A Smarter, More Cultured Approach to U.S. Public Diplomacy and Broadcasting in the Middle East

FreeMediaOnline.org,  Free Media Online Blog,  GovoritAmerika.us, Commentary by Ted Lipien, June 04, 2009, San Francisco — President Obama’s recent announcement of a new Global Engagement Directorate that will combine “diplomacy, communications, international development and assistance” was short on specifics how this new structure might change the focus of U.S. public diplomacy and broadcasting initiatives. That’s hardly surprising, considering that the White House has to deal with many other seemingly more pressing problems.…

Read more
Uncategorized

News Flashes from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Understanding Government

FreeMediaOnline.org,  Free Media Online Blog,  GovoritAmerika.us, June 3, 2009, San Francisco —  Understanding Government website — undestandinggov.org — has published an in-depth report on charges of discrimination against foreign-born journalists at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which is managed by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent Federal agency created by Congress to oversee U.S. international broadcasting operations. The report refers to the work of FreeMediaOnline.org…

Read more
Uncategorized

Bill Skundrich, Respected International Broadcaster, Leaves Voice of America

FreeMediaOnline.org & Free Media Online Blog, May 27, 2009, San Francisco —  Friday, May 22, was the last day at the Voice of America (VOA) for Bill Skundrich, one of the most respected and popular U.S. radio and television journalists broadcasting to Russia.  He left VOA for a new job at the Department of Homeland Security. Bill Skundrich’s colleagues describe him as an extraordinarily talented journalist and hard…

Read more
Cold War, Featured, Highlights, History, RFE, RL, Russia

RFE/RL Has Lost Its Uniqueness Warns Former Director of Radio Liberty’s Russian Service

Interview with Former Director of Radio Liberty’s Russian Service, Italian journalist, writer and Russian expert Mario Corti. In a nutshell, the station [Radio Liberty] has abandoned its uniqueness, its identity, its face. Mario Corti Those among the old KGB and the new FSB , who see the U.S. as an enemy rather than a valuable and generous partner of Russia, could only be…

Read more