{
  "id": "97-52",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "97-52",
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  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
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      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 103477,
      "date": "1999-07-21",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:43:30.363941",
      "title": "Radio Free Asia: Background, Funding, and Policy Issues",
      "summary": "In response to some Asian countries' human rights violations and to promote democracy in\ncountries\nsuch as China and North Korea, the Administration and the 103rd Congress agreed that the United\nStates should increase broadcasting to this part of the world. The International Broadcasting Act of\n1994, title III of the Foreign Relations Authorizations Act of 1994/95 ( P.L. 103-236 ), created the\nBroadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) under the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) and authorized\nthe Board to make grants available to conduct surrogate broadcasting services \n(1)  (referred to as Radio\nFree Asia or RFA) to the People's Republic of China, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Tibet,\nand Vietnam. \n  In 1997, lawmakers who opposed Beijing sought ways of promoting democracy and human\nrights in China other than through denying normal trade relation (NTR) trade benefits. One\nsuggestion was to dramatically increase funds to expand Radio Free Asia and Voice of America\n(VOA) broadcasting into China. The Radio Free Asia Act of 1998 (title XXXIX,  P.L. 105-261 )\nauthorized $22 million for broadcasting in FY1999, plus $8 million for one-time capital costs. \nCongress appropriated $22 million in FY1999 for RFA to expand its broadcasting to 24 hours a day\ninto China and continue broadcasting into five other Asian target countries. For FY2000, the\nPresident's budget request for RFA and the Senate appropriation ( S. 1217 ) are $23\nmillion. On October 1, 1999, as a result of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of\n1998, the BBG will become an independent agency in order to maintain its journalistic integrity while\nthe rest of USIA will merge into the Department of State.\n     1.  \u00a0U.S. surrogate broadcasting provides independent,\nuncensored, and accurate news and information of events\nin the targeted country (often a closed society), as well as cultural programs of that country. \nSurrogate\nbroadcasting includes Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc. In contrast, general broadcasting,\ncarried out\nby Voice of America, presents a reliable source of international news, American policies and culture\nto listeners\noverseas.",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc819356/",
      "id": "97-52_1997Oct24",
      "date": "1997-10-24",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Radio Free Asia",
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  "topics": [
    "Foreign Affairs"
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}