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| Time’ That Will Be Treated As A Foreign Agent Meduza, Nov. 15, 2017; ‘‘Russia’s Federation Council Passes Foreign Agents Media Bill Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Nov. 22, 2017. 841 Current Time TV, https://www.currenttime.tv/p/6018.html (visited Dec. 31, 2017). Current Time also includes programs on fact-checking, culture, and entertainment. Committee Staff Discussion with VOA Officials. economists have warned that such sanctions may totally stop other foreign investors, not the US. investors only, from buying the new government debt, fiercely pushing up borrowing costs for Rus- sia.’’ 837 U S EFFORTS TO CREATE ALTERNATIVE AND ACCURATE QUALITY PROGRAMMING The US. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) seeks to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy and it has pursued that goal with several efforts throughout Russian-speaking parts of the world. 838 The BBG’s regional strategy for Russia is to confront anti-American propaganda and misinformation in Russian media, demonstrate the value and role of free media, and counter the Kremlin’s narrative. The BBG operates Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the only alternative to Russian-owned or supported media outlets in many former Soviet Union countries. 839 In October 2014, RFE/RL, in cooperation with VOA, launched a minute daily show called Current Time, to provide Russian- speaking audiences with objective reporting and analysis of important events in the region and the United States (its motto be truthful, be credible, be interesting’’). 840 The show has been successful, and in October 2016, building on the Current Time brand, RFE/RL and VOA launched a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week Rus- sian-language news network, which broadcasts in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia, as well as several countries in Central Asia. 841 Current Time also produces an hour-long Russian-language newscast about the United States, which provides in-depth interviews with high-profile figures, features about life in America (for example apart series on the life of the Russian diaspora in America, and the perspectives of American officials and subject experts on current events, including simultaneous interpretation of high-profile US. political and breaking news events. 842 As a sign of its influence, Russian state media has labeled Cur- rent Time’s reporting part of a US. information war and a threat to Russia’s national security. RFE/RL officials note that with just twice as much funding (the current budget is about $22 million) they could produce four times as much content, allowing for VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:06 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt PO 00000 Frm 00154 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\COMMITTEE PRINT 2018\HENRY\JAN. 9 REPORT FOREI-42327 with DISTILLER 149 Josh Lederman, ‘‘US-Funded News Channel in Russian Offers Kremlin Alternative Associated Press, Feb. 8, 2017; ‘‘RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service Radio Svoboda,’’ Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, https://pressroom.rferl.org/p/6139.html (visited Jan. 4, 2017). Statement of Benjamin G. Ziff, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, US. Department of State, Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine and the Propaganda that Threatens Europe, Hearing before the US. Senate Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Nov. 3, 2015, at 7. Office of Inspector General, US. Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors, Inspection of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty at 4 (May 2014); Government Accountability Office, U.S. Government Takes a Country-Specific Approach to Addressing Disinformation Overseas, at 16 (May 2017). Government Accountability Office, U.S. Government Takes a Country-Specific Approach to Download 0.63 Mb. Share with your friends:
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