Public Diplomacy

Digital Journal, Public Diplomacy, RFE, RL, Russia, VOA

Op-Ed: Putin’s Russian victimhood on Voice of America | Digital Journal

By Ted Lipien Published October 20, 2014 by Digital Journal Western media both expose, but often just report, Putin’s Russian victimhood propaganda claims, while poor management at Voice of America and insufficient funding from Congress prevent U.S. broadcaster from effectively countering Kremlin’s disinformation. Two recent Washington Post op-eds did more to expose both the duplicity and the success of Putin’s disinformation and…

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Congress, Digital Journal, International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy, VOA

Op-Ed: No propaganda, Voice of America need not fear reform bill | Digital Journal

By Ted Lipien Published May 2, 2014 by Digital Journal Washington – Mismanagement by senior executives threatens journalistic independence of Voice of America (VOA) much more than the bipartisan bill in Congress designed to reform U.S. international media outreach. There will be no government propaganda from VOA. One advantage of being my age (60) is that I have a longer view…

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Digital Journal, International Broadcasting, Media, Public Diplomacy, VOA

Op-Ed: RFI explaining French ways to global audience, even love and sex | Digital Journal

By Ted Lipien Published January 14, 2014 by Digital Journal Unlike some Voice of America (VOA) executives in the U.S. who seem to think that cultural differences can be ignored, (everybody wants to be like Americans after all), Radio France Internationale (RFI) reporters generally do an excellent job of explaining France to international audiences. My congratulations today go to RFI’s Angela Diffley who gave…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, Poland, Public Diplomacy, VOA

Martial law prisoners in Poland praised Reagan, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe

Originally posted on December 4, 2013 Today’s political prisoners who are fighting for democracy and human rights are still being held in China, Iran and in many other countries. While much of Central and Eastern Europe, previously under Soviet domination is now free, Belarus and Russia are still ruled by autocratic leaders, and pro-democracy forces in Ukraine are struggling to…

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Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy

Secretary Kerry Lays Wreath at Grave of Former Polish PM Tadeusz Mazowiecki

Sekretarz Stanu John Kerry wczoraj późnym wieczorem udał się na cmentarz w Laskach i złożył wieniec na grobie byłego premiera Tadeusza Mazowieckiego. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Warsaw on Monday night (November 4, 2013) and proceeded directly to the gravesite of former Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, to lay a wreath and pay his respects. Mazowiecki, Eastern…

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Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, VOA

Lech Walesa’s Nov. 15, 1989 speech in Congress was broadcast jointly by Voice of America and Polish Radio

Photograph of President George H.W. Bush and Lech Wałęsa was taken a day before Solidarity leader’s historic speech to the joint session of the United States Congress on November 15, 1989. The historic speech delivered on November 15, 1989 by Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa to the joint session of the United States Congress was broadcast to Poland in a joint…

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Digital Journal, International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy, VOA, Women

Digital Journal Op-Ed: VOA and U.S. public diplomacy failed on Obama-Malala meeting

By Ted Lipien Published October 14, 2013 by Digital Journal Washington – Voice of America (VOA) and U.S. public diplomacy failed to take full advantage of President Obama’s meeting Friday with teenage Pakistani campaigner for girls’ education Malala Yousafzai. But Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) did a good job. If web users around the world went to the Voice of America…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, Media, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, Video, VOA

Lech Walesa 70th Birthday Stamp – Historic VOA Interviews – 1985 – 1987 – 2002

“It is difficult to imagine what would have happened if it were not for the Voice of America and other sources with the help of which the true information squeezed through, which showed a different point of view, which said that we are not alone and that something is happening in the country — because our mass media did not…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Media, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, Russia, VOA

Zbigniew Brzezinski o Jałcie – About Yalta, 1985

In an article for the Winter 1984/1985 issue of Foreign Affairs, “A Divided Europe: The Future of Yalta,” Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote that “Yalta is unfinished business. Forty years after the fateful Crimean meeting of February 4-11, 1945, between the Allied Big Three of World War II, much of our current (1984/1985) preoccupation with Yalta focuses on its myth rather…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Public Diplomacy, VOA

Importance of U.S.-Polish Ties Underscored by Vice President Bush During 1987 Visit to Krakow

The audio report is in Polish and English. Link to audio. In 1987, the U.S. Department of State upgraded the status of the Consulate in Krakow, designating it as a Consulate General. On September 29, 1987, visiting U.S. Vice President George H.W. Bush led a designation ceremony and spoke about the strength of U.S.-Polish ties, especially ties with Southern Poland.…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, VOA

We are condemned to reach an agreement in Poland, Walesa told VOA Polish Service in 1987

Poland’s communist regime organized a referendum on political and economic reforms, which was held on 29 November 1987. Around a third of eligible voters did not participate, defying the regime. It was the first time that Communist authorities in Eastern Europe had lost a vote. I covered the referendum for the Voice of America (VOA) Polish Service. After the vote,…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Media, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, Video, VOA

Lech Walesa on Importance of Voice of America in Poland’s Struggle for Freedom and Democracy

“Nie wyobrażalne jest by mogło to mieć miejsce tak szybko i tak skutecznie gdyby nie Głos Ameryki.” — Lech Wałęsa, 2002. “It is not conceivable that it would have happened so quickly and so effectively if not for the Voice of America.” — Lech Wałęsa, 2002. October 5, 2013 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Nobel Committee announcement that…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, VOA

Zbigniew Brzezinski Interviewed for 1989 Worldnet Program on Historic Changes in Poland

In a March 1989 Voice of America-Worldnet-Polish Television program moderated by Ted Lipien, then director of the Voice of America (VOA) Polish Service, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski discussed historic political changes, which were taking place at that time in Poland and throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Dr. Brzezinski was being interviewed by journalists in Poland which was still under communist rule…

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Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, VOA

1984 Interview With Czeslaw Miłosz on Polish-Jewish Relations (in Polish – po polsku)

Link to audio. The interview (in Polish – po polsku) with Czesław Miłosz was recorded in Oxford on September 19, 1984 at a conference on Polish-Jewish relations. Miłosz talks about Poland’s multicultural traditions, Polish-Jewish relations in the 19th century, during the interwar period, and under communism. He discusses anti-Semitism, Polish-Jewish relations in his home city of Wilno (Vilnius – now…

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