Cold War Radio Museum Commentary by Ted Lipien In his February 26, 1962 speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the Voice of America (VOA), President Kennedy discussed the necessity of freedom of information and complete truthfulness of the press, but he also argued that the Voice of America is different from private U.S. news media. He pointed…
Digital Journal, International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy, RFE, RL, Russia
Op-Ed: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty can’t cope with Putin propaganda | Digital Journal
By Ted Lipien Published May 8, 2016 by Digital Journal Arguing that the United States has so far failed to invest seriously in understanding or pushing back against the problem of Russian propaganda and disinformation, Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Washington Post columnist, and Edward Lucas, a senior editor at the Economist, are launching this week a counter-disinformation initiative at the Center for European Policy…
Digital Journal, International Broadcasting, OWI, Public Diplomacy, RFE, RL, VOA
Op-Ed: Reform and adult supervision for Broadcasting Board of Governors | Digital Journal
By Ted Lipien Published November 30, 2015 by Digital Journal U.S. overseas broadcasting in support of freedom has a long and distinguished history. People who know it well, including Kevin Klose, a former Washington Post foreign correspondent, former National Public Radio (NPR) president and, most importantly, someone who successfully ran Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and worked briefly for the…
President Obama, former Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, and President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland discuss Polish democracy, the contributions Poland is making in Tunisia, and President Obama thanks the people of Poland for being an inspiration to change around the world.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio, VOA
September 1987 – Vice President George H.W. Bush discusses Poland, U.S. Polish-Relations, Solidarity, Lech Walesa, Polish Americans
“There’s great affection from the American people for the people of Poland.” – Vice President George H.W. Bush, September 24, 1987 Voice of America correspondent Wayne Corey and VOA Polish Service director Ted Lipien recorded the interview at the White House on September 24, 1987 shortly before Vice President George H.W. Bush left on his trip to Poland. The…
Audio, Cold War, Glos Ameryki, History, International Broadcasting, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, Radio
Vice President George H.W. Bush’s September 1987 Visit to Poland – Report in Polish (po polsku)
Vice President George H.W. Bush began a four-day visit to Poland on Saturday, September 26, 1987. His visit facilitated talks between Solidarity and the communist regime and eventual peaceful fall of communism in Poland. I interviewed Vice President Bush at the White House before the trip and accompanied him as Voice of America Polish Service correspondent. I filed this report…
Cold War, Glos Ameryki, International Broadcasting, Photos, Poland, Public Diplomacy, VOA
Interweaving of Public Diplomacy and U.S. International Broadcasting
Interweaving of Public Diplomacy and U.S. International Broadcasting A Historical Analysis by Ted Lipien Published in American Diplomacy, December 2011 Summary U.S. policy makers have used traditional diplomacy, public diplomacy and government-sponsored journalism to promote America’s interests and to influence public opinion abroad. On the journalistic side, the so-called surrogate radios: Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty – more…
Commentary by Ted Lipien Istanbul, June 8, 2013. Protest signs on Taksim Square in Istanbul say “Coward Media.” The very few acts of vandalism during the initial days of the anti-government protests in Turkey were directed against TV vans of local networks. Protesters in Turkey were especially angry with CNN Turkish and NTV (MSNBC Turkish). Some of these media outlets…
This commentary by Ted Lipien was republished from the Committee for the International Broadcasting (CUSIB) website. Smith-Mundt Act Modifications Lack Protections Against Abuse by Ted Lipien While the independent, nonpartisan Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting supports some changes in the Smith-Mundt Act, we and many other media freedom advocates share grave concerns that officials of the Broadcasting Board of Governors…