American broadcasters outraged over BBC World Service Trust’s bid for US funding
March 23rd, 2011 - 5:53 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 23 (ANI): Some of America’s rival broadcasters have expressed outrage at the fact that the BBC World Service Trust has applied for the US government funding to help combat censorship in countries like China and Iran.
The US international broadcasters like ‘Voice of America’ are said to be “deeply angry” that, at a time when the Congress is embroiled in a delicate budgetary standoff with the Obama administration, the World Service Trust is hoping to receive US tax dollars, The Guardian reports.
The paper quoted an American source as saying that the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the US government agency that distributes about 760 million dollars of public money annually to five US international broadcasters, should be given the funding and not the BBC.
“We are deeply angry here in the States. The Voice of America is the US government’s international broadcaster and needs support. This is coming at a time when the US government is cutting funding for the BBG as well as National Public Radio and people are angry that money is going to the BBC World Service Trust,” the source said.
“The sums which the trust is now seeking are puny but it’s the symbolism that’s important. Americans are trying to conserve resources and our money is going to something which supports the work of a foreign broadcaster - it’s infuriating,” he added.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has said that no decision has been taken as of now.
Courtney Austrian, office Director, policy planning and public diplomacy at the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, said that the BBC was asked to submit a proposal for the funding along with many other organisations over the issue of internet freedom.
“This invitation was extended based upon a statement of interest the World Service Trust had previously submitted. We have not yet received a full proposal from any organisation and no funding decisions have yet been made,” Austrian added. (ANI)
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