Radio operator Free Europe

See also: RFL , RL

Radio operator Free Europe/Radio Liberty ( RFE/RL ) is a radio and a private group of communication financed by the Congrès of the United States. The organization exists in Europe and in the Middle East. It diffuses 1037 hours of programs per week (figure of 2005) in 28 languages by short waves, medium waves, FM and Internet.

History

Beginnings

The National Committee for has Free Europe (National committee for Free Europe) is founded in June 1949 with New York. Radio Free Europe, who is as of this moment a deprived radio, depends then on this organization. The head office of Radio operator Free Europe is installed with Munich and diffuse for the first time the July 4th 1950 in Short waves for the Czechoslovakia. The organization receives its funds of the Congress of the United States via the CIA, but also of the private financings. In 1971 the CIA ceases financing Radio Free Europe, who is placed under the monitoring of Board for International Broadcasting (B.I.B.), whose members are named by the US president.

After fusion with Radio operator Liberty

October 1st 1976 Radio Free Europe amalgamates with another organization financed by the congress, Radio Liberty, founded in 1951 by American Committee for the Liberation off the Peoples off Russia (American Committee for the Release of the People of Russia). Also the new entity changes its name to become Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The Soviet authorities regularly try to scramble the signals of Radio operator Free Europe until in 1988. Of 1985 with 1993 Radio Free Europe also managed Radio Free Afghanistan.

The fall of the Soviet Union involves the reduction of the budget of Radio operator Free Europe which passes from 227 to 75 million dollars in 1993. In 1994 Radio operator Free Europe/Radio Liberty passes under the monitoring of the Broadcasting Board off Governors, whose members are named by the president of the United States. The seat of the station is moved towards Prague in 1995 and many removed European emissions (for example: Polish in 1997), except those of the Slavic department of the South. In addition its activity increases in the Middle East: Radio operator Free Iraq and Radio Farda (intended for the Iran) is founded in 1998, a service is launched to the Kosovo in 1999 and Radio Free Afghanistan ressuscite in 2002.

Organization

Statute

Radio Free Europe is a private company, but its financing comes from the American Congress. The station is supervised by the Broadcasting Board off Governors (B.B.G.), an organization of State whose members are named by the president of the United States. The B.B.G comprises people chosen among the Republicans and the Democrats.

Objectives

The original objective of Radio operator Free Europe was to fight Communism by diffusing programs towards the countries of the Soviet block. The goals asserted by the radio are 5:
  • To provide information and analyzes which are important for the democratic transformations and of economic liberalization
  • Renforcer the companies civilesen putting the democratic values ahead.
  • To fight religious or ethnic intolerance.
  • To establish a model for the media buildings, to take part in the creation of a professional journalism and to develop partnerships with local mediums.
  • To tie bonds between the areas covered by Radio operator Free Europe and the democratic countries.

Budget

Although R.F.E is a privately held company, it is financed by the American Senate. The budget knows a first reduction in 1993. By 1998 with 1999 it increases, then decreases and stagnates in 2000 and 2001. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 encourage the US government to make an abroad diffusing financial effort for the organizations: the budget of Radio operator Free Europe thus passes from 67,9 to 79,127 million dollars in 2002. Indeed the station does not diffuse only in Europe, but also in Asia and in the Middle East. The budget again decreases in 2003 and 2004, to grow slightly in 2005.

Diffused languages

Here an not-exhaustive list of the languages diffused by Radio operator Free Europe: Afghan, Albanian, Arab, Azeri, Bashkir, Belorusse, Bosnian, Tatar of the Crimea, Géorgien, Kazakh, Kyrghiz, Macedonian, Roumanian (Moldavie), Persan, Rumanian (Romania), Russian, Serb, Inhabitant of Tajik, Tatar, Turkmène, Ukrainian, Uzbek.

Employees

In 2005 Radio Free Europe counted 512 collaborators, of which the number decreases since the peak of 2002 and 2003 (respectively 593 and 602 employees), while remaining higher at the level observed at the end of the years 1990.

Participation in other projects

The station strongly takes part in the existence of certain radios. It is the case of Radio Free Afghanistan, subsidiary of R.F.E. Radio Free Europe also manages with Voice off America the station Radio Farda which diffuses into Persan bound for the Iran.

Personalities of Radio operator Free Europe

  • Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - Director of the Polish section: 1952-1976.
  • Zdzisław Najder - director of the Polish section: 1982-1987.
  • Jan Zaprudnik - director of the Belorusse section in the years 1970.
  • Kevin Klose - Director of RFE/RL between 1994 AND 1997. Director of NPR.

See too

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