22 U.S.C. § 6202 — Standards and principles

Page 1766 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 6202 Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE OF 2009 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title XII, § 1261, Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2553, as amended by Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, § 1075(d)(19), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4374, provided that: ‘‘This subtitle [subtitle D (§§ 1261–1266) of title XII of div. A of Pub. L. 111–84, enacting provisions set out as notes under section 6204 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Victims of Iranian Censorship Act’ or the ‘VOICE Act’.’’ SHORT TITLE OF 2002 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 107–148, § 1, Mar. 11, 2002, 116 Stat. 64, provided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting section 6215 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Radio Free Afghanistan Act’.’’ SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 103–236, title III, § 301, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 432, provided that: ‘‘This title [enacting this chapter, amending sections 1465b, 1465c, and 2873 of this title and section 5315 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and repealing sections 1463, 2871 to 2877, and 2878 to 2883 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 2871 of this title] may be cited as the ‘United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994’.’’ § 6202. Standards and principles (a) Broadcasting standards United States international broadcasting shall— (1) be consistent with the broad foreign pol- icy objectives of the United States; (2) be consistent with the international tele- communications policies and treaty obliga- tions of the United States; (3) not duplicate the activities of private United States broadcasters; (4) not duplicate the activities of govern- ment supported broadcasting entities of other democratic nations; (5) be conducted in accordance with the highest professional standards of broadcast journalism; (6) be based on reliable information about its potential audience; (7) be designed so as to effectively reach a significant audience; and (8) promote respect for human rights, includ- ing freedom of religion. (b) Broadcasting principles United States international broadcasting shall include— (1) news which is consistently reliable and authoritative, accurate, objective, and com- prehensive; (2) a balanced and comprehensive projection of United States thought and institutions, re- flecting the diversity of United States culture and society; (3) clear and effective presentation of the policies of the United States Government and responsible discussion and opinion on those policies, including editorials, broadcast by the Voice of America, which present the views of the United States Government; (4) the capability to provide a surge capacity to support United States foreign policy objec- tives during crises abroad; (5) programming to meet needs which re- main unserved by the totality of media voices available to the people of certain nations; (6) information about developments in each significant region of the world; (7) a variety of opinions and voices from within particular nations and regions pre- vented by censorship or repression from speak- ing to their fellow countrymen; (8) reliable research capacity to meet the criteria under this section; (9) adequate transmitter and relay capacity to support the activities described in this sec- tion; and (10) training and technical support for inde- pendent indigenous media through govern- ment agencies or private United States enti- ties. (c) Voice of America broadcasts The long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world by radio. To be effective, the Voice of America must win the attention and respect of listeners. These principles will therefore govern Voice of America (VOA) broad- casts: (1) VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehen- sive. (2) VOA will represent America, not any sin- gle segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehen- sive projection of significant American thought and institutions. (3) VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opin- ion on these policies. (Pub. L. 103–236, title III, § 303, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 433; Pub. L. 103–415, § 1(p), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4301; Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XIII, § 1323(d), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–778; Pub. L. 105–292, title V, § 502, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2811; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, § 1299Q(b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4021.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, § 1299Q(b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4021, which directed amendment of this section and was not executed, was itself amended by Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title XIII, § 1301, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2158, to make it effective 90 days after Jan. 1, 2021. However, the amendment by Pub. L. 116–260 could not be executed because it was enacted before the provision from Pub. L. 116–283 that it amended. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(b)(1), which directed insertion of ‘‘, including editorial independ- ence’’ in subsec. (a) ‘‘before the semicolon at the end’’, was not executed because subsec. (a) contains 6 pars. that have a semicolon at the end and the probable in- tent of Congress could not be determined. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(b)(2), which di- rected amendment of subsec. (b) by inserting ‘‘, including editorial independence,’’ after ‘‘pro- graming’’, was not executed because the word ‘‘pro- graming’’ did not appear and the word ‘‘programming’’ at the beginning of par. (5) could not be clearly identi- fied as the intended target. 1998—Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 105–292 added par. (8). Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1323(d)(1), which di- rected amendment of par. (3) by inserting ‘‘, including Page 1767 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 6203 editorials, broadcast by the Voice of America, which present the views of the United States Government’’ after ‘‘policies’’, was executed by making insertion after ‘‘policies’’ the second time it appears to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Subsec. (b)(4) to (10). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1323(d)(2), (3), added par. (4) and redesignated former pars. (4) to (9) as (5) to (10), respectively. 1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–415 added subsec. (c). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1998 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective Oct. 1, 1999, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an Effec- tive Date note under section 6531 of this title. BROADCASTING INFORMATION ON STATES Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. B, title XXIV, § 2420, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–835, provided that: ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Voice of America shall devote programming each day to broadcasting information on the individual States of the United States. The broad- casts shall include— ‘‘(1) information on the products, tourism, and cul- tural and educational facilities of each State; ‘‘(2) information on the potential for trade with each State; and ‘‘(3) discussions with State officials with respect to the matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2). ‘‘(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 21, 1998], the Broad- casting Board of Governors of the United States Infor- mation Agency shall submit a report to Congress de- tailing the actions that have been taken to carry out subsection (a). ‘‘(c) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘State’ means any of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth or ter- ritory of the United States.’’ § 6203. Establishment of the Chief Executive Offi- cer of the United States Agency for Global Media (a) Continued existence within Executive branch The United States Agency for Global Media shall continue to exist within the Executive branch of Government as an entity described in section 104 of title 5. (b) Chief Executive Officer (1) In general The head of the United States Agency for Global Media shall be a Chief Executive Offi- cer, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen- ate. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, until such time as a Chief Executive Offi- cer is appointed and has qualified, the current or acting Chief Executive Officer appointed by the Board may continue to serve and exercise the authorities and powers under this chapter. (2) Term The first Chief Executive Officer appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall serve for an initial term of three years. (3) Compensation A Chief Executive Officer appointed pursu- ant to paragraph (1) shall be compensated at the annual rate of basic pay for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5. (c) Termination of Director of International Broadcasting Bureau Effective on December 23, 2016, the position of the Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau shall be terminated, and all of the re- sponsibilities, offices, authorities, and immuni- ties of the Director or the Agency under this chapter or any other Act or authority before such date shall be transferred or available to, assumed by, or overseen by the Chief Executive Officer, as head of the Agency. (d) Immunity from civil liability Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all limitations on liability that apply to the Chief Executive Officer shall also apply to mem- bers of the boards of directors of RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Asia, the Open Technology Fund, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, or any or- ganization that consolidates such entities when such members are acting in their official capac- ities. (Pub. L. 103–236, title III, § 304, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 434; Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XIII, §§ 1322, 1323(b), (c), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–777, 2681–778; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title V, §§ 502, 504], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–451; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, § 1288(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2548; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, §§ 1299P(c)(1), 1299Q(e)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4020, 4024.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c), was in the original a reference to this Act, and was trans- lated as referring to this title, meaning title III of Pub. L. 103–236, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 432, known as the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994, which is classified principally to this chapter, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. For complete classi- fication of title III to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6201 of this title and Tables. December 23, 2016, and such date, referred to in sub- sec. (c), were in the original ‘‘the date of the enactment of this section’’ and ‘‘such date of enactment’’, respec- tively, and were translated as meaning the date of en- actment of Pub. L. 114–328, which amended this section generally, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. CODIFICATION Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, § 1299Q(e)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4024, which amended this section, was itself amended by Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title XIII, § 1301, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2158, to make it effective 90 days after Jan. 1, 2021. However, the amendment by Pub. L. 116–260 could not be executed because it was en- acted before the provision from Pub. L. 116–283 that it amended. AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(e)(1)(A), substituted ‘‘United States Agency for Global Media’’ for ‘‘Broad- casting Board of Governors’’ in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(e)(1)(B), sub- stituted ‘‘United States Agency for Global Media’’ for ‘‘Broadcasting Board of Governors’’. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(e)(1)(C), sub- stituted ‘‘United States Agency for Global Media’’ for ‘‘Broadcasting Board of Governors’’. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1299Q(e)(1)(D), sub- stituted ‘‘Agency’’ for ‘‘Board’’ in two places.