§ 6202. — Standards and principles.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC6202]
TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
CHAPTER 71--UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
Sec. 6202. Standards and principles
(a) Broadcasting standards
United States international broadcasting shall--
(1) be consistent with the broad foreign policy objectives of
the United States;
(2) be consistent with the international telecommunications
policies and treaty obligations of the United States;
(3) not duplicate the activities of private United States
broadcasters;
(4) not duplicate the activities of government 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, including freedom of
religion.
(b) Broadcasting principles
United States international broadcasting shall include--
(1) news which is consistently reliable and authoritative,
accurate, objective, and comprehensive;
(2) a balanced and comprehensive projection of United States
thought and institutions, reflecting 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 objectives during crises abroad;
(5) programming to meet needs which remain 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 prevented by censorship or repression from
speaking 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 section; and
(10) training and technical support for independent indigenous
media through government agencies or private United States entities.
(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)
broadcasts:
(1) VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative
source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and
comprehensive.
(2) VOA will represent America, not any single segment of
American society, and will therefore present a balanced and
comprehensive 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
opinion on these policies.
(Pub. L. 103-236, title III, Sec. 303, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 433;
Pub. L. 103-415, Sec. 1(p), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4301; Pub. L. 105-
277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XIII, Sec. 1323(d), Oct. 21, 1998, 112
Stat. 2681-778; Pub. L. 105-292, title V, Sec. 502, Oct. 27, 1998, 112
Stat. 2811.)
Amendments
1998--Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 105-292 added par. (8).
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 105-277, Sec. 1323(d)(1), which directed
amendment of par. (3) by inserting ``, including 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, Sec. 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).
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 Effective Date note under section
6531 of this title.
Broadcasting Information on States
Pub. L. 105-277, div. G, subdiv. B, title XXIV, Sec. 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 broadcasts shall include--
``(1) information on the products, tourism, and cultural 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 Broadcasting Board of Governors of the
United States Information Agency shall submit a report to Congress
detailing 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 territory of the United States.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 6204 of this title.
