WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Bush administration is seeking a $7.3 million funding boost for Voice of America newscasts into Iran and other Muslim countries. The requested increase follows a proposed 10 percent increase in the president's fiscal 2006 budget, which is one of the largest for any federal agency in percentage terms, the Washington Times said. It would push the broadcasting service's budget to $652 million -- a 45 percent increase since 2001.
"It's important to remember that in the decade following the end of the Cold War, U.S. spending for international broadcasting was slashed a very real 40 percent," said Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which operates all of the government's non-military international broadcasting. "Now, thanks to President Bush and key supporters in Congress, we are rebuilding from a depleted base and working to get back to where we should be." According to VOA plans, the supplemental-funding bill will allow its Persian-language satellite-TV programs to expand from daily half-hour broadcasts to one hour "News and Views" newscasts that will be repeated and updated throughout the day. |