International Broadcasting Independent Grantee Organizations
CFDA 90.500 Active
Salaries and Expenses
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Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Latest annual funding (estimated)
$251.4M FY2011
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
FY2010 Each of the three grantee organizations serves a unique geographic region. Their accomplishments in each region are described below:
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): As of March 2010, RFE/RL broadcasts in 28 languages to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe; Russia; the Caucasus; Central Asia; Iraq; Iran; and Afghanistan. Eighteen of RFE/RL's broadcast languages almost two-thirds of the total are directed to countries or regions where the majority populations are Muslim. Each week, RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of radio programming and nearly five hours of television from its operations center in Prague and from its 20 bureaus. During fiscal year 2009, RFE/RL's 20 Internet websites reached a monthly average of over 2.1 million unique visitors, logged nearly 4 million requests to listen to radio content online, and garnered an average of 15.1 million page views each month reflecting increases of 13 percent, 18 percent, and 21 percent respectively over the previous year.
RFE/RL's proximity to its broadcast regions facilitates production of relevant, locally-oriented programming in a cost-efficient manner. As of July 2009, RFE/RL programs were available on 238 local AM, FM, UKV, and TV affiliates across its broadcast region. RFE/RL is increasing delivery of its information products on television, the Internet, and other emerging media in order to attract new audiences and to reach closed and semi-closed societies.
Radio Free Asia (RFA): RFA broadcasts in nine languages and four dialects to China (including Tibet and the Xinjiang Region of Western China), Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam, providing unbiased news to Asian countries that do not tolerate a free press, and filling the news gap created by State-controlled media. Through its network of reporters across Asia and its seven bureaus/offices, RFA frequently leads the world in breaking news and continues to cover stories not reported by other media.
As a multi-media news organization, RFA’s broadcasters focus on developing vibrant, relevant content that meets the demands of its radio audiences and drives visitors to its websites. RFA material can be downloaded to mobile devices, repackaged and republished to circumvent ever increasing censorship, or shared b word-of-mouth.
Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN): MBN is a multimedia broadcasting organization. Its brands currently include Alhurra, Radio Sawa, and Afia Darfur. Alhurra operates three, 24/7 Arabic-language news and information television channels – Alhurra, Alhurra-Iraq, and Alhurra Europe. Radio Sawa broadcasts 24/7 on seven programming streams in the Middle East, and utilizes Web sites as sources of up-to-the-minute news. MBN broadcasts from its headquarters in Northern Virginia, with production outlets in Baghdad, Cairo, Dubai, Beirut, and Jerusalem, and correspondents in the Middle East and around the world.
Alhurra is distributed digitally via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellites used by all major Middle Eastern channels, as well as terrestrial transmitters in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Tikrit and Al Hilla. Alhurra Europe is distributed on Eutelsat Hotbird 8. Alhurra is also streamed on its news and information website at www.alhurra.com.
Radio Sawa can be heard throughout the Middle East through FM and medium wave (AM) transmissions on seven streams including: (1) Iraq (FM and AM); (2) Jordan and the West Bank (FM); (3) the Gulf (FM and AM); (4) Egypt and the Levant (AM); (5) Morocco (FM); (6) Sudan, Djibouti and Yemen (FM and AM); and (7) Lebanon and Syria (FM). Radio Sawa is also streamed on its news and information Web site www.radiosawa.com.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): As of March 2010, RFE/RL broadcasts in 28 languages to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe; Russia; the Caucasus; Central Asia; Iraq; Iran; and Afghanistan. Eighteen of RFE/RL's broadcast languages almost two-thirds of the total are directed to countries or regions where the majority populations are Muslim. Each week, RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of radio programming and nearly five hours of television from its operations center in Prague and from its 20 bureaus. During fiscal year 2009, RFE/RL's 20 Internet websites reached a monthly average of over 2.1 million unique visitors, logged nearly 4 million requests to listen to radio content online, and garnered an average of 15.1 million page views each month reflecting increases of 13 percent, 18 percent, and 21 percent respectively over the previous year.
RFE/RL's proximity to its broadcast regions facilitates production of relevant, locally-oriented programming in a cost-efficient manner. As of July 2009, RFE/RL programs were available on 238 local AM, FM, UKV, and TV affiliates across its broadcast region. RFE/RL is increasing delivery of its information products on television, the Internet, and other emerging media in order to attract new audiences and to reach closed and semi-closed societies.
Radio Free Asia (RFA): RFA broadcasts in nine languages and four dialects to China (including Tibet and the Xinjiang Region of Western China), Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam, providing unbiased news to Asian countries that do not tolerate a free press, and filling the news gap created by State-controlled media. Through its network of reporters across Asia and its seven bureaus/offices, RFA frequently leads the world in breaking news and continues to cover stories not reported by other media.
As a multi-media news organization, RFA’s broadcasters focus on developing vibrant, relevant content that meets the demands of its radio audiences and drives visitors to its websites. RFA material can be downloaded to mobile devices, repackaged and republished to circumvent ever increasing censorship, or shared b word-of-mouth.
Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN): MBN is a multimedia broadcasting organization. Its brands currently include Alhurra, Radio Sawa, and Afia Darfur. Alhurra operates three, 24/7 Arabic-language news and information television channels – Alhurra, Alhurra-Iraq, and Alhurra Europe. Radio Sawa broadcasts 24/7 on seven programming streams in the Middle East, and utilizes Web sites as sources of up-to-the-minute news. MBN broadcasts from its headquarters in Northern Virginia, with production outlets in Baghdad, Cairo, Dubai, Beirut, and Jerusalem, and correspondents in the Middle East and around the world.
Alhurra is distributed digitally via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellites used by all major Middle Eastern channels, as well as terrestrial transmitters in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Tikrit and Al Hilla. Alhurra Europe is distributed on Eutelsat Hotbird 8. Alhurra is also streamed on its news and information website at www.alhurra.com.
Radio Sawa can be heard throughout the Middle East through FM and medium wave (AM) transmissions on seven streams including: (1) Iraq (FM and AM); (2) Jordan and the West Bank (FM); (3) the Gulf (FM and AM); (4) Egypt and the Levant (AM); (5) Morocco (FM); (6) Sudan, Djibouti and Yemen (FM and AM); and (7) Lebanon and Syria (FM). Radio Sawa is also streamed on its news and information Web site www.radiosawa.com.
FY2009 Each of the three grantee organizations serves a unique geographic region. Their accomplishments in each region are described below:
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): As of December 2009, RFE/RL broadcasts in 28 languages to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe; Russia; the Caucasus; Central Asia; Iraq; Iran; and Afghanistan. Eighteen of RFE/RL's broadcast languages almost two-thirds of the total are directed to countries or regions where the majority populations are Muslim. Each week, RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of radio programming and nearly five hours of television from its operations center in Prague and from its 19 bureaus. During fiscal year 2009, RFE/RL's 20 Internet websites reached a monthly average of over 2.1 million unique visitors, logged nearly 4 million requests to listen to radio content online, and garnered an average of 15.1 million page views each month reflecting increases of 13 percent, 18 percent, and 21 percent respectively over the previous year.
RFE/RL's proximity to its broadcast regions facilitates production of relevant, locally-oriented programming in a cost-efficient manner. As of July 2009, RFE/RL programs were available on 238 local AM, FM, UKV, and TV affiliates across its broadcast region. RFE/RL is increasing delivery of its information products on television, the Internet, and other emerging media in order to attract new audiences and to reach closed and semi-closed societies.
Radio Free Asia (RFA): RFA broadcasts in nine languages and four dialects to China (including Tibet and the Xinjiang Region of Western China), Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam, providing unbiased news to Asian countries that do not tolerate a free press, and filling the news gap created by State-controlled media. Through its network of reporters across Asia and its seven bureaus/offices, RFA frequently leads the world in breaking news and continues to cover stories not reported by other media.
As a multi-media news organization, RFA’s broadcasters focus on developing vibrant, relevant content that meets the demands of its radio audiences and drives visitors to its websites. RFA material can be downloaded to mobile devices, repackaged and republished to circumvent ever increasing censorship, or shared b word-of-mouth.
Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN): MBN is a multimedia broadcasting organization. Its brands currently include Alhurra, Radio Sawa, and Afia Darfur. Alhurra operates three, 24/7 Arabic-language news and information television channels – Alhurra, Alhurra-Iraq, and Alhurra Europe. Radio Sawa broadcasts 24/7 on seven programming streams in the Middle East, and utilizes Web sites as sources of up-to-the-minute news. MBN broadcasts from its headquarters in Northern Virginia, with production outlets in Baghdad, Cairo, Dubai, Beirut, and Jerusalem, and correspondents in the Middle East and around the world.
Alhurra is distributed digitally via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellites used by all major Middle Eastern channels, as well as terrestrial transmitters in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Tikrit and Al Hilla. Alhurra Europe is distributed on Eutelsat Hotbird 8. Alhurra is also streamed on its news and information website at www.alhurra.com.
Radio Sawa can be heard throughout the Middle East through FM and medium wave (AM) transmissions on seven streams including: (1) Iraq (FM and AM); (2) Jordan and the West Bank (FM); (3) the Gulf (FM and AM); (4) Egypt and the Levant (AM); (5) Morocco (FM); (6) Sudan, Djibouti and Yemen (FM and AM); and (7) Lebanon and Syria (FM). Radio Sawa is also streamed on its news and information Web site www.radiosawa.com.
See Projection
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): As of December 2009, RFE/RL broadcasts in 28 languages to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe; Russia; the Caucasus; Central Asia; Iraq; Iran; and Afghanistan. Eighteen of RFE/RL's broadcast languages almost two-thirds of the total are directed to countries or regions where the majority populations are Muslim. Each week, RFE/RL broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of radio programming and nearly five hours of television from its operations center in Prague and from its 19 bureaus. During fiscal year 2009, RFE/RL's 20 Internet websites reached a monthly average of over 2.1 million unique visitors, logged nearly 4 million requests to listen to radio content online, and garnered an average of 15.1 million page views each month reflecting increases of 13 percent, 18 percent, and 21 percent respectively over the previous year.
RFE/RL's proximity to its broadcast regions facilitates production of relevant, locally-oriented programming in a cost-efficient manner. As of July 2009, RFE/RL programs were available on 238 local AM, FM, UKV, and TV affiliates across its broadcast region. RFE/RL is increasing delivery of its information products on television, the Internet, and other emerging media in order to attract new audiences and to reach closed and semi-closed societies.
Radio Free Asia (RFA): RFA broadcasts in nine languages and four dialects to China (including Tibet and the Xinjiang Region of Western China), Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam, providing unbiased news to Asian countries that do not tolerate a free press, and filling the news gap created by State-controlled media. Through its network of reporters across Asia and its seven bureaus/offices, RFA frequently leads the world in breaking news and continues to cover stories not reported by other media.
As a multi-media news organization, RFA’s broadcasters focus on developing vibrant, relevant content that meets the demands of its radio audiences and drives visitors to its websites. RFA material can be downloaded to mobile devices, repackaged and republished to circumvent ever increasing censorship, or shared b word-of-mouth.
Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN): MBN is a multimedia broadcasting organization. Its brands currently include Alhurra, Radio Sawa, and Afia Darfur. Alhurra operates three, 24/7 Arabic-language news and information television channels – Alhurra, Alhurra-Iraq, and Alhurra Europe. Radio Sawa broadcasts 24/7 on seven programming streams in the Middle East, and utilizes Web sites as sources of up-to-the-minute news. MBN broadcasts from its headquarters in Northern Virginia, with production outlets in Baghdad, Cairo, Dubai, Beirut, and Jerusalem, and correspondents in the Middle East and around the world.
Alhurra is distributed digitally via Arabsat and Nilesat, the same satellites used by all major Middle Eastern channels, as well as terrestrial transmitters in Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Tikrit and Al Hilla. Alhurra Europe is distributed on Eutelsat Hotbird 8. Alhurra is also streamed on its news and information website at www.alhurra.com.
Radio Sawa can be heard throughout the Middle East through FM and medium wave (AM) transmissions on seven streams including: (1) Iraq (FM and AM); (2) Jordan and the West Bank (FM); (3) the Gulf (FM and AM); (4) Egypt and the Levant (AM); (5) Morocco (FM); (6) Sudan, Djibouti and Yemen (FM and AM); and (7) Lebanon and Syria (FM). Radio Sawa is also streamed on its news and information Web site www.radiosawa.com.
See Projection
FY2011 See FY 2010 description of accomplishments
Program Objective
To promote freedom and democracy and enhance understanding through multimedia communication of accurate, objective, and balanced news, information, and other programming about America and the world to audiences overseas.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Public nonprofits
- Private nonprofits
- Quasi-public nonprofits
Grants are currently only available to three existing nonprofit organizations, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks as identified in authorizing or appropriations language. Grants are not available to State or local governments or the general public.
Beneficiaries
- 16
- 7
Direct beneficiaries of these grants are three nonprofit entities based and incorporated in the United States. The grants allow these three United States-based entities to provide an objective and balanced alternative source of news, opinion, and information related to the U.S. and U.S. policy to overseas populations. Secondary beneficiaries of these grants are overseas listeners who benefit from an alternative news source that provides objective information.
How to Apply
Application Procedure
The grantees submit resource requirements to the BBG for inclusion in the development of the BBG budget estimates. The BBG consolidates this data into the BBG budget submission to OMB and Congress. Upon Congressional approval of the current year appropriation, the grantees submit an annual financial plan described in Reports section.
Award Procedure
At the beginning of the fiscal year, the BBG and the grantee sign an annual grant agreement which thereby grants funds for the planning and operating expenses related to international broadcasting for each grantee. BBG and the grantees also sign grant amendments prepared throughout the fiscal year.
Program details & compliance
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Funding supports the operations of the grantee organizations. The annual appropriation process provides funds and restrictions on fund usage would be identified in the appropriation and authorization law, and in yearly grant agreements each grantee signs.
Reporting & Compliance
Audit Required
Yes
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements