§ 1464a — Broadcasting Board Of Governors Satellite And Television

(a) The Broadcasting Board of Governors is authorized to lease or otherwise acquire time on commercial or United States Government satellites for the purpose of transmitting materials and programs to posts and other users abroad. (b) The Congress finds that the long-term interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world by television. To be effective, the Broadcasting Board of Governors must win the attention and respect of viewers. These principles will therefore govern the television broadcasts of the United States International Television Service: (1) The United States International Television Service will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. The United States International Television Service news will be accurate and objective. (2) The United States International Television Service will represent the United States, not any single segment of American society and will, therefore, present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions. (3) The United States International Television Service will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies. (c) The Broadcasting Board of Governors is authorized to produce, acquire, or broadcast television programs, via satellite, only if such programs— (1) are interactive, consisting of interviews among participants in different locales; (2) cover news, public affairs, or other current events; (3) cover official activities of government, Federal or State, including congressional proceedings and news briefings of any agency of the Executive branch; or (4) are of an artistic or scientific character or are otherwise representative of American culture. (d) When a comparable program produced by United States public or commercial broadcasters and producers is available at a cost which is equal to or less than the cost of production by the United States International Television Service, the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall use such materials in preference to the United States International Television Service produced materials. (1) Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Broadcasting Board of Governors not more than $12,000,000 for the fiscal year 1990 and not more than $12,480,000 for the fiscal year 1991 may be obligated or expended for the United States International Television Service. (2) The Broadcasting Board of Governors shall prepare and submit to the Congress quarterly reports which contain a detailed explanation of expenditures for the United States International Television Service during the fiscal years 1990 and 1991. Such reports shall contain specific justification and supporting information pertaining to all programs, particularly those described in subsection (c)(4), that were produced in-house by the United States International Television Service. Each such report shall include a statement by the Broadcasting Board of Governors that, according to the best information available to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, no comparable United States commercially-produced or public television program is available at a cost which is equal to or less than the cost of production by the United States International Television Service. (3) Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, $1,500,000 for the fiscal year 1990 and $1,500,000 for the fiscal year 1991 shall be available only for the purchase or use of programs produced with grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting or produced by United States public broadcasters.