Tag: Walter Isaacson

Michael Lynton Becomes the BBG’s New Interim Presiding Governor

~ Matt Armstrong ~ 1 Comment

Just in from the Broadcasting Board of Governors:

Washington, DC – Following the departure of Chairman Walter Isaacson, the Broadcasting Board of Governors today unanimously approved BBG member Michael Lynton as its new interim presiding governor.

“It is a pleasure to work with this multi-talented, bipartisan board, and an honor to be elected to help lead the organization,” Lynton said. “We are each committed to the cause of making this agency the best it can be. And with our various strengths and diverse backgrounds, we all bring something to the table.”
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Calling on the BBG to Affirm The Primacy of Good Journalism

~ Alex Belida

By Alex Belida
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) will hold a special telephonic meeting tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 11) to decide on an interim successor to Walter Isaacson to act as “Presiding Governor” of the Agency.  Isaacson, author of the best-selling biography of the late Apple founder Steve Jobs, resigned as Chairman of the BBG on  Jan. 27th, stating he was “taking on another big writing project, so I won’t be able to give the BBG the time it needs and deserves.”

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The Art of the Bio: Jobs is there, but another job isn’t

~ Matt Armstrong

We all forget to put things on our resume.  Before, and indeed after, Walter Isaacson published his bestselling book Steve Jobs, Walter had worked another gig.  He was Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the U.S. Government agency that runs America’s non-military broadcasting, at least until he suddenly resigned before the end of his term, to the surprise of many, write another book.
But interestingly, an email from Walter’s prep school fails to mention his time at the BBG.  Walter’s time at Time and CNN and his books are of course there, but no BBG.

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U.S. international broadcasting needs a new leadership, new plan and more public scrutiny

~ Ted Lipien ~ 4 Comments

By Ted Lipien
The BBG restructuring plan would remove much of U.S. international broadcasting from Congressional and public control and scrutiny. The surrogate broadcasters were created in the first place because there was too much control, centralization, interference, and ineffectiveness at the Voice of America. Their job was to undermine dictatorial regimes. The BBG plan would limit their independence and specialization and puts a premium on centralization and bureaucratic control.

Centralization of management and of news production will undermine the effectiveness of surrogate broadcasters. It will also further weaken the Voice of America, where individual language services have won for themselves considerable editorial freedom. Continue reading “U.S. international broadcasting needs a new leadership, new plan and more public scrutiny
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