Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969–1972

91. Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Shakespeare) to the Voice of America, Office of Policy and Plans, and USIA Area Directors¹

Washington, June 9, 1970

INSTRUCTION TO THE VOICE OF AMERICA, IOP, AREA DIRECTORS

In order to carry out most effectively the principles established in the “Directive to the Voice of America” issued in 1959,² VOA is henceforth to be operated in accordance with the following lines of authority over program content:

POLICY GUIDANCE The Office of Policy and Plans is responsible for providing policy guidance and is the sole source of such guidance. VOA is responsible for applying the guidance to its output.

NEWS Content is to be determined by VOA.

BACKGROUNDING, ANALYSIS, AND COMMENTARY Content is to be determined by VOA. It is the intent of this instruction that VOA exercise maximum flexibility to create timely, imaginative, and effective programs.

CONSULTATION There will be frequent consultation among VOA, IOP, the offices of the Area Directors, and field posts to ensure an exchange of information and views leading to most effective implementation of Public Law 402³ and the “Directive.”

Frank Shakespeare

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Research and Assessment, Program Files, 1970–1971, Entry P–226, Box 5, INF–1–14 Executive Committee [2/4]. No classification marking. A notation in an unknown hand in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum indicates that copies were sent to all IOR divisions on June 10.
2. In 1959, Loomis, then VOA Director, worked to develop a statement of principles to govern VOA programming and explain the VOA’s mission. The principles were elucidated in a directive issued by then USIA Director Allen in 1960. For additional information, see Alan Heil, Voice of America, A History, pp. 64–65. Under a June 16 memorandum, O’Brien sent Giddens a copy of Murrow’s December 4, 1962, directive on VOA and Shakespeare’s June 9 memorandum, noting that it was “interesting” to compare the two sets of instructions. O’Brien concluded: “For the record, the original directive to VOA—the one Frank Shakespeare has recently reaffirmed—was approved in 1960, not 1959, according to Lawson.” (National Archives, RG 306, Associate Directorate for Programs, Subject Files of Basic Operating Documents, Entry P–100, Basic Documents 1970) Murrow’s December 1962 directive is in Foreign Relations, 1917–1972, vol. VI, Public Diplomacy, 1961–1963.
3. Reference is to the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (P.L. 80–402), which Truman signed into law on January 27, 1948. The Act, commonly known as the Smith–Mundt Act after Senator H. Alexander Smith (R-New Jersey) and Representative Karl Mundt (R-South Dakota), established guidelines by which the United States conducted public diplomacy overseas.