U.S. International Broadcasting: Strategic Planning and Performance Management System Could Be Improved
NSIAD-00-222
Published: Sep 27, 2000. Publicly Released: Sep 27, 2000.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined whether the Broadcasting Board of Governors: broadcasters (1) responded to the specific limitations and cost-cutting expectations regarding Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's operations; (2) implemented an annual language service review process; and (3) instituted a strategic planning and performance management system.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Agency for Global Media | To strengthen the Board's oversight and provide greater assurance that international broadcasting funds are being effectively expended, the Chairman, Broadcasting Board of Governors should include in the Board's performance plan a clearer indication of how its broadcast mission, strategic objectives, performance goals, and performance indicators relate to each other and establish an audience and other goals, as appropriate at the individual language service level. |
Closed – Implemented
The Board recently revised its performance planning and reporting system to focus on its primary strategic goal which is to reach large audiences in key strategic areas such as the Middle East. The Board has also begun to develop performance plans at the language service level which include audience size as a key performance indicator.
|
| U.S. Agency for Global Media | To strengthen the Board's oversight and provide greater assurance that international broadcasting funds are being effectively expended, the Chairman, Broadcasting Board of Governors, should include implementation strategies and related resource requirements in its performance plan. |
Closed – Implemented
While the Board's performance plan does not include details on key implementation strategies and resource requirements, the Board's annual language service review process provides an effective forum for considering these strategies and related resource requirements.
|
| U.S. Agency for Global Media | To strengthen the Board's oversight and provide greater assurance that international broadcasting funds are being effectively expended, the Chairman, Broadcasting Board of Governors, should analyze overseas news-gathering networks across its broadcast entities to determine if resources could be more effectively deployed. |
Closed – Not Implemented
Status activity requested, no response to date.
|
| U.S. Agency for Global Media | To strengthen the Board's oversight and provide greater assurance that international broadcasting funds are being effectively expended, the Chairman, Broadcasting Board of Governors, should institute a standardized approach to conducting program quality assessments and require that program reviews produce a detailed action plan that responds to specific audience size and composition targets established at the Results Act and annual language service review level. |
Closed – Implemented
The Board standardized its program review processes by instituting language service performance plans with audience targets and by requiring that program reviews produce action plans keyed to audience size targets. These changes have helped ensure that the key components of the Board's strategic planning and performance management system are focused on the Board's new strategic objective of reaching large audiences in areas of key strategic interest to the United States.
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Topics
Broadcasting standardsBudget cutsCost controlDigital broadcastingForeign languagesInternational relationsPerformance managementPerformance measuresPublic diplomacyRadio broadcastingStrategic planningInternational broadcasting