Air of Truth

By KIM ANDREW ELLIOTT

Arlington, Va.

WHEN the Voice of America radio service first went on the air in February 1942, it promised German listeners: “The news may be good. The news may be bad. We shall tell you the truth.” Because Voice of America transmitted accurate news even when things were going badly for the Allies, the audience believed its reporting when the tide of the war turned. Telling the truth built credibility, the most vital commodity of international broadcasting.

But in our current war, the Arabic-language television channel financed by our government, Al Hurra, faces Congressional criticism because of its reporting of the news. Over the past year, the station has broadcast a speech by the leader of Hezbollah, excerpts of a speech by a Hamas leader and coverage of a conference in Tehran denying the Holocaust.

Al Hurra is reviewing the newsworthiness of these stories. Whatever the outcome of this investigation, it should not lead to a change in America’s basic approach to international broadcasting, as some members of Congress have proposed.

At a recent subcommittee hearing about Al Hurra, Representative Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana, said: “I believe in a free and independent press. This is, however, a diplomatic mission of the United States of America. And are we communicating in a very practical way to employees down the line that this is not a ‘we report, you decide’ television station?”.....