The Noble Mission of Radio Free Europe/Radio

Helle Dale / August 19, 2010

In the age of media saturation and extravagant federal budget deficits, the question does comes up: Why does the United States need to spend some $750 million on international broadcasting every year? As with every taxpayer dollar spent, this  question deserves an answer, and rarely has a more eloquent one been provided than the statement by expert communicator P.J. O’Rourke on the World Affairs Journal’s Editor’s blog.

P. J. O’Rourke was a recent guest of Radio Free Europe in Prague, and recounted in the blog some of his thoughts on RFE/RL’s mission to foster what he calls the Attitude of Liberty—the feeling of having “some knowledge, some understanding, and therefore some control, if only control over one’s own ideas.” In short, to provide free speech and information to peoples to whom it is denied. (more…)