The bipartisan Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) oversees all U.S. government and government-sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting. This includes the activities of the five U.S. international broadcasting services: The Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio and TV Marti, WORLDNET Television, and Radio Free Asia (RFA) as well as the support and oversight activities of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

The Boardcasting Board of Governors (BBG) was created with the passage of the U.S. International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-236). The BBG Board serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the BBG broadcasters.

"It is our responsibility to serve as a firewall between the international broadcasters and the policy-making institutions in the foreign affairs community, both in here in Washington and overseas. This is a responsibility we take very seriously. Because at the end of the day, it is precisely by providing accurate news and information - sought and trusted by people around the world - that we earn and keep our credibility."

- BBG Chairman, Marc B. Nathanson

The BBG Board is also charged with evaluating the mission and operation of U.S. international broadcasters, in order to ensure compliance with statutory broadcasting standards; to assess quality and effectiveness, to determine the addition and deletion of language services; and to submit annual reports to the President and Congress.

The Board is composed of nine bipartisan members with expertise in the fields of journalism, broadcasting, and public and international affairs. Eight members are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The ninth, an ex-officio member, is the Secretary of State. The current members of the Board are: Marc B. Nathanson, Chairman; Tom C. Korologos; Edward E. Kaufman; Norman J. Pattiz; Robert M. Ledbetter, Jr.; Cheryl Halpern; and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.

Marc B. Nathanson, Chairman

Mr. Nathanson is Vice Chairman of Charter Communications, which is the nation's fourth largest cable television operator and serves more than six million subscribers throughout the United States. Mr. Nathanson is a 30-year veteran of the cable TV industry and was elected a member of "Cable Pioneers" in 1982. He also serves on the boards of the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California and UCLA's Anderson School of Management and is Chairman of UCLA's Center for Communications Policy.  He is also Chairman of Mapleton Investments LLC and Mapleton Capital Management LLC.  Mr. Nathanson is a former member of the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Tom C. Korologos

Mr. Korologos is the President of Timmons & Company, a government relations consulting firm. A former journalist in Salt Lake City and New York City, he previously served as the Chairman of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy and as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Media Fund.  He is the former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Wallace F. Bennett and a White House Assistant to Presidents Nixon and Ford. 

Edward E. Kaufman

Mr. Kaufman is President of Public Strategies, a political and management consulting firm in Wilmington, Delaware.  In addition, he is a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law and the Fuqua School of Business.  Mr. Kaufman was formerly the Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Joseph Biden.

Norman J. Pattiz

Mr. Pattiz is founder and Chairman of Westwood One, America=s largest radio network. Westwood One owns, manages or distributes the NBC Radio Network, CBS Radio Network, the Mutual Broadcasting System, CNN Radio, Fox Radio Network, Metro Networks, Metro Traffic and Shadow Traffic. He serves as a member of the University of California's Board of Regents and a commission on California's 21st Century Infrastructure Commission. Mr. Pattiz received an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University. Mr. Pattiz is a past president and executive board member of Broadcast Education Association and a trustee of the Museum of Television & Radio and the Hollywood Radio & Television Society. Mr. Pattiz is the primary benefactor of the Hamilton High Academy of Music and the Norman J. Pattiz Concert Hall.

Robert M. Ledbetter, Jr.

Mr. Ledbetter is Vice President and General Manager of WTVA Inc.,which operates WTVA TV and has programming or sales agreements with WLOV TV and WKDH TV in Tupelo, Mississippi. He also is Vice President of WMDN Inc., which operates WMDN TV and has a local marketing agreement with WGBC TV in Meridian, Mississippi. He also serves on the Board of Directors BlueCross BlueShield of Mississippi. Mr. Ledbetter is chairman of the Tupelo Symphony Orchestra and serves on the board of directors of numerous civic organizations. He began his career as an announcer on WAMY in Amory, Mississippi, and later became a news director and news anchor at television stations in Meridian, Jackson and Tupelo, Mississippi before assuming television management responsibilities in 1978.

Cheryl Halpern

Ms. Halpern has participated extensively in community activities on the national, state, and local levels. She serves on the Boards of the International Republican Institute and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.  She also serves as the Chairperson of the B'nai B'rith International United Nations Committee.  From 1990 to 1995, Ms. Halpern served as a member of the Board for International Broadcasting, the predecessor to the Broadcasting Board of Governors. 

Colin L. Powell

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell serves as an ex-officio member of the bipartisan Board.

General Powell was the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and served as National Security Advisor under President Reagan. A decorated veteran of the United States Army, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam.  General Powell served as executive assistant in both the Energy and Defense Departments and as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger.  He retired from the U.S. Army in 1993. 

In 1997, General Powell helped found America's Promise, an organization dedicated to building the character and competence of the nation's youth. He currently serves as chairman of the organization, as well as serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of Howard University, and of the Board of Directors of United Negro College Fund.

* Two seats on the Board are currently vacant.