U.S.-FUNDED RADIO LIBERTY REMOVES GENOCIDE DENIAL REPORT AFTER PROTESTS

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Published: Monday May 03, 2010

RFE/RL logo at its Prague headquarters. Wikimedia

Prague – On April 22, 10 p.m., Moscow time, Russian Service of
the Prague-based Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
aired an extensive report by its Istanbul correspondent, "Why so
many historians in Turkey study the issue of Armenian Genocide". The
broadcast presented only Turkish views that deny the notion, scope and
character of genocide to Armenian national tragedy, the Prague-based
Caucasus and Eastern Europe Information Center () reported
in its April 29 press release.

The report from Istanbul was not challenged, balanced or moderated
either by accompanying presentation of Armenian position or the
attitude of numerous national parliaments that officially recognize
the extermination of 1.5 million Armenian residents of Ottoman Empire
in 1915-1923 as the Armenian Genocide. The text of the broadcast
was placed in Russian on RFE/RL Internet site. The broadcast itself,
despite the incoming protests from listeners and readers, was repeated
twice also the next day, April 23 – at 1 a.m. and 3 p.m., Moscow time.

On April 24, millions of Armenians mourned their dead commemorating the
95th anniversary of the Genocide. Around the world, in countries of
Armenian Diaspora, they were joined by leading politicians, members
of human rights organizations, deputies of national parliaments,
prominent state and public officials, simply neighbors and friends.

As part of its April 24 coverage, RFE/RL’s Russian service also
issued brief reports on commemorative events held in Yerevan, Moscow,
Istanbul and Washington, as well as a longer story about arguments
for and against U.S. recognition of the Genocide. RFE/RL’s Armenian
service provided more extensive coverage.

RFE/RL is financed by taxpayers’ dollars via BBG, Federal Broadcasting
Board of Governors, overseeing all U.S. non-military broadcasters (2010
fiscal year budget was $733 million with $770 million requested for
2011). Hillary Clinton, as the Secretary of State, is simultaneously
the member of both BBG and RFE/RL Board of Directors.

Only April 26, under the avalanche of indignant messages from the
audience, the transcript of Istanbul feed, together with listeners’
letters, was removed from RFE/RL Internet site. RFE/RL offered no
further comment on the controversial report or its decision to pull it.