The American Strategist

Earlier this year the GAO issued a set of recommendations for the Office of Cuban Broadcasting's efforts, among them that the Board "should conduct an analysis of the relative success and return on investment of broadcasting to Cuba, showing the cost, nature of the audience, and challenges--such as jamming and competition--related to each of OCB's transmission methods." Given that even President Obama is monitoring the results of an announced increase in Cubans' access to the internet through post offices--and looking for ways to "support the free flow of information within, from, and to Cuba--this review is very timely. Even in Cuba, to quote from a song that is almost as old as our embargo, the times they are a'changin'.

But according to Senator Russ Feingold, the verdict is already in. He resurrected his legendary predecessor William Proxmire's Golden Fleece Award this week (Sen. Feingold calls his effort Spotlight on Spending). And the inaugural winner of a new generation of projects that fleece the public out of their tax dollars: Radio and TV Marti.

But the failure of Radio and TV Marti is not news, the programs that support them having been derided as "pork barrel sinecures." Today, the Washington Post indicates that some of Radio/TV Marti's studio space may be commandeered to support an expansion of Spanish-language Voice of America broadcasts in Central and South America.

Sen. Feingold expects that this issue will be raised during the consideration of President Obama's nominees for the Public Broadcasting Board of Governors, presumably early in the new year. Given the age of some of the nominees, they may want to keep the discussion focused on the future, rather than the past. Not bad advice when considering Cuba, in any case.

-- Tom Garofalo