Rep. Maloney Works to Save Voice of America’s Greek Desk Service

Washington, DC – Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) last week called on House appropriators to restore funding to the Voice of Americaʼs Greek Desk Service, calling it “essential” to an “accurate and balanced message” to audiences abroad. In a letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Chair Rep. Nita Lowey and Ranking Member Rep. Kay Granger, Hellenic Caucus co-chairs Maloney and Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis and eight other caucus members said:

“The Greek Desk Service is an essential communications capability upon which we rely to disseminate an accurate and balanced message to crucial audiences abroad. Losing the service is much more than the loss of an important information link between Greece and America. It is a blow to our broader national security and public diplomacy efforts. Indeed, the elimination of the Greek Desk would be detrimental to the interests of the United States in the eastern Mediterranean. It would remove a dependable and valuable information source, one that projects the best of American journalistic qualities to a vital region and helps to promote American interests and values.”

The AHEPA commended the initiative of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues to generate the support of their colleagues to restore $500,000 in federal funding for the Voice of America Greek Service for Fiscal Year 2010.

“The Greek Service is extremely crucial to the American Hellenic community and to the United Statesʼ interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans,” said National President Ike Gulas. “It plays a significant role in communicating an accurate message to a part of the world that is situated on the doorsteps of the Middle East and the Balkans.”

He added, “We thank the leadership of the Hellenic Caucus for spearheading this initiative. Furthermore, we commend the Hellenic Caucus members who voiced their concern about the elimination of the program. The community is grateful.”

In addition to Hellenic Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Maloney and Bilirakis, Subcommittee on Europe Chairman Robert Wexler (D-FL), Reps. Zack Space (D-OH), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Henry Brown, Jr. (R-SC), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL) co-signed the letter.

In March 2009, Gulas submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, requesting the federal government restore FY10 funding for the Voice of America Greek Service. The testimony has been entered into the Public Record.

“The Greek Service is constantly targeted for elimination and that just doesnʼt make sense,” added Gulas, who said the TV broadcast portion receives a 4.5% viewer rating in Greece, and that combined with radio and the Internet, the Service is viewed or heard by one million persons. Ratings for Cyprus are unable to be surveyed due to improper funding. “It makes it extremely difficult for the Greek Service to plan for the future, secure syndicates overseas, and keep staff when its future is uncertain.”

The last two fiscal years, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs has restored funding for the Greek Service under Rep. Loweyʼs chairmanship.

“We look to the Chairwomanʼs leadership again this year to correct this budget shortfall,” said Gulas. “We deeply appreciate her previous support for this government program.”