Reading #1 of 2.
RFE/RL Mission Statement:

The mission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is to promote democratic values and institutions by disseminating factual information and ideas.

From Central Europe to the Pacific, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, from Russia to Central Asia to the Persian Gulf, countries are struggling to overcome autocratic institutions, violations of human rights, centralized economies, ethnic and religious hostilities, regional conflicts, and controlled media.

Stability -- based on democracy and free-market economies -- throughout this region is essential to global peace.Based on the conviction that the first requirement of democracy is a well informed citizenry, and building on nearly a half century of surrogate broadcasting to this region:

1.RFE/RL provides objective news, analysis, and discussion of domestic and regional issues crucial to successful democratic and free-market transformations.

2.RFE/RL strengthens civil societies by projecting democratic values.

3.RFE/RL combats ethnic and religious intolerance and promotes mutual understanding among peoples.

4.RFE/RL provides a model for local media, assists in training to enhance media professionalism and independence, and develops partnerships with local media outlets.

5.RFE/RL fosters closer ties between the countries of the region and the world's established democracies.

Reading #2 of 2.
Ukraine radio station pulls U.S.-funded Radio Liberty off the air

TIM VICKERY, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

(02-17) 11:08 PST KIEV, Ukraine (AP) --

A radio station Tuesday pulled U.S.-funded Radio Liberty from its airwaves beamed across Ukraine, following through on a threat to cancel the program unless it changed its format.

The program's Prague-based director of policy and planning, Jeff Trimble, said the cancellation was politically motivated and the U.S. Embassy said the Bush administration will be "raising concerns" with Ukrainian officials in Kiev and Washington.

Last week, privately owned Radio Dovira sent a letter threatening to deny the Radio Liberty FM airtime unless it made format changes. Radio Dovira had rebroadcast the Radio Liberty's shortwave programming onto more accessible FM frequencies for five years.

After the letter was sent, the U.S. Embassy called the move particularly deplorable so close to upcoming presidential elections. The program is considered to be an independent source of information.

Trimble came to Kiev on Friday to try to resolve the dispute but he said Radio Dovira had refused to talk about its decision.

Alexander Narodetsky, director of Radio Svoboda, Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service, told The Associated Press that the station did not give "any seriously formulated reason" for the cancellation Tuesday.

Radio Liberty's FM band broadcasts will continue on four smaller affiliates, but Narodetsky said they reach "only a very small portion" of its approximately eight million listeners in Ukraine.

Negotiations are underway to find alternative stations, but Narodetsky said he is "very pessimistic" because many now are afraid to associate with the network.

Thomas Dine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president, is expected to come to Kiev on Thursday to try to resolve the dispute.

In a speech before the U.S. Senate last week, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Colorado Republican, said the cancellation would not bode well for democracy in Ukraine.

Opposition leaders, journalists and media outlets say pressure has been mounting ahead of the October elections that will replace two-term President Leonid Kuchma, who has been accused of muzzling the press.

Ukraine's media climate has been tense since the 2000 death of Heorhiy Gongadze, an Internet journalist who crusaded against high-level corruption. His decapitated body was found in a forest outside Kiev.

Opposition groups allege Kuchma was involved in Gongadze's killing. Kuchma denies involvement.