• Submitted by: manso
• Politics and Government
• 09 / 17 / 2010

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Friday, September 17, 2010. WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Dick Lobo, a Tampa native who ran WEDU-Ch. 3, to be director of the International Broadcasting Bureau. "I'm delighted and honored," said Lobo, 73.

Lobo will directly oversee Voice of America and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which includes Radio and TV Marti. He ran the Cuba office from 1994-95 under President Bill Clinton.

Radio and TV Marti draw a lot of political attention and funding has been a hot issue for lawmakers. Critics say the stations are often jammed by the Cuban government and are a waste of money.

Lobo pointed to the much broader scope of the International Broadcasting Bureau, which is part of the Broadcasting Board of
Governors. The BBG, as it is known, distributes programs in 59 languages and includes Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks — Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television.

"We're trying to get out unfettered news and information about what our country's role in the world is," Lobo said.

Lobo, who now lives in Sarasota but has moved into an apartment in Washington, ran the Tampa PBS station WEDU-Ch. 3 for eight years until stepping down in May.

By Alex Leary, Times Staff Writer

Source: http://blogs.tampabay.com/  www.tampabay.com/