United States Agency for Global Media

Governor Victor Ashe Visits USIB Bureau in London

June 25, 2013

Governor Victor Ashe Visits USIB Bureau in London
From left to right: Adel Barghouti (VOA business and finance); Bijan Farhoudi (VOA Persian Service correspondent); Iwona Ptaszynska (VOA business and finance); BBG Governor Victor Ashe; Jon Spier (VOA cameraman/editor); Mary Motta (London bureau chief); Jason Godman (radio production editor); Christine Furnell (office manager);
From left to right: Adel Barghouti (VOA business and finance); Bijan Farhoudi (VOA Persian Service correspondent); Iwona Ptaszynska (VOA business and finance); BBG Governor Victor Ashe; Jon Spier (VOA cameraman/editor); Mary Motta (London bureau chief); Jason Godman (radio production editor); Christine Furnell (office manager);

Governor Victor Ashe visited London bureau of U.S. international broadcasting on June 24.

Commenting at the facility that is shared by several broadcasters overseen by the BBG, Ashe said, “I was delighted to visit the VOA London office which also houses personnel from VOA’s Persian Service and Alhurra TV, a component of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. I was impressed by the caliber of the people working there led by Mary Motta as Bureau Chief as well as others like Bijam Farhoodi of the Persian Service. It is the men and women of VOA and other groups who make it happen.  They are great and they perform a valuable service for U.S. international broadcasting.

He added, “I urged them to invite the current chargé d’affairs at the U.S. Embassy and the next U.S. Ambassador to visit the offices which are funded by the U.S. taxpayers. It makes for good relations.”