Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the ranking Republican member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has done something remarkable: issued an honest appraisal of America’s public diplomacy broadcasting. That the report has found U.S. efforts flawed is no surprise, but the willingness of Senator Lugar to publicly state this is welcome relief after so many government efforts to paint a ridiculously optimistic picture of U.S. public diplomacy achievements.

Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the ranking Republican member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has done something remarkable: issued an honest appraisal of America's public diplomacy broadcasting.

The Israeli government is looking into creating an international news channel, a lawmaker said. The channel would present Israel’s perspective on the news, Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein told the Jerusalem Post.

Three new radio programs, Daybreak Asia, Crossroads Asia, and Middle East Monitor, focus on key developments in each region... Another program, International Edition, provides lively, fast-paced world news coverage, and American Café brings you stories about life in the United States.

State-owned broadcaster CCTV continues to launch foreign-language channels but their reach and influence are limited. The same is true for the news agency Xinhua, which is expanding its overseas footprint but is still a small and not especially well-regarded player in the global news world.

Radio and TV Marti, the U.S. government-sponsored broadcasts to Cuba, have failed to make an impact on the communist-led island and sometimes show a pro-Cuban bias in news reporting, a new Senate report said on Monday.

The BBG, an independent federal agency with a budget of more than $750 million, is tasked with overseeing U.S. government information services including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Free Asia.