The US Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs (also called IIP) describes itself as follows:
| “ | The Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) is the principal international strategic communications service for the foreign affairs community. IIP designs, develops, and implements a variety of information initiatives and strategic communications programs, including Internet and print publications, traveling and electronically transmitted speaker programs, and information resource services. These reach--and are created strictly for--key international audiences, such as the media, government officials, opinion leaders, and the general public in more than 140 countries around the world. [1] | ” |
Among other things, IIP operates the America.gov (Site no longer functional as of March 31, 2011) website to deliver "information about current U.S. foreign policy and about American life and culture."[2]. America.gov is the successor to the USINFO website, although some languages are still available only on USINFO.
The Bureau prides itself on using technology and alliances to improve its effectiveness. The Bureau's products and services--including web sites and other internet services, electronic journals, speaker programs, print publications, and CD-ROMs--uniquely are designed to support the State Department's initiatives, as well as those of other U.S. foreign policy organizations. It also manages Information Resource Centers overseas and offers reference specialists based in Washington, DC, to answer specialized information queries from abroad. The IIP was created from elements of the U.S. Information Agency when it merged with the Department of State on October 1, 1999.
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Operating as a reinvention laboratory through its team-based management structure, the IIP comprises three offices:
The Bureau runs the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program, which selects U.S. experts to deliver lectures, serve as consultants and conduct seminars, either overseas or from the United States via teleconferences. Vice President requested a review of the program after a December 2005 story in which State Department officials said that political litmus tests were being used to weed out speakers critical of the Bush administration.
In September 2006, a report by the department's Inspector General's Office said that U.S. officials screened the public statements and writings of private citizens for criticism of the Bush administration before deciding whether to send them on foreign speaking assignments. The screenings amounted to "virtual censorship" in the State Department's selection of speakers, said the 22-page report.[1]
More to be added