United States Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors Office of Inspector General ISP-I-13-28 Office of Inspections May 2013 –Inspection of the Bureau of International Information Programs –Key Judgments:
- “Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) leadership failed to convey its strategic vision to staff members, despite formalized communications. Leadership created an atmosphere of secrecy, suspicion, and uncertainty.
- A 2011 reorganization of the bureau did not resolve structural problems and caused new organizational difficulties. Morale is low. With effective use of technology, IIP has made a significant contribution to the Department of State’s (Department) digital diplomacy outreach effort, increased the reach of its publications, and expanded the use of video in public diplomacy (PD) work.
- Regularizing support for American Spaces overseas has strengthened these platforms for engagement with foreign publics, a cornerstone of the Department’s 21st century PD effort.
- There has been limited outreach by top leadership to counterparts in the Department or at sister foreign affairs agencies.
- Responsibility for information technology (IT) operations is diffuse, leading to problems of governance and oversight.
- The Executive Office does not provide effective service. Response times to requests are slow, and customer service is inadequate.
- The bureau uses many contractors (43 percent of employees) but does not manage its contracts well. This deficiency constitutes a potential vulnerability for the Department.
- IIP’s digital outreach should focus more on PD goals rather than raw numbers of social media fans.
- The Office of Audience Research and Evaluation is producing little work and is not engaged with either the bureau or other elements of the Department.”
