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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§1465a Additional Functions of Broadcasting Board of Governors

Title 22 › CHAPTER 18 — UNITED STATES INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS › SUBCHAPTER V–A — RADIO BROADCASTING TO CUBA › § 1465a

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Broadcasting Board of Governors must run radio broadcasts to Cuba that give people open access to clear, trustworthy, and complete news and ideas. These broadcasts must be part of Voice of America and follow VOA rules so programs are fair, accurate, balanced, and show different viewpoints. The broadcasts should use the Marathon, Florida transmitting site and the 1180 AM frequency used before October 4, 1983. Other non‑commercial AM or shortwave frequencies can be used too, but any leased time from nongovernmental stations must include at least 30% regular VOA programs, with extra focus on news and the kinds of programs required by section 1463(2). If 1180 AM faces jamming or interference at least 25% worse than the daily average in the year before September 1, 1983, the Board may lease AM station time (FCC will monitor jamming). If over two hours a day is leased, at least 30% must be regular VOA broadcasts. Any U.S. government radio program to Cuba under these rules must be called “Voice of America: Cuba Service” or “Voice of America: Radio Marti program.” If the Marathon site is knocked out by disaster or illegal damage, other U.S. government transmitters may be used for up to 150 days.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §1465a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Radio broadcasting to Cuba
In order to carry out the objectives set forth in section 1465 of this title, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (hereafter in this subchapter referred to as the “Board”) shall provide for the open communication of information and ideas through the use of radio broadcasting to Cuba. Radio broadcasting to Cuba shall serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of accurate, objective, and comprehensive news.
(b)Broadcasting as part of Voice of America
Radio broadcasting in accordance with subsection (a) shall be part of the Voice of America radio broadcasting to Cuba and shall be in accordance with all Voice of America standards to ensure the broadcast of programs which are objective, accurate, balanced, and which present a variety of views.
(c)Location of broadcast facilities; frequency; leased time from nongovernmental shortwave stations
Radio broadcasting to Cuba authorized by this subchapter shall utilize the broadcasting facilities located at Marathon, Florida, and the 1180 AM frequency that were used by the Voice of America prior to October 4, 1983. Other frequencies, not on the commercial Amplitude Modulation (AM) Band (535 kHz to 1605 kHz), may also be simultaneously utilized: Provided, That no frequency shall be used for radio broadcasts to Cuba in accordance with this subchapter which is not also used for all other Voice of America broadcasts to Cuba. Time leased from nongovernmental shortwave radio stations may be used to carry all or part of the Service programs and to rebroadcast Service programs: Provided, That not less than 30 per centum of the programs broadcast or rebroadcast shall be regular Voice of America broadcasts with particular emphasis on news and programs meeting the requirements of section 1463(2) of this title.
(d)Changes in frequencies to other AM bands; jamming and interference
Notwithstanding subsection (c), in the event that broadcasts to Cuba on the 1180 AM frequency are subject to jamming or interference greater by 25 per centum or more than the average daily jamming or interference in the twelve months preceding September 1, 1983, the Broadcasting Board of Governors may lease time on commercial or noncommercial educational AM band radio broadcasting stations. The Federal Communications Commission shall determine levels of jamming and interference by conducting regular monitoring of the 1180 AM frequency. In the event that more than two hours a day of time is leased, not less than 30 per centum of the programing broadcast shall be regular Voice of America broadcasts with particular emphasis on news and programs meeting the requirements of section 1463(2) 1 of this title.
(e)Voice of America: Cuba Service; Voice of America: Radio Marti program
Any program of United States Government radio broadcasts to Cuba authorized by this section shall be designated “Voice of America: Cuba Service” or “Voice of America: Radio Marti program”.
(f)Use of other facilities
In the event broadcasting facilities located at Marathon, Florida, are rendered inoperable by natural disaster or by unlawful destruction, the Broadcasting Board of Governors may, for the period in which the facilities are inoperable but not to exceed one hundred and fifty days, use other United States Government-owned transmission facilities for Voice of America broadcasts to Cuba authorized by this subchapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Repeal of Section Section repealed upon transmittal of determination by President under section 6063(c)(3) of this title that democratically elected government in Cuba is in power, see section 6037(c) of this title.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1463 of this title, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (d), was repealed by Pub. L. 103–236, title III, § 315(a), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 445. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act which comprises this subchapter, and not as part of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1324(1), (2), substituted “Broadcasting Board of Governors” for “United States Information Agency” and “Board” for “Agency”. Subsecs. (d), (f). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1324(3), substituted “the Broadcasting Board of Governors” for “the Director of the United States Information Agency”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Broadcasting Board of Governors renamed United States Agency for Global Media pursuant to section 6204(a)(21) of this title. The renaming was effectuated by notice to congressional appropriations committees dated May 24, 2018, and became effective Aug. 22, 2018.

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective Oct. 1, 1999, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6531 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 1465a

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110