(a) Audience or audiences refers to foreign audiences overseas, the only audiences to which USAGM is authorized to seek to reach; USAGM or its networks are not authorized to target audiences in the United States, and must take steps set forth in law and regulation to avoid these audiences.

(b) Board refers to the Board of a Network; or the Advisory Board.

(c) Everyone else in the organization in describing a USAGM Network, refers to anyone within a Network who, pursuant to the structure of that Network or the highest standards of professional journalism, would be considered to not be part of the newsroom, i.e., involved with carrying out any aspect of journalism (e.g., the creation, editing, reporting, distributing, etc., of content), and thus outside the firewall. By definition the USAGM CEO is not within a Network.

(d) Network, USAGM-funded Network, or USAGM Network: Refers to the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB); or any other network, broadcaster, or grantee which falls under the Act, or is overseen by USAGM or a USAGM network. It does not include any officer or employee of USAGM not within VOA or OCB, including the Advisory Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

(e) Newsroom refers to the news division of a USAGM-Network. The scope of the news division depends on the structure of the Network. Depending how a Network is organized the head of that Network may or may not be considered to be within the news division. The Board of a Network is considered to be outside the news division. Those within the news division must adhere to the highest professional standards of journalism in carrying out their responsibilities. Even if outside the newsroom, as set forth herein, the head of a network is still required to act in accordance with the highest standards of professional journalism in carrying out their roles with respect to the journalism, and thus ensuring the professional “independence and integrity” of the network.

(f) Highest professional standards of journalism means the highest professional standards in the field of journalism. Each network is required to promulgate, maintain, and abide by a code of journalistic ethics and best practices that fully comports with the highest professional standards in the field of journalism, a violation of which is required to be reported to the Congress, per a recurring provision of the Agency's annual appropriation act.

(g) Highest standards means unless otherwise indicated, refers to “highest professional standards of journalism”

(h) Other applicable authorities includes the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465 et seq.); the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (22 U.S.C. 1465aa et seq.); the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.).

(i) Reputable news organization means a news organization that adheres to the highest professional standards of journalism and has a firewall which insulates the news side of the operation, to ensure that editorial decisions are not influenced in a manner or by factors inconsistent with the highest standards of professional journalism.

(j) USAGM CEO or CEO refers to the CEO authorized under section 304 of the IBA. Until such time as the first Presidentially nominated, senate confirmed CEO is appointed, USAGM CEO shall also refer to the Federal Board.