"[Cold War Radio is an] insightful, absorbing account."—Martha Bayles, Wall Street Journal
"Mark Pomar's stellar career in the Soviet and post-Soviet world makes him an ideal teller of this compelling story."—Eric Rubin, Foreign Service Journal
"Today, there are many calls for the United States to revive its political warfare capabilities and respond to challenges from China, Russia, and elsewhere. Cold War Radio is the first study policymakers should consult."—Gregory Mitrovich, Russian Review
"Mark Pomar's book Cold War Radio . . . is, in my view, the first serious attempt at an unbiased presentation of the World War II and Cold War-era history of the U.S. government-funded and managed Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasting."—Tadeusz "Ted" Lipien, Ted's From America Newsletter
“This well-researched, well-written book couldn’t be more timely and important. Not only does it show how the wide-ranging, oft-sophisticated programming of these stations played a critical role in undermining the Soviet Union, it also gives a needed appreciation of Russian history and culture. Very crucially, you’ll understand that while Putin’s rise was not inevitable, it did combine very real elements of Russia’s past.”—Steve Forbes, editor of Forbes magazine and former chair of the Board for International Broadcasting
“Mark Pomar is almost unique in his length of service and variety of roles and experiences on the inside of U.S. international broadcasting. He has ‘made the sausage’ and seen it made from many angles. Pomar’s critique of the Soviet system and some aspects of Russian behavior is infused with respect for Russia that reflects a certain optimism that, for all its faults and challenges, Russia is a country with enormous potential for growth and improvement.”—Jeffrey Trimble, former deputy director of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and former assistant managing editor and Moscow bureau chief at U.S. News & World Report
“Mark Pomar’s book provides an important piece of the Cold War history puzzle. It’s media, politics, culture, and the story of the war of ideas told by someone who was on the inside—a useful and important book for students, historians, and policymakers.”—Jeffrey Gedmin, CEO and editor in chief of American Purpose
“Of all the books that have been written about Cold War broadcasting this trenchant analysis by Mark Pomar of the Russian language programs of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is the first of its kind. It provides invaluable insights into what actually went on the air. It deftly compares and contrasts the Russian language program content of VOA and RFE/RL and confirms their essential complementary roles in Cold War broadcasting to the USSR.”—R. Eugene Parta, author of Discovering the Hidden Listener: An Assessment of Radio Liberty and Western Broadcasting to the USSR During the Cold War
