RADIO PROPAGANDA

Leesburg, a town in Loudoun County, provides a textbook example of the Communist Party's mode of operations. Located 40 miles from Washington, Leesburg has old-fashioned streetlamps, brick sidewalks and picket fences, evoking authentic Americana, and seems far from global conflict.

Yet Chinese agents lured Mallory, working out of his Leesburg home, into their spy ring. Separately Chinese officials obtained access to the airwaves of a local radio station.

The Chinese officials bought access to a Leesburg station, WCRW 1190 AM, through a subsidiary company. The 50,000-watt station used to be housed in a low-slung building with plate-glass windows, but the place was sold to a family several years ago.

Under a new style of management, WCRW transmitters were moved to Ashburn, a town closer to Washington. The radio towers are posted on property owned by a company, Loudoun Water, near an installation of China's Zigong Lantern Festival, a travelling exhibit that was open in December. "They wanted a stronger signal," says Kristen Umstattd, a local official, referring to the station owners.

A former CIA analyst who has studied in Taiwan, she says that last year the station owners received permission to expand their programming hours. A station engineer says they now broadcast 24 hours a day. "I hope somebody above my pay grade is paying attention," Umstattd says.

The radio signal is powerful. On a recent Sunday, listeners in Washington learned about Chinese satellites hurling through space and other achievements of the Beijing government. In contrast the news bulletins, which are produced by China Radio International, tended to strike an ominous tone when reporting on the US economy.

In addition, Chinese officials broadcast news bulletins in Philadelphia, Atlanta and other cities, according to Reuters.

The programming of WCRW and the other stations, according to the report, Chinese Influence and American Interests, are part of what is known as the Grand External Propaganda Campaign. Chinese broadcasters say on the station that they're offering listeners in the area "perspective" and "commentary" on news and current events so that people in the US can "learn what China is thinking and saying".