Radio Free Europe began broadcasting in 1950, ostensibly as independent journalism. In reality, it was funded by the CIA through covert channels until the secret was exposed in 1967 by Ramparts magazine. The CIA ended its financing in 1971, transferring control to a public congressional board. The original Radio Free Asia (1951-1953) was a direct CIA operation to broadcast anti-communist propaganda into China. RFE/RL were tools of information warfare presented to the world as independent media — the CIA spent $265 million annually on media influence operations.