Richard W. Carlson

Richard W. Carlson is Vice Chairman of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank engaged in the War on Terrorism.

Ambassador Carlson writes a syndicated newspaper column and hosts the Danger Zone radio show on WMAL in Washington, DC. He was formerly the CEO of mBLAST, Inc., an Internet software provider which aggregates and disseminates data for business and industry worldwide. Ambassador Carlson was also a partner in Gately-Carlson, Inc. of Washington, DC, a consulting firm serving international trade and security clients.

He is the former President and CEO of King World Television, a Division of King World Productions formed to locate investment, partnership and production opportunities in public television worldwide. Ambassador Carlson had served as President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

He was the US Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles from 1991-1992. From 1986-1991, he was Director of the Voice of America and Associate Director of the US Information Agency. He was also host of the weekly foreign affairs broadcast, On The Line, and had responsibility for Radio Mart broadcasts to Cuba and all US government TV broadcasts overseas, including the Worldnet TV network and the USIA Television and Film Service.

Ambassador Carlson has spent 30 years in journalism and business. He has received 18 major journalism awards, including three Emmys and the George Foster Peabody Award. His articles have appeared in numerous publications. He has served as a director and trustee of various corporations and foundations. He spent seven years as a banker.

He is married to the former Patricia Caroline Swanson and is the father of Tucker and Buckley Carlson.