Broadcasting Board of Governors, which houses propaganda units of the US government, today opted for a lower key executive than the exited Andy Lack of NBC News to counter successful propaganda flowing from Vladimir Putin to justify his land grab of Crimea and occupation of eastern Ukraine, and the ISIS terror organization. The BBG made a dicey call.

It's downright baffling that the world's most sophisticated social media country cannot defeat the lies and distortions spread by Putin and recruiting efforts of ISIS.

The DC-based BBG didn't look too far to find John Lansing, who resigned today after a two-year run as head of the Cable and Telecommunications Marketing Assn. of National Harbor (MD). CTAM lauded Lansing's TV Everywhere Initiative and his moves to strengthen the lobbying organization's value to members.

Earlier, Lansing helmed Scripps Networks Interactive and its family of cable stations such as the Cooking Chanel, HGTV, DIY and Great American Country.

Obviously, Lansing is a good lobbyist and effective business executive. His resume makes that clear.

But taking on the killers of ISIS and the illusory world of Putin that has captured Russia and fostered dangerous anti-Western paranoia requires steely and cutthroat leadership.

More challenges are on the way for the US as China revs up its global media enterprise.

This blogger would have preferred a high-profile media firebrand guiding BBG units such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting.

A younger version of Ted Turner or an Americanized Rupert Murdoch or Richard Branson would be among my candidates for the BBG post.

Good luck, Mr. Lansing.