From Kim_Elliott%AFL%VOA@voa6.voa.gov Wed Oct 27 20:16:11 1993 Received: from relay1.UU.NET by cs.tut.fi with SMTP id AA29994 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for ); Wed, 27 Oct 1993 20:15:51 +0200 Received: from spool.uu.net (via LOCALHOST) by relay1.UU.NET with SMTP (5.61/UUNET-internet-primary) id AA07334; Wed, 27 Oct 93 14:15:09 -0400 Received: from voa3.UUCP by uucp5.uu.net with UUCP/RMAIL (queueing-rmail) id 141302.2598; Wed, 27 Oct 1993 14:13:02 EDT Received: from voa6.VOA.GOV by VOA.GOV (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA09544; Wed, 27 Oct 93 14:10:11 EDT Message-Id: <9310271810.AA09544@VOA.GOV> Date: 27 Oct 93 14:02:07 From: Kim_Elliott@afl.voa.gov Subject: VOA at a Glance Reply-To: Kim_Elliott@afl.voa.gov To: VOA-Info@bops.voa.gov Cc: Kim_Elliott@afl.voa.gov Status: RO Let9s begin VOA Info with some general information about the Voice of America: VOICE OF AMERICA AT A GLANCE "VOA played a critical role, especially during 1990D1991, as the communist regime began to unravel. On Voice of America, we heard about the revolution in Eastern Europe as well as about internal developments in our own country. The role of this radio station was vital in the democratization of Albania. Through interviews that VOA conducted with prominent personalities in Albania, we heard the first public criticism of the communist regime from within Albania. At the time when VOA broadcasts in A would begin, the entire streets of Tirana, for example, were empty. Everyone, even in the villages, would go home to listen to Voice of America." Dr. Aleksander Meksi Prime Minister of Albania, during visit to VOA Telling America's Story Every week tens of millions of listeners around the world tune their radios to the Voice of America. They know that they can rely on VOA for the most upDtoDdate and accurate news possible. News and newsDrelated programs account for a major portion of VOA's broadcast schedule. In addition, the Voice of America also broadcasts many feature programs covering such topics as economics, science, medicine, technology, agriculture, and music. Today, VOA produces and broadcasts programs on shortwave in 46 languages, including English. Two feed servicesDDGreek and ThaiDDprovide placement programs to local stations. VOA's Language Services Albanian Farsi Polish Amharic French Portuguese Arabic Georgian Romanian Armenian Hausa Russian Azerbaijani Hindi Serbian Bangla Hungarian Slovak Bulgarian Indonesian Slovene Burmese Khmer Somali Cantonese Korean Spanish Creole Kurdish Swahili Croatian Lao Tibetan Czech Latvian Turkish Dari Lithuanian Ukrainian English Mandarin Urdu Estonian Pashto Uzbek Vietnamese The Voice of America is the international broadcast service of the U.S. Information Agency. USIA was established in 1953 to carry out the overseas information and cultural exchange programs of the U.S. government. USIA maintains a global radio and television broadcast operation through its Bureau of Broadcasting. The Bureau includes the Voice of America, WORLDNET Television and Film Service, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Marti). Covering the News Every day, reporters in VOA's central newsroom and correspondents at 25 news bureaus throughout the world write an average of 180 news stories. PartDtime reportersDDknown as "stringers"DDfile in English and many of VOA's other languages, broadening the range of breaking stories. VOA has established news bureaus in Abidjan, Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Bonn, Cairo, Chicago, Geneva, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, San Jose, Tokyo, and Vienna. VOA also operates a program center in Amman, Jordan. Broadcast Complex VOA produces all programming at its Washington, D.C., headquarters, which is equipped with 34 studios, a 150Dchannel master control, and two centers to record reports from VOA correspondents around the world. Relay Stations The Voice of America sends programs from its Washington studios to its relay (transmitter) stations via satellite. Here, shortwaveDDand sometimes medium waveDDtransmitters broadcast VOA programs to listeners worldwide. Currently, VOA operates 13 relay stations. These are located in Belize, Botswana, Germany, Greece (Kavala and Rhodes), Kuwait, Morocco, Philippines, Sao Tome, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. VOA built three other sites in the U.S. at Delano, California; Greenville, North Carolina; and Be Ohio. VOA constantly improves its relay station network. Currently, VOA is building new sites in Morocco, Thailand, and Sri Lanka to replace or supplement older existing stations. Placement Programming In recent years, VOA has placed more of its programming on local radio stations. To coordinate and promote this expanding activity, the Office of Affiliate Relations and Audience Analysis was established in 1991. The office helps VOA language services place their programming on stations throughout the world. ThirtyDnine of VOA's 46 language services now deliver their programs by satellite. VOA offers local stations a variety of programs, tailored to meet their needs and capabilities. They range from satellite delivered programs to radio bridges to partnership broadcasts. A total of 2,500 hours of programming per week is available to local stations via satellite. VOA Europe is a special service in English that is relayed via satellite to European affiliate stations 24DhoursDaDday. Designed for a young European audience, VOA Europe plays the latest musical hits from both sides of the Atlantic, presents American life and culture and reports world news and sports. It was created in 1985 to revitalize the cultural bonds between the United States and the new generation of Europeans. VOA Europe now can be heard in 406 cities and regions in 30 countries. A Look Back The Voice of America's first broadcast went on the air on February 24, 1942, just 79 days after the U.S. entered World War II. The first program was a 15Dminute presentation in German. Announcer William Harlan Hale opened the broadcast with the words: "Here speaks a voice from America." Throughout World War II, the Voice of America operated under the Office of War Information. VOA was moved to the Department of State at the end of the war and then became part of the U.S. Information Agency when it was created in 1953. USIA has remained its parentDAgency to the present day. VOA Charter The VOA Charter is the document against which all VOA programming is measured. It was drafted in 1960 and signed into law (Public Law 94D350) by President Gerald Ford on July 12, 1976. It reads: The longDrange interests of the United States are served by communicating with the peoples of the world by radio. To be effective, the Voice of America (the broadcasting service of the United States Information Agency) must win the attention and respect of listeners. These principles will therefore govern Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts. (1) VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive. (2) VOA will represent America, not any single segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions. (3) VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies. VOA Facts Staff: 3,068 fullDtime permanent positions, including 437 that are filled by foreign nationals. Approximately $251 million for operating expenses in 1993 and an additional $104 million for modernization of the Bureau's broadcast facilities. (These facilities include funding for WORLDNET Television and Film Service.) This means that VOA's annual operating budget costs the American taxpayer approximately two cents per listener per year, quite a bargain in reaching 100 million listeners weekly. VOA Tours The Voice of America conducts public tours Monday through Friday, except holidays, at 8:40 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 1:40 p.m., and 2:40 p.m. Tours last approximately 45 minutes. VOA is located at 330 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547. Tours meet at the C Street entrance between 3rd and 4th Streets, S.W. Reservations are preferred. To arrange a tour, please contact: Voice of America Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C 20547 USA Telephone: +1 202 619D3919. Issued by Bureau of Broadcasting Office of Public Affairs +1 202 619D2538 October 1993 voa-info-request@bops.voa.gov