The Voice of America, the largest U.S. international broadcaster, reaches an estimated audience of 134 million weekly by radio (shortwave, FM, AM and satellite), television (satellite and cable), and Internet in 45 languages. VOA has a worldwide network of more than 1,200 local radio and television affiliate stations. VOA, through www.VOANews.com, uses technology to expand the reach of its programs, updating news and information with photos, audio, and video, RSS feeds and Podcasts. The website is ranked as one of the top sources of news and information found through Google News. VOA provides reliable news, balanced reporting, and informative features around the clock, focusing on countries that lack a strong, independent media. The VOA Charter requires that broadcasts:

The VOA Charter, which became the basis for all BBG broadcasters, requires that broadcasts:

• Be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.
• Represent all segments of American society and present a balanced and comprehensive view of significant American thought and institutions.
• Clearly present the policies of the United States.

VOA-TV produces programs in more than 20 languages, including news reports, feature magazines, and live call-in shows. TV broadcasts include original and acquired programs that reflect American life along with discussions on United States foreign and domestic policies.

VOA's Internet provides continually updated news and information with photos, audio, and video. RSS feeds and Podcasts are also available.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• VOA's Persian News Network (PNN), reaching nearly one in four Iranians, grew to 24 hours a day, including acquired and repeated programs. PNN expanded News & Views to two hours daily, added Today's Woman and broke exclusive stories on corruption in Iran.
• VOA doubled its daily Burmese service broadcast to three original hours daily after the military junta cracked down on demonstrators in late 2007. When Cyclone Nargis developed in May 2008, VOA provided among the first reports of the approaching storm.
• In October 2007, VOA expanded its broadcasts to North Korea, one of the world's most closed societies, to five hours daily and transformed its Seoul bureau into a multimedia news center.
• Broadcasting to Africa increased across the continent. Somali, now broadcasting 12 hours weekly, became VOA's newest language in 2007. In the wake of Kenya's December 2007 election turmoil, the Swahili service expanded its programming. Zimbabwe's Studio 7 closely covered the contested 2008 presidential contest. The Hausa service commanded an audience of 44 percent of Hausa speakers.
• Radio Deewa, VOA's popular Pashto-language service to the Pakistan-Afghan border region, attracts hundreds of calls a day, along with scores of e-mails and voice messages.
• VOA's Afghan service produced A Fateful Harvest, a compelling, 52-minute documentary on the effects of the drug trade on Afghanistan's people economy and society.
• El Mundo al Día (The World Today), launched in June 2008, brings VOA's television audiences in the Andean region a comprehensive, daily, 30-minute Spanish news program.
• VOA's Georgia service doubled its programming when Russia invaded the South Ossetia province in August 2008, providing coverage of the crisis from the ground and around world.
• VOA produced nearly nine hours of Indonesian radio programming and three hours of television program daily for more than 200 radio affiliates and five national stations in that country.
• Despite China's tight control of media, VOA's Mandarin is carried by 12 television stations and more than 70 radio stations. VOA's English teaching programs are sold widely throughout China.
• During 2007, the VOA Studio Tour attracted more than 6,000 visitors.