|
Moscow Festival to Honor Willis Conover VOA Expands 24-Hour FM Frequencies in Africa VOA Urdu Service TO Add Half Hour Nightly News Broadcast VOA Hindi Service to Enhance Programming Schedule
|
Washington, D.C., July 9, 2001 – The Charter of the Voice of America (VOA) observes its twenty-fifth anniversary as a federal law this week. The Charter was designed to protect the integrity of VOA’s programming and define the organization’s mission. Former President Gerald Ford signed the VOA Charter into law on July 12, 1976, mandating that “VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news” for people around the world. Under the Charter, VOA broadcasts are required be “accurate, objective, and comprehensive,” and “represent America, not any single segment of American society.” In addition, the Charter states that VOA will clearly explain and discuss U.S. policies. Commenting on the anniversary of the Charter, VOA Acting Director Myrna Whitworth said, “The Charter is part of the fabric of VOA. It embodies the fundamental principles of American journalism and the integrity of our broadcasts.” Former Senator Charles Percy (R-Ill) and former Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-NY) were the Charter’s original sponsors. The document’s principles date back to 1959, when then VOA Director Henry Loomis designed a charter that reflected VOA's mission. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the charter into an Executive Order in 1960. The Voice of America is a multimedia broadcasting service funded by the U.S. Government. VOA broadcasts over 900 hours of news, informational, educational, and cultural programming every week to some 91 million worldwide. Programs are produced and broadcast in English and 52 other languages. For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov. Releases | VOA | WORLDNET | IBB | Radio/TV Marti |