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Additional News Releases

Washington, D.C., July 26, 2001 - The Voice of America’s (VOA) Indonesian Service hosted a three-day conference with radio and television executives on “The Role of the Media in Covering Conflict” in Jakarta, July 24-26, 2001.  Radio and television executives representing VOA affiliate stations from throughout the Indonesian archipelago discussed a range of issues including presenting balanced coverage, security risks for journalists, battling censorship and the role of media in conflict resolution.

“The subject of media coverage of conflict could not have been more timely,” said VOA’s Indonesian Service Chief, Norm Goodman.  “Media executives play a critical role  in the broadcast of balanced news and information no more so than in the potentially inflammatory circumstances we see here in Indonesia.”

The peer-to-peer training conference in Jakarta is part of VOA’s ongoing commitment to the development of a free and independent media throughout the world.  Experienced media managers from Radio Sonora, UGM, Sinar Harapan, Trans TV, Metro TV, Dutch Radio, Radio KISS and many others offered commentary along with representatives from the VOA and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

VOA broadcasts more than 2 ½ hours a day of Indonesian programming including 2 weekly television news programs, 1 ½ hours of Special English for non-native English speakers, and a 24-hour English news service, VOA News Now, for our Indonesian audience.  In addition, VOA provides special programming to East Timor in English, Portuguese and Indonesian.  Worldwide, VOA programs are produced and broadcast in 53 languages. 

The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. Government. VOA broadcasts over 900 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an audience of some 91 million worldwide. 

The BBG is the Presidentially-appointed board responsible for oversight of all U.S. Government-funded civilian international broadcasting. 

For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov.