{"id":23978,"date":"2017-02-05T08:33:48","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T12:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=23978"},"modified":"2017-02-05T08:33:48","modified_gmt":"2017-02-05T12:33:48","slug":"the-voice-of-america-celebrates-75-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/the-voice-of-america-celebrates-75-years\/","title":{"rendered":"The Voice of America celebrates 75 years"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Willis Conover interviewing Louis Armstrong (Photo source: Inside VOA)<\/p><\/div>\n

(Source: VOA News<\/a>)<\/p>\n

A little more than seven weeks after the United States officially entered World War II, a live, 15-minute shortwave radio broadcast was transmitted into Germany from a small studio in New York City on February 1, 1942.<\/p>\n

It was introduced by the American patriotic song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Then, announcer William Harlan Hale’s voice could be heard saying: \u201cWe bring you Voices from America. Today, and daily from now on, we shall speak to you about America and the war. The news may be good for us. The news may be bad. But we shall tell you the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was the very first broadcast from what, 75 years later, is now the Washington-headquartered Voice of America.<\/p>\n

By the end of the war, VOA was broadcasting in 40 languages, with programming consisting of music, news and commentary.<\/p>\n

Since then, VOA has grown into a multimedia international broadcasting service, with programming and content in 47 languages on multiple platforms, including radio, television and mobile.<\/p>\n

On that first broadcast, announcer Hale’s words set the standard for future programs.<\/p>\n

?And since 1976, his words have carried the weight of the VOA Charter, which by law requires VOA to \u201cserve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news.\u201d What\u2019s more, it says VOA news must \u201cbe accurate, objective and comprehensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been 75 years since we first began broadcasting objective news and information around the world,\u201d said VOA Director Amanda Bennett. \u201cAnd now, I think what we do here is more important than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, VOA correspondents and freelance reporters in many parts of the world have been on the scene to cover major world events.<\/p>\n

In 1989, VOA East European correspondent Jolyon Naegele reported on demonstrations in Czechoslovakia and the fall of the communist government. Later that year, on the other side of the world, VOA increased programming and added staff to its Beijing bureau to cover the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Beijing Bureau chief Al Pessin was expelled from China for his reporting.<\/p>\n

Today, VOA broadcasts news and other programming through 2,500 television and radio affiliates around the world. At the same time, it provides content for mobile devices and interacts with audiences through social media.<\/p>\n

As of 2016, VOA’s weekly audience across all platforms averaged more than 236 million people worldwide.<\/p>\n

Check out more information on our VOA 75th anniversary page<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to read this article on the VOA News website.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: VOA News) A little more than seven weeks after the United States officially entered World War II, a live, 15-minute shortwave radio broadcast was transmitted into Germany from a small studio in New York City on February 1, 1942. It was introduced by the American patriotic song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Then, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,960,3,288,43],"tags":[10,1742,182,5920],"class_list":["post-23978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-radio-history","category-shortwave-radio","tag-voa","tag-voa-news","tag-voice-of-america","tag-voice-of-america-75-years"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-6eK","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36630,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/voice-of-america-museum-director-to-present-history-of-bethany-transmitting-station\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":0},"title":"Voice of America Museum director to present history of Bethany transmitting station","author":"Thomas","date":"March 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Cincinnati.com) If you\u2019ve ever wondered why the VOA-Bethany Station needed a secured, square mile of land surrounding its 1944 art deco building in West Chester, Jack Dominic has the answer. Dominic, the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting director, will speak on the \u201cHistory of the VOA-Bethany Station\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1-1024x678.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27366,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/voa-museum-marks-75th-anniversary-with-gala\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":1},"title":"VOA museum marks 75th anniversary with gala","author":"Thomas","date":"July 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Journal News via\u00a0Howard Bailen) WEST CHESTER TWP. The National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting will host \u201cCelebrate the Voice of America under the Stars,\u201d a romantic, Big Band dinner-and-dance party on Sept. 23 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the VOA museum. The event will mark the 75th\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24146,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/voa-museum-celebrates-voa-75th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":2},"title":"VOA Museum celebrates VOA 75th anniversary","author":"Thomas","date":"February 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Southgate ARC) National VOA Museum to celebrate 75th anniversary of Voice of America There\u2019s an important birthday celebration in West Chester this year: the 75th anniversary of the Voice of America. \u201cWe\u2019re planning a series of events and exhibits this year to celebrate the VOA\u2019s commitment across America and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-13-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-13-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/VOA-Bethany-1-13-1024x678.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2681,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/02\/voa-looks-to-future-on-70th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":3},"title":"“VOA Looks to Future on 70th Anniversary”","author":"Thomas","date":"February 1, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Voice of America Press Release) Washington, D.C. \u2014 February 1, 2012 \u2014 Voice of America turned 70 on Wednesday, and VOA Director David Ensor says the international broadcast agency is aggressively moving forward with new programs that ensure it remains an \u201cinformation lifeline to people in closed societies like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/voaat70-300x187.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":47592,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/voice-of-america-marks-79th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":4},"title":"“Voice of America Marks 79th Anniversary”","author":"Thomas","date":"February 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: VOA News) Voice of America is 79 years old today [February 1, 2021]. Its 1942 debut was unpretentious -- a live, 15-minute shortwave radio broadcast transmitted into Germany from a small studio in New York City. Now, the U.S.-funded but independent VOA reaches more than 280 million people across\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8795,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/shortwave-radio-recordings-voice-of-america-circa-1968\/","url_meta":{"origin":23978,"position":5},"title":"Shortwave Radio Recordings: Voice of America, circa 1968","author":"Thomas","date":"February 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960s. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these off air recordings as time allows and, thanks to his generosity, we will be posting these recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willis Conover, The Voice of America (Source: Wikimedia Commons)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/614px-Willis_Conover_1969.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/614px-Willis_Conover_1969.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/614px-Willis_Conover_1969.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23978"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23978\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}