Voice of America Shifts Area Priorities (AP)

[Eugene]

Voice of America Shifts Area Priorities
By KASIE HUNT
Associated Press Writer

February 23, 2007, 12:24 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- Voice of America has announced plans to stop broadcasting in Uzbek
and Cantonese and use the savings to increase programming to the Middle East, North
Korea and Cuba.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts to Ukraine and Tibetan services from VOA
and Radio Free Asia also are being reduced. RFE/RL broadcasts in Uzbek will continue.

-snip-

The money saved by cutting those programs will go toward a new broadcast to North
Korea, a live program on the Arabic television station Alhurra, more programming
aimed at Cuba, and continuing VOA's Somali service in the Horn of Africa.

The changes are part of President Bush's proposed budget for the 2008 fiscal year,
which were announced Feb. 5. The budget, which goes into effect in October, also
includes some proposals from last year -- including eliminating 14 hours of
English-language programming.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.newsday.com/business/investing/wire/sns-ap-us-voa-cuts,0,3380781.story

(Associated Press)

Voice of America Cuts at a Glance
By The Associated Press

February 23, 2007, 12:46 PM EST

Changes to U.S. broadcasting services under a budget proposal from the Broadcasting
Board of Governors. Some of the changes were first proposed for the 2007 budget,
while others were proposed in February for the 2008 budget year:

CUTS AND REDUCTIONS

* Eliminates Voice of America broadcasts in these languages: Uzbek, Croatian, Greek,
Georgian, Thai and Cantonese.

* Eliminates Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Macedonian service.

-snip-

NEW SERVICES AND INCREASES

-snip-

* Expands Spanish-language programming to Venezuela.

Full article: http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-voa-cuts-glance,0,2860996.story