28. 03. 2014

VOA TO DISCONTINUE PROGRAM IN SERBIAN

28. 03. 2014 (Beta, Mondo) - Voice of America (VOA ) will discontinue its Balkans services, including the Serbian language program.

The Board of Governors of the International Broadcasting Bureau (BBG), a U.S. Government agency that oversees VOA, has announced details of the 2015 budget proposal, which envisages closing down of the Balkan services, including the Serbian one, and slates more funds for Asia and Africa.

As reported on the VOA website, it is proposed that the Serbian, Albanian, Bosnian-Herzegovinian, and Macedonian service be closed down.

The Azeri, Georgian, Persian, and Uzbek service would face certain reductions, as well as the program that is broadcast to Cuba. VOA bureaus in Jerusalem and Houston would also be closed.

Dave Allison, acting president of the union representing many of the employees of the Voice of America, said that the closing down of services is a departure from the historic mission established in 1942.

The Board of Governors has asked Congress for 721 million dollars, a decrease compared to the budget for the current fiscal year, which amounts to 731 million.

The Agency officials announced that their goal is to attract a new generation of viewers and listeners, employing media that are increasingly used worldwide.

One of BBG's plans is to increase the use of social media and programming in China so as to bypass censorship of the Internet.