The Foreign Service Journal, October 2010

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 17 while reducing the size and impact of the second. The influence on both groups comes not only from the actions, images and words of our own nation, but from competition by other nations whose interests may or may not agree with our own. International broadcasting, a major tool for connecting with these audiences, was once thought of only in terms of shortwave broadcasts to dissidents huddled late at night over their radios. Recent technological advancements and rising standards of living have led to a virtual explosion of other communication outlets, from the greater use of FM radio to television, the Internet, social media and cell phones. All these advances have greatly ex- panded the potential audience, but are also straining our broadcasters’ ability and budgets to reach them. Our broadcasting mission has expanded significantly over the past two decades, as well. The Voice of America was initially part of the Office of War Informa- tion and was then moved to the State Department in 1945. In 1953, it was relocated to the U.S. Infor- mation Agency, where it remained for nearly half a century. In 1999, when USIA was absorbed by the State Department, VOA and the surrogate stations were left under the control of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the overseer of U.S. broadcasting within USIA since 1995. The board and all its units then became an independent entity. The “surrogates” are tasked with providing listeners in countries whose press freedom is limited with the news from inside their own countries and regions. Govern- ments of the nations receiving these transmissions are very often hostile to this information and spend millions F O C U S The U.S. government distributes programming via radio, TV, the Internet and other new media in 60 languages to an estimated 170 million people weekly. Do you have Earn reward points when using an SDFCU Credit or Debit Card*. Visit www.sdfcu.org/flexpoints to learn more. *Signature transactions only. Points?