More Slashing At VOA

[dampier]

The Voice of Greece relay deal between VOA and VoG has been cancelled, so no more relays of VoG by VOA transmitters domestically. The Rhodes and Kavala relay stations are basically mothballed as well.VOA continues to slash its programming and transmitter output, and has continued forward on its plan to cancel virtually all English language programming on the station. Meanwhile, the surrogate radio services that Congress has deemed fit to use VOA money for aren't exactly burning up the airwaves. Radio/TV Marti continues to be the boondoggle it has been since it started in 1985. The services for the Arab world and Pakistan couldn't draw flies.While VOA is cutting back its programming, China Radio International is on a massive expansion binge with 24 hour English on more transmitters. The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran is also greatly expanding its output, especially in English and to the middle east in Arabic.Whether or not the shortwave medium itself is the best delivery mechanism, eliminating entire language divisions and slashing others don't win you any listeners. Further, as RFE/RL, BBC, and RFI have learned, domestic FM works only as long as you don't annoy the government. Do that and they pull the plug on your license and throw you off the air.For those who presume, from an American perspective which is flooded with media options, to claim the VOA is irrelevent, take a look here for a tremendous reaction and headline news that was generated with reports the VOA Greek service was to be shut down:http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modu...=article&sid=4511&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0