The Foreign Service Journal, January 2004

entirely to an Internet operation since the launch of Radio Sawa and U.S. Middle East Television Network. At present, more than two million people a day see the VOA materials translated into Arabic, both directly and as they are posted on major portals throughout the Middle East. These new technologies help our audiences to do more than just watch or listen to our pro- grams; they allow them to partic- ipate. VOA’s radio programs have always featured call-in shows which give our listeners the chance to react to what we say, and educate us about how they see us and the United States. Now they can do that and more with our content on television and the Internet. Some of VOA TV’s most popular programs are those in which viewers can call in and challenge officials and experts appearing on the shows. The Internet allows them to contact us at virtually no cost. What’s On VOA? And Why? In its hundreds of hours of programming every week, VOA carries a virtual encyclopedia of information for our listeners, television viewers and Internet surfers. We present a portrait of the world as it is every day, with news so accurate and carefully sourced that many journalists around the world rely on it to do their own work. It is a portrait of America as diverse as we are, with editorials — which are approved by the State F O C U S 28 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 4 At present, more than 2 million people a day see the VOA materials translated into Arabic, both directly and as they are posted on major portals throughout the Middle East. T HE R EMINGTON