The Foreign Service Journal, January 2004

can process, which is best done by reading on the Web. If they are getting the news in English but speak it as a second language, they can also expand their skills as they listen to the reports while they read. Web Benefits One of the advantages VOA offers compared to other news sources on the Internet is that its archives are avail- able free of charge. Most newspapers begin charging within a week or two of publication, making it impossible to do any extensive research on a topic or region without racking up a significant bill. Even in the area of multi- media, many commercial broadcasters charge to see video or hear audio. A Jupiter research survey of online adults in March 2002 found that 70 percent could not under- stand why anyone would pay for online content. A subsequent Jupiter survey in September 2002 found that more people in Western Europe were willing to pay for online content such as news, audio and video, but that’s still the exception rather than the rule. VOANews.com offers its entire archive without expense to the user. VOA uses a content manage- ment system that allows broad- casters to copy and paste text material directly into templates. People with no training in HTML or other specialized Web production skills are able to publish material easily, and maintain the same “look and feel” for their Web pages as the rest of VOANews.com. In addition to providing audio or video of broadcast programs, and text of many of the stories, more than 25 language services produce a daily or weekly e-mail sub- scription service of their news and feature content. For English, Special English and Chinese, this has been espe- cially useful in circumventing the Web site blocking prac- ticed by the Chinese government to prevent its citizens from having free access to information. VOA has also used proxy servers and mirror sites to help the Chinese people find the information they seek. Help for the Foreign Service In addition to helping the overall public diplomacy effort by presenting accurate and objective news and information about the world, and about American per- spectives and U.S. government policy, the VOA Web site can help Foreign Service personnel in some very real and concrete ways. First, VOANews.com provides a quick glance at world news headlines, providing a fast way to soak up the top stories quickly. The great benefit of the Internet is that it’s always “on” — you don’t need to wait for a broadcast. So you can usually get a global view of the news very quickly, at any time of day. Second, Voice of America covers the parts of the world where you are, or where you may be going. VOANews.com can help you keep up with cur- rent events in your target coun- try or region. When you get a new assignment, this Web site can give you a quick read on the region, or even a broad overview of events over the past few years. And, unlike CNN, VOA doesn’t just cover the Ivory Coast when it’s “hot.” It has a correspon- dent based in Abidjan who provides regular coverage of events in Ivory Coast and the rest of West Africa. Finally, VOA’s most valuable resource is its language services — more than 50 of them — all with something to share on the Internet. If you’re learning Mandarin, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Persian, Dari, Amharic, Kirundi, or any of the other VOA languages, VOANews.com provides an excellent way for you to lis- ten to broadcasts in that language every day and hone your listening skills and understanding. There’s even a good chance the service provides news in text on the Web site or through an e-mail newsletter, so you can work on reading skills, too. F O C U S J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 39 Mollie King is the deputy Internet coordinator for VOA, and Internet news chief in the English News Division. An integral part of the team that launched VOANews.com, she has 19 years with the Voice of America, previously serving as an assignments editor, copy editor, and news writer.