DOCSLIB.ORG

Bbc & Encompass Annual Review

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

BBC & ENCOMPASS ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 | 2020 www.encompass.tv CONTENTS Chief Executive’s Foreword .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 03 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 04 International Operations ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 05 Projects – A Year in Review .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 06 Interview – Nick Thompson & Nigel Fry ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 08 Focus on A’Seela ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Customer Survey 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Satellite Operations and Contract Management ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 DRM – Bringing affordable Digital Radio to global audiences ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Looking Ahead .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 The Encompass Team .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Contacts ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 YOUR CONTENT. DELIVERED. 2 Chief Executive’s Foreword Bill Tillson | CEO | Encompass Digital Media Hello, and welcome to this year’s Annual Review of Encompass’ relationship with the BBC World Service. It’s now been 23 years since the original outsourcing of World Service radio distribution and transmission. Although the name of the company delivering the services has changed a few times over the years, the core operating principles and values remain the same – to deliver the BBC’s world-class content to audiences around the world while maintaining high availability figures. Encompass continues to be proud to support the BBC’s ambition to reach 500 million audience members around the world each week. We have a growing international broadcast business with prestigious customers all over the world, and we are well aware of the important role we play in the success of those customers. The BBC is the linchpin of Encompass’ portfolio of global technology products – focused on supporting television and radio broadcasters, cable networks and OTT service providers. This year, we’ve completed another important milestone: the integration of the ex-Babcock business with Encompass and more specifically the migration of broadcast facilities from Wyvil Court (Vauxhall) to Encompass’ EMEA headquarters in Chiswick, creating a world-class, cutting edge technical facility – the London Media Centre (LMC). The LMC is now home to over a thousand services, including playout channels, VOD services, OTT solutions and live event streaming, and delivers content throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It’s also the central point of management and monitoring of the international radio and TV distribution services we provide to the BBC. In this year’s review, we highlight the continued growth of the BBC’s global audience through the expansion of international partners, involving close cooperation between the World Service’s Business Development and Encompass’ International Operations teams, as well as major capital projects such as the work in Cyprus and on Ascension Island to maintain and improve the BBC’s broadcast infrastructure at key FM radio relays. With our combined resources and new capabilities, Encompass now offers the BBC even more solutions to process and deliver content from any source, in any format, to any destination in the world. I’m looking forward to the next twelve months as we continue to build on our very successful relationship. YOUR CONTENT. DELIVERED. 3 Executive Summary Paul Firth | Commercial Director | Radio Services As we enter the 2020/21 financial year, we do so with a great deal of uncertainty compared to the previous 12 months. The coronavirus outbreak across the world is affecting the majority of the population one way or another. Some people have lost their loved ones while some have lost their jobs and their livelihoods. Others have had their freedom of movement restricted and many children are not going to school, all while a brave number of medical teams around the world work tirelessly every day to look after us all. At Encompass, like the BBC, we have members of staff who are working day and night to keep broadcasts on air and ensure audiences continue to receive news and entertainment. We thank them greatly. We hope the world can get on top of the virus as soon as possible and things can start to return to normal. In the pages of this review, all of the articles were, of course, collated at a time before coronavirus as it is a look back at the previous 12 months. The last year has seen tremendous work at a number of sites to maintain, improve and upgrade existing broadcast infrastructure: you will see this in the “projects” section, with a particular focus on a couple of interesting projects in Cyprus. All our HF station teams work very hard to ensure broadcasts reach audiences around the world. Each station faces unique challenges in their day-to-day operation, and in this review, we focus on the BBC shortwave and medium wave station in Oman at A’Seela. I’m sure you will find it fascinating reading all about life at the station surrounded by both desert and ocean! As ever, we are always keen to understand where we can improve our service to the BBC, and we have captured some of our feedback via the annual customer survey, with the results discussed in more detail here in this review. No matter how many years I’ve been doing this job, something always comes up that surprises me and lately that has been the case with the planned refuelling of the IS10-02 satellite mid-flight. What might seem like an interesting and pioneering exercise in satellite technology actually has a potentially large impact on millions people on the ground consuming content. It’s been a challenge to know what to do for the best for audiences around the world. The last 12 months has seen an incredible amount of interest in the world of digital international radio and in particular DRM. While the standard has been around for many years, it feels like we are at a tipping point, with receivers starting to be made more available to consumers and governments actively starting to declare it as a preferred standard. You will read about some of the advances that have been made here in this review. Finally, while we are living in unusual
Recommended publications
  • Managing the BBC's Estate

    Managing the BBC's Estate

    Managing the BBC’s estate Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General presented to the BBC Trust Value for Money Committee, 3 December 2014 BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION Managing the BBC’s estate Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General presented to the BBC Trust Value for Money Committee, 3 December 2014 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport by Command of Her Majesty January 2015 © BBC 2015 The text of this document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as BBC copyright and the document title specified. Where third party material has been identified, permission from the respective copyright holder must be sought. BBC Trust response to the National Audit Office value for money study: Managing the BBC’s estate This year the Executive has developed a BBC Trust response new strategy which has been reviewed by As governing body of the BBC, the Trust is the Trust. In the short term, the Executive responsible for ensuring that the licence fee is focused on delivering the disposal of is spent efficiently and effectively. One of the Media Village in west London and associated ways we do this is by receiving and acting staff moves including plans to relocate staff upon value for money reports from the NAO. to surplus space in Birmingham, Salford, This report, which has focused on the BBC’s Bristol and Caversham. This disposal will management of its estate, has found that the reduce vacant space to just 2.6 per cent and BBC has made good progress in rationalising significantly reduce costs.
  • ANTENNA ODIBILOOP Di I0ZAN Per SWL – BCL (1°Parte) Di I0ZAN Florenzio Zannoni

    ANTENNA ODIBILOOP Di I0ZAN Per SWL – BCL (1°Parte) Di I0ZAN Florenzio Zannoni

    Panorama radiofonico internazionale n. 30 Dal 1982 dalla parte del Radioascolto Rivista telematica edita in proprio dall'AIR Associazione Italiana Radioascolto c.p. 1338 - 10100 Torino AD www.air-radio.it l’editoriale ………………. Il 10-11 Maggio si svolgerà a Torino il consueto Meeting radiorama annuale AIR. PANORAMA RADIOFONICO INTERNAZIONALE organo ufficiale dell’A.I.R. Per rendere piu moderna ed interessante la prima giornata, Associazione Italiana Radioascolto recapito editoriale: abbiamo deciso di cambiare formula . radiorama - C. P. 1338 - 10100 TORINO AD e-mail: [email protected] Presentazioni ridotte al minimo. Posto adatto al AIR - radiorama radioascolto, antenne di ricezione a disposizione per esperimenti, - Responsabile Organo Ufficiale: Giancarlo VENTURI - Responsabile impaginazione radiorama:Claudio RE - Responsabile Blog AIR-radiorama: i singoli Autori banchi con ricevitori, accessori ed ausili per il radioascolto a - Responsabile sito web: Emanuele PELICIOLI ------------------------------------------------- disposizione di tutti , con presentazioni di esperienze pratiche in Il presente numero di radiorama e' pubblicato in rete in proprio dall'AIR tempo reale. Associazione Italiana Radioascolto, tramite il server Aruba con sede in località Il tutto ritrasmesso come sempre via Internet, radio e Palazzetto, 4 - 52011 Bibbiena Stazione (AR). Non costituisce testata giornalistica, televisioni, oltre ad essere registrato per poi essere a disposizione non ha carattere periodico ed è aggiornato secondo la disponibilità e la reperibilità dei sul sito AIR. L’evento sarà denominato EXPO AIR . materiali. Pertanto, non può essere considerato in alcun modo un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della L. n. 62 del Bruno Pecolatto 7.03.2001. La responsabilità di quanto Segretario AIR pubblicato è esclusivamente dei singoli Autori.
  • BBC Full Financial Statements 2013/14 01 Review of the Managing Director, BBC Finance & Operations

    BBC Full Financial Statements 2013/14 01 Review of the Managing Director, BBC Finance & Operations

    BBC Full Financial St atement s 2013/14 BBC Full Financial St atement s 2013/14 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by command of Her Majesty July 2014 The BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14, giving narrative context to the numbers contained in this document, were also laid before Parliament on 21 July 2014 and are available online at bbc.co.uk/annualreport © BBC Copyright 2014 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as BBC copyright and the document title specified. Photographs are used ©BBC or used under the terms of the PACT agreement except where otherwise identified. Permission from copyright holders must be sought before any photographs are reproduced. You can download this publication from bbc.co.uk/fullfinancialstatements Designed by Fishburn™ thisisfishburn.com Prepared pursuant to the BBC Royal Charter 2006 (Art.45) Contents 02 Review of the Managing Director BBC Finance & Operations 04 Financial overview 13 Looking forward 14 Statement of Executive Board responsibilities 15 Independent Auditor’s report 19 Group financial statements and notes 88 Glossary BBC Full Financial Statements 2013/14 01 Review of the Managing Director, BBC Finance & Operations ‘‘This year we have built on Delivering efficiencies whilst prioritising our most valued output our impressive track record The BBC has just completed its fourth year with the colour of delivering efficiencies whilst licence fee at £145.50 and is in the middle of delivering a major efficiency project, Delivering Quality First (DQF), which is on maintaining the production of track to deliver an annual total of £700million in annual recurrent outstanding programmes and savings.
  • 1 What Can an Understanding of the Operation of the BBC Monitoring

    1 What Can an Understanding of the Operation of the BBC Monitoring

    What can an understanding of the operation of the BBC Monitoring Service during WWII tell us about the value of the transcripts? Laura Johnson, The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford The majority of the papers given today will consider the potential value of the BBC Monitoring transcripts to an understanding of particular aspects of the Second World War. As my research has focused on the operation of the BBC Monitoring Service, I thought it would be helpful to add some context from this perspective regarding the collection as a whole. First, I will look at collection priorities: what the BBC Monitoring Service was collecting and why. Second, I am going to focus on editorial selection, as I should like to make clear what the differences are between the monitoring transcripts and the edited Daily Digests, which were circulated to customers. This is important because copies of the Digests are held elsewhere and are available on microfilm. One of the main purposes of this network, as well as raising awareness of the BBC Monitoring Service, has been to assess the particular unique value of the transcript collection. So I think we have to be clear exactly what extra information this transcript collection provides. In relation to this, I am also going to talk about a small quantitative assessment I made to assess the uniqueness of the transcript collection. Finally, as well as the extra volume of material that the transcript collection contains, it also provides some additional types of information that the Digests do not. I will therefore conclude by mentioning some aspects of this additional value of the transcript collection.
  • Written Evidence Submitted by the BBC

    Written Evidence Submitted by the BBC

    Written evidence submitted by the BBC The DCMS Sub-committee on Online Harms and Disinformation Covid-19 Inquiry April 2020 Executive summary 1. The BBC is the leading public service broadcaster in the UK, with a mission to inform, educate and entertain. Our first public purpose is to provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them, and we deliver this across national, local and global news services.1 2. The Editorial Guidelines are the standards that underpin all our journalism, at all times, including during the Covid-19 pandemic. They apply to all our content, wherever and however it is received. Producing and upholding these Editorial Guidelines is an obligation across the BBC and all output made in accordance with these Editorial Guidelines fulfills our public purposes and meets and goes beyond the requirements of our regulator, Ofcom. 3. Coverage of Covid-19 is dominating the UK news across all platforms. And with a plethora of cross platform content, people are most likely to turn to the BBC’s TV, radio and online services for the latest news on the pandemic (82%)2, significantly more than any other source. 4. BBC News has attracted record audiences across platforms with our nations and regions, UK wide and international coverage highlighting the importance of impartial and accurate news at this time. 5. The BBC remains the UK’s primary source for news. In a world of fake news and disinformation online, audiences said they turn to the BBC for a reliable take on events and this reputation for accuracy and trust sends audiences to the BBC during breaking news and to verify facts.3 During the Covid-19 pandemic 83% of people trust coverage on BBC TV4; and audiences from the UK and around the world have come to BBC News in their millions to stay informed and seek trusted advice on how they can protect themselves and those most at risk.
  • The Importance of BBC Monitoring for Intelligence Sir David Omand, Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and UK Join

    The Importance of BBC Monitoring for Intelligence Sir David Omand, Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and UK Join

    The Importance of BBC Monitoring for Intelligence Sir David Omand, former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and UK Joint Intelligence Committee member During my seven years as a member of the UK Joint Intelligence Committee, I came to know the huge previously unsung value of the BBC Monitoring service (BBCM), for improving understanding in government, of the world outside our borders. Not a part of the secret intelligence community, BBCM provided us with a service of up to date information from the study of foreign TV and radio broadcasts, conventional print media and wire services, and today no doubt from the monitoring of digital media and websites. That open source information is as essential to the practice of diplomacy and international policy-making, as it must be to modern BBC programming. Sometimes it would be a unique insight from the interpretation of a foreign leader’s broadcast at a time of impending crisis, or those of his opponents. Sometimes it would be enhancing background understanding, from reporting on the evolution of opinions that matter over a period, all carried out by analysts whose language skills and cultural awareness enabled them to interpret the other. During the Cold War BBCM was able to provide a window into the social and economic evolution of otherwise largely closed societies behind the Iron Curtain, and even today there are still nations where the ability to monitor and interpret state- controlled media is essential. Much of the earlier Cold War period material has been archived and will increasingly become available to scholars of the period, providing new lines of research, from studying the open information that would have been available to decision makers in the West, at crucial times of tension.
  • An Elementary Approach Towards Satellite Communication

    An Elementary Approach Towards Satellite Communication

    AN ELEMENTARY APPROACH TOWARDS SATELLITE COMMUNICATION Prof. Dr. Hari Krishnan GOPAKUMAR Prof. Dr. Ashok JAMMI AN ELEMENTARY APPROACH TOWARDS SATELLITE COMMUNICATION Prof. Dr. Hari Krishnan GOPAKUMAR Prof. Dr. Ashok JAMMI AN ELEMENTARY APPROACH TOWARDS SATELLITE COMMUNICATION WRITERS Prof. Dr. Hari Krishnan GOPAKUMAR Prof. Dr. Ashok JAMMI Güven Plus Group Consultancy Inc. Co. Publications: 06/2021 APRIL-2021 Publisher Certificate No: 36934 E-ISBN: 978-605-7594-89-1 Güven Plus Group Consultancy Inc. Co. Publications All kinds of publication rights of this scientific book belong to GÜVEN PLUS GROUP CONSULTANCY INC. CO. PUBLICATIONS. Without the written permission of the publisher, the whole or part of the book cannot be printed, broadcast, reproduced or distributed electronically, mechanically or by photocopying. The responsibility for all information and content in this Book, visuals, graphics, direct quotations and responsibility for ethics / institutional permission belongs to the respective authors. In case of any legal negativity, the institutions that support the preparation of the book, especially GÜVEN PLUS GROUP CONSULTANCY INC. CO. PUBLISHING, the institution (s) responsible for the editing and design of the book, and the book editors and other person (s) do not accept any “material and moral” liability and legal responsibility and cannot be taken under legal obligation. We reserve our rights in this respect as GÜVEN GROUP CONSULTANCY “PUBLISHING” INC. CO. in material and moral aspects. In any legal problem/situation TURKEY/ISTANBUL courts are authorized. This work, prepared and published by Güven Plus Group Consultancy Inc. Co., has ISO: 10002: 2014- 14001: 2004-9001: 2008-18001: 2007 certificates. This work is a branded work by the TPI “Turkish Patent Institute” with the registration number “Güven Plus Group Consultancy Inc.
  • Exhibition Guide Grand Hall

    Exhibition Guide Grand Hall

    11 Exhibition Guide Grand Hall Accucoms Stand No: 3 Website: www.accucoms.com Contact: Simon Boisseau, Lee Tumulty / [email protected], [email protected] ACCUCOMS is a global, leading provider of sales and marketing services to academic and professional publishers worldwide. ACCUCOMS has extensive expertise in global representation, telesales and business intelligence services to clients ranging from large publishing houses to specialist society publishers. Our multilingual staff operate from our offices in Europe, USA, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. ACCUCOMS is specialised in projects aimed at contacting librarians on behalf of publishers interested in boosting their sales, expanding their readership worldwide, and increasing customer retention by means of customer support and training services. ACS Publications Stand No: 25 Website: http://pubs.acs.org Contact: Monica Azulay Gaspar / [email protected] ACS Publications provides the most trusted, most cited, and most read journals in chemistry and related sciences. In addition to over 50 leading journals, the ACS publishes more than 1,400 high-quality eBooks and the leading industry magazine, Chemical & Engineering News. In 2016 ACS launches the new journal ACS Sensors, and expands open access choices for authors with the launch of ACS Omega, to complement ACS Central Science and ACS AuthorChoice program. ACS Omega is a multidisciplinary, online journal that will publish peer-reviewed and technically-sound research. Find out more from the ACS stand. AIP Publishing Stand No: 40 Website: librarians.aip.org Contact: Brett Thomas / [email protected] AIP Publishing is a scholarly publisher in the physical and related sciences that provides a comprehensive collection of highly cited peer reviewed journals.
  • Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 the BBC Executive’S Review and Assessment 07 08

    Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 the BBC Executive’S Review and Assessment 07 08

    PART TWO: Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 The BBC Executive’s review and assessment 07 08 Director- General ’s introduction 01 About the BBC 02 BBC & me 04 BBC Executive Board 24 BBC at a glance 26 Review of services Future Media & Technology 29 Vision 32 Audio & Music 38 Journalism 44 Commercial activities 52 Engaging with audiences 54 ...quality programming that informs Performance us, educates us and more often BBC People 58 than not, entertains us. These three Operations 62 Statements of Programme Policy tenets are as important today as commitments 2007/08 70 when they were first uttered around Finance 80 years ago. Financial overview 82 Governance and financial statements 86 Getting in touch with the BBC 148 Other information Inside back cover THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL 01 WELCOME When I wrote to you a year ago, our award- Despite these difficulties, the BBC has had a downloads and streams. And it’s still growing. winning Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston year of outstanding creative renewal. From There is no evidence that it is impacting was still missing. We didn’t know if we would Cranford to Sacred Music to Gavin and Stacey, our linear television and radio ratings which ever see him again. And then, what we’d all television has lived up to our aim – to delight remain very strong. been hoping, working and praying for: Alan’s audiences. And we have seen the nation share tired but smiling face as he was led to freedom. some of the events that unite us all – from the With Freesat now launched, complementing Concert for Diana to Wales’ triumph at the Six our popular Freeview service, it’s clear But within a few days, we had fresh problems Nations Rugby championship.
  • Spring 2020 Bulletin 127

    Spring 2020 Bulletin 127

    Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting Spring 2020 Bulletin 127 BBC SEARCHES FOR NEW DG VLV’s 37th ANNUAL AS VLV ANALYSIS SHOWS SPRING CONFERENCE 30% BUDGET CUT SINCE 2010 Thursday 30 April 2020 The BBC is looking for a new director-general to replace Tony Hall amid mounting political pressure from the government over the licence fee. The BBC is also bracing itself for negative publicity as it gears up to restrict the number of over 75 households that can receive free TV licences. The unprecedented strain on the corporation is laid bare in an analysis by the VLV that shows the BBC’s budget for UK services has been slashed by 30% in real terms over the past decade. VLV believes that the gathering threats to the BBC Patrick Barwise and Peter York, the authors of a could lead to its demise in its current form because they forthcoming book about the BBC, are to speak at the point to a full review of whether the BBC should remain VLV Spring Conference on 30 April. They will be a universal service. What happens will depend on the addressing the multiple threats facing the BBC, a theme government, despite there having been no commitment likely to dominate the conference. Their book, The War to review the BBC’s funding model in the 2019 Against the BBC, will be published in the summer. The Conservative manifesto. conference will include the VLV Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting 2019 – for more details about the This crisis has hit the BBC when it is already having to awards, see page 8.
  • BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2012

    BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2012

    PART 2 THE BBC EXECUTIVE’S REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT Drama Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, returned for a second series in January 2012. CONTENTS AND SUBJECT INDEX Part 2 BBC Executive contents Managing the business Overview 2-28 Chief Operating Officer’s review 2-1 Director-General’s introduction 2-29 Working together 2-2 Understanding the BBC’s finances Governance 2-4 Performance by service 2-40 Executive Board 2-8 Television 2-42 Risks and opportunities 2-9 Radio 2-44 Governance report 2-10 News 2-47 Remuneration report 2-11 Future Media 2-52 Audit Committee report 2-12 Nations & Regions 2-55 Fair trading report Delivering our strategy Managing our finances 2-14 Distinctiveness and quality 2-58 Chief Financial Officer’s review 2-15 The best journalism in the world 2-59 Summary financial performance 2-16 Inspiring knowledge, music 2-60 Financial overview and culture 2-68 Collecting the licence fee 2-17 Ambitious drama and comedy 2-69 Looking forward with confidence 2-20 Outstanding children’s content 2-70 Auditor’s report 2-21 Content that brings the nation 2-71 Glossary and communities together 2-72 Contact us/More information 2-22 Value for money 2-23 Serving all audiences 2-26 Openness and transparency Subject Index Part 1 Part 2 Board remuneration 1-9/1-32 2-48 Commercial strategy 1-8 2-36 Complaints 1-3/1-19 2-55 Delivering Quality First 1-4/1-6 2-14 Digital switchover – 2-25 Distribution 1-17 2-25 Editorial priorities – 2-14 Editorial standards 1-3/1-18 2-38 Efficiency 1-6 2-59/2-61 Equality and diversity
  • C:\Documents and Settings\David\My Documents\Handout Revised.Wpd

    C:\Documents and Settings\David\My Documents\Handout Revised.Wpd

    Compiled by David Snyder, 1994 Transmitter Plant Supervisor Voice of America Washington, D.C. 20547 Voice of America ALBANIAN AT A GLANCE AMHARIC ARABIC ARMENIAN TELLING AMERICA'S STORY AZERBAIJANI BANGLA BULGARIAN The Voice of America's first broadcast went on the air BURMESE February 24, 1942, just 79 days after the U.S. entered World War II. CANTONESE The first program was a 15-minute presentation in German. CREOLE Announcer William Harlan Hale opened the broadcast with the words: CROATIAN "Here speaks a voice from America." CZECH DARI Today, VOA broadcasts in 52 languages, including English, to ENGLISH listeners around the world. Every week tens of millions of listeners ESTONIAN worldwide tune their shortwave, medium wave (AM) or FM radios to FARSI the Voice of America. They know they can rely on VOA for the most FRENCH GEORGIAN up-to-date and accurate news possible. GERMAN GREEK The Voice devotes a major portion of its broadcast schedule to HAUSA news and news-related programs, as well as a variety of features on HINDI economics, science, medicine, technology, agriculture and music. All HUNGARIAN programming is produced in VOA's Washington, D.C. headquarters, INDONESIAN which is equipped with 34 studios, a 150-channel master control and KHMER two centers to record reports from VOA correspondents around the KOREAN world. KURDISH LAO LATVIAN The Voice of America is the international broadcast service of LITHUANIAN the United States Information Agency. USIA was established in 1953 MANDARIN to carry out the overseas information and cultural exchange programs NEPALI of the U.S. Government.