International Broadcasting and the Changing World Audience

Abstract

The past twenty-five years have witnessed the development and spectacular growth of international broad casting, for a number of reasons: international political conflicts, the national pride of having such a capability, and the development and widespread use of the transistor radio. The character of the audience has changed during these years, and has, in turn, influenced the broadcasters. Where once the listener was willing to tune into a specific program at a given time, he is now more mobile, has more leisure, and has numerous channels of communications competing for his time; therefore, he is unable or unwilling to listen at a certain time. In an attempt to keep pace with the contemporary listener, the Voice of America (VOA), like several other broadcasters, is changing some of its concepts about broadcasting. In place of specific programs, it is initiating what might be called a "service," a blending of program elements built around certain basic landmarks such as news. An international broadcaster today, in order to retain and expand his audience, in the face of competition from other international broadcasters and domestic media, must establish an identity representing his society which the audience can recognize—and he must tell the truth about that society.