Description
Book SynopsisSince The Voice of America first went on the air as a regional wartime enterprise in February 1942, it has undergone a spectacular transformation. This book chronicles this transformation from a fledgling short wave propaganda organ during World War II to a global multimedia giant encompassing radio and the Internet.
Trade ReviewHere is the inside story of one of our most important government services, a history of an organization known to millions of people around the globe but to only a handful of Americans. Heil's book celebrates this nation's dedication to the practical application of its democratic foundations-our freedom of speech and press. -- Walter Cronkite Voice of America: A History, the first comprehensive history of hte VOA since the mid-1980s,... is a valuable account that deserve a wide readership, both within the Foreign Service and among the general public. -- Steven Alan Honley Foreign Service Journal For those wondering why, in the presence of global commercial news networks, there is still a need for the Voice of America... Heil's comprehensive history of America's largest publicly funded overseas broadcasting network surely provides a most comprehensive answer. The Economist [Heil's] familiarity with both the nitty-gritty and the larger issues surrounding "the Voice," as the VOA is commonly known, does much to make the story come alive, as do the anecdotes and transcripts of radio broadcasts he intersperses throughout the narrative... this is a valuable account that deserves a wide readership. Foreign Service Journal Voice of America: A History effectively chronicles an important corner of American cultural history. Seattle Times/Post Intelligencer Heil's book is a must read for anyone who is interested in enhancing America's standing in the world. -- Walter R. Roberts Mediterranean Quarterly Heil, who spent 36 years at the Voice, was uniquely placed to writeVoice of America: A History, a comprehensive and captivating insight... stretching from the launch of the service in February 1942 to its 60th anniversary. -- Morand Fachot DIFFUSION online Anyone looking for a richer understanding of recent international information activities will find this work worthwhile. -- Laura A. Belmont Register of the Kentucky Historical Society The breadth and scope of this book mean it is essential reading for all those involved--or with an interest--in public diplomacy, international affairs and the media. -- Morand Fachot International Affairs Well worth a place in the library of every instructor of the history of America media. American Journalism Voice of America is an important contribution to the history of international broadcasting and a well-written potpourri of interesting information. -- John Jenks Jhistory, H-Net
Table of ContentsTiananmen: The Burden of Truth The Struggle to Get It Straight: The Early Years The 50s and 60s: Forging a More Credible Voice The VOA Correspondent: To the Ends of the Earth From Here to Everywhere: Building a Global Network Into the Citadel of "Ramshackle Excellence" The Struggle to Get It Straight: The Charter as Law The Independence Debate: Up to the Brink and Back The Tumultuous 80s: A Lost Horizon Regained The Epochal Years: 1969 and 1989 Out of Africa: The Triumph of Straight Talk On Language: Words and Their Stories Music: The Universal Language To the Roof of the World: The Tibetan Service Miracle Middle East Flashbacks: VOA and the Wars of '67 and '91 Into the 90s: The Brave New World of Multimedia The Struggle to Get It Straight: Independence at the New Millennium America's Voice: A Voice for the Voiceless Yearning to Breathe Free: Tales of Great VOA Escapes The Struggle Goes On: VOA at the Dawn of the 21st Century Epilogue
