VOA Development and Media Training

The office promotes the mission of the VOA through a wide range of projects that strengthen free and open media worldwide and provide accurate, objective and balanced news and information to audiences overseas.

The office forges partnerships with U.S. government agencies, non-governmental organizations, foundations and commercial and public broadcasters to create programs that support democratic institutions, good governance, the free flow of information and the free enterprise system.

Programs include:

• special broadcasts, delivered by radio, television, Internet, mobile devices
• international media training, and conferences, events and public meetings that encourage dialogue between people.

The office works in countries across Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East where the VOA is active. VOA reaches about 123 million in 44 languages each week.

International media training is one of the office’s principal activities. Trainings are designed to promote free media, respect journalistic integrity and editorial independence and use widely accepted ethical and professional standards.

The office provides basic journalism “best practices,” as well as courses on broadcasting, health, education, sales and marketing, business management, newsroom management, disaster preparedness and technical skills.

Trainers are professionals with the highest qualifications. Trainees include radio and television correspondents, Internet journalists, editors, producers, engineers, announcers and managers.