VoA to stop its Hindi service

Voice of AmericaWashington, Aug 23: The Voice of America’s (VoA) Hindi service which was launched in 1955 would be shut down with effect from Sept 30, thereby rendering six of its permanent staff in New Delhi jobless.

Besides, a large number of VoA listeners would be bereft of its news bulletins to which they were addicted for decades together.

In a message to the South Asian Journalists’ Association (SAJA), Ashok Sarin of the VoA Hindi Service said that the decision was being presented as the “will” of the US Congress, reported the Daily Times.

In December, the 2008 funding bill for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the body that controls VOA, was passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, directed that the proposed cut should be reversed.

In July, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programmes marked the Broadcasting Board of Governors Fiscal Year 2009 budget, and again directed the proposed Hindi service cut to be reversed.

However, the Broadcasting Board of Governors appears determined to go ahead with the shut down. (ANI)

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