WI: Voice of America becomes the American BBC?

Zioneer

Banned
So what if the Voice of America became similar in tone and neutrality as the BBC? Could this even happen, and if so, how? I know that the BBC isn't the paragon of neutrality, but it's better than most American news networks, IMO. So what kind of PoD could lead to a BBC-style (but still American in feel) Voice of America?
 
What a coincidence; I was at VOA yesterday working on contracts and have been a listener many years.

The VOA is around the world Number Two to the BBC in its reputation of objective and comprehensive news, and has been since its foundation in 1943. One of the reasons is that the VOA has both a commitment to tell the truth, no matter how good it is for America, and journalistic standards it must maintain.

However, the VOA, unlike the BBC, can't broadcast directly to Americans under the Smith-Mundt act. There was too much Republican opposition to an American BBC.
 
So what if the Voice of America became similar in tone and neutrality as the BBC? Could this even happen, and if so, how? I know that the BBC isn't the paragon of neutrality, but it's better than most American news networks, IMO. So what kind of PoD could lead to a BBC-style (but still American in feel) Voice of America?

Isn't PBS the closest thing to an American BBC?
 
Not from the business model. PBS provides content to affiliate stations; it doesn't have licenses itself.

Nor should it. The government doesn't need an offical mouth piece. It's bad enough as it is that all of the nations large media companies are based out of a single city. There can't be much diversity of opinion when everyone is member of the same social set.

But back to the OP is it possible for the VOA to provide indepentent stations new updates like ABC and FOX radio?
 
Nor should it. The government doesn't need an offical mouth piece. It's bad enough as it is that all of the nations large media companies are based out of a single city. There can't be much diversity of opinion when everyone is member of the same social set.

But back to the OP is it possible for the VOA to provide indepentent stations new updates like ABC and FOX radio?


Not legally. The Smith-Mundt Act would need to have never been passed. Probably if VOA was staffed by NBC/CBS newsmen (ABC just coming into being), and served as a pool service, it might work.
 
The VOA is around the world Number Two to the BBC in its reputation of objective and comprehensive news, and has been since its foundation in 1943. One of the reasons is that the VOA has both a commitment to tell the truth, no matter how good it is for America, and journalistic standards it must maintain.
:confused:Objective? I admit that in Eastern Europe, say, VoA was FAR more objective than the Communist media, but second only to the BBC during the Cold War?
 
I would say PBS would function in an ATL as the American equivalent to the BBC. The name "Voice of America" implies a foreign target audience.
 

Zioneer

Banned
I would say PBS would function in an ATL as the American equivalent to the BBC. The name "Voice of America" implies a foreign target audience.

I was actually going for what I visualize the BBC as being; a mostly neutral (but obviously pro-government when there's an international issue concerning the nation), well-regarded, and mostly ethically clean news source, bipartisanly funded by any US government.

Of course, I agree that a BBC-style Voice of America would focus on foreign affairs, and would try to stay out of partisan clashes.
 
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