The impending closure of Voice of America's Hindi service on 30 September appears to upset loyal listeners, particularly from the country's Hindi belt, who have been tuned into the service for years now.
The services's Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has announced that the VoA Hindi radio service will be terminated from the end of this month, a move that has also stunned its stringers and correspondents based in India.
Rajasthan based J Singh, who contributes to the Hindi service of Voice of America says, "Ideally, VOA should have increased the hour slots as it has huge listenership for its cultural and regional news.” VoA's Arab radio service, Alhurra and Sawa that rely more on popular music and entertainment are flourishing at the cost of reduced Hindi service timings, point out sources. VoA is currently available as an one hour slot from 9.30 pm on the shortwave.
Says Singh, “It was a platform for listeners all over the globe to ask questions and get replies to their queries. Apparently, the radio station has lost about 30 per cent listenership, when the morning time slot (6 to 6.30 am) was removed."
VoA's listeners are mainly concentrated in the Hindi belt, in areas where the television and internet has not flourished much.
Chabbra based regular VoA listener Hiralal Soni says, “It was the only way to be internationally connected for many remote areas and shutting the services would be a drawback for these listeners.”
The VOA one hour slot has programmes across genres like science, youth oriented programmes, international headlines, women's show and interactive shows like Hello America and Hello India etc.
Says Sevan based Dr R K Mishra, another loyal listener, “I have been listening to the one hour slot Voice of Amercia ever since I remember. I rely on the words of VOA broadcast for confirming any international story across the globe.”
Although the broadcast would be terminated on air, the website and a once-a-week seven-minute segment on news television channel Aaj Tak will continue. “There is no point in continuing the online version after ceasing the broadcast as the illiterate listeners in the remote corners cannot read the news online and the educated ones can any day get international news from any other source other than radio,” points out a listener.
Voice of America’s Hindi service was first launched in July 1955 and garnered listenership in the past many decades targeting mainly the remote corners.
Apart from Hindi, VOA which broadcasts in 45 languages also plans to eliminate seven radio language services this year including Ukrainian, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Georgian among others.
The FY 2008 funding bill for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, passed by both houses and signed by the President, has directed that this proposed cut on regional services be reversed, say sources. But the service is determined to go ahead with the abolition of the Hindi service.
http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/pending-voa-hindi-closure-upsets-fans#story
(Source: Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India)