VOA News

What VOA News does

Voice of America (VOA) is the official U.S. government-funded international broadcaster, founded in 1942 and headquartered at 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. It operates under the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and is chartered by U.S. law to produce accurate, objective, and comprehensive news and information for foreign audiences abroad — with explicit statutory firewall protections against U.S. domestic influence operations. As of 2024, VOA delivers content in 49 languages across radio (shortwave, medium wave, AM/FM), television (including the 24-hour direct-to-home satellite channel VOA365 for Persian-speaking audiences), web platforms, mobile applications for Android and iOS, and major social media channels.

Its core product portfolio includes the flagship VOA News service, the VOA Learning English educational brand, the award-winning 52 Documentary series, and dedicated language services for strategic regions including Persian (Iran), Kurdish (Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Syria), Pashto/Dari (Afghanistan), and Shona/Ndebele (Zimbabwe). VOA reaches 354+ million users weekly across nearly 100 countries through a network of more than 3,500 affiliate media outlets, supported by an in-house production infrastructure that includes direct correspondent bureaus and a New York production office.

VOA's business model is non-commercial: it is 100% funded by annual appropriations from the U.S. Congress through USAGM, with content provided free of charge to international audiences and affiliates. It generates no advertising, subscription, or licensing revenue. The organization is governed by a federal leadership structure (currently led by its 31st Director, Michael Abramowitz, sworn in June 24, 2024) and operates a horizontal segmentation model serving global audiences differentiated by geography and use case, with particular emphasis on populations in closed or censored societies (Iran, China, Russia, Afghanistan, North Korea, and similar jurisdictions).

Name

VOA News

Legal name

Voice of America

Website

https://insidevoa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Voice of America is a U.S. government-funded international broadcaster delivering news and information in 49 languages across radio, TV, web, mobile, and social platforms to 354+ million weekly users in nearly 100 countries, with a focus on audiences in censored or restricted-press societies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

International News & Current Affairs Broadcasters (MPABAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

24/7 National & International News Channels (MPABAIAA), National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB)

Keywords

• International broadcasting
• Multilingual news
• Public service media
• Government-funded broadcasting
• Foreign affairs journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Funding: Funded by the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an independent federal agency. VOA programs are intended for dissemination to foreign audiences abroad and VOA is prohibited from spending funding to influence public opinion within the United States.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VOA News is the official international broadcasting service of the United States, producing and distributing independent, multilingual news and information in approximately 49 languages to nearly 100 countries. Its content reaches over 354 million people weekly across radio, television, web, mobile, and social platforms via direct platforms and a network of 3,500+ affiliate media outlets.

Product overview

VOA News operates as a multi-platform international broadcasting organization offering news and information in 49 languages to global audiences. The core product portfolio includes the main VOA News service (reaching 354+ million weekly via radio, TV, web, and mobile), the Learning English educational sub-brand, the 52 Documentary series for long-form storytelling, and dedicated language services for key regions including Persian (VOA365 satellite TV), Kurdish, Afghan (Radio Ashna), Zimbabwe (Studio 7), African nations (16 language services), and 40+ additional language services worldwide. Supporting infrastructure includes mobile applications for Android and iOS, the VOA+ digital platform, and a network of over 3,500 affiliate media outlets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 52 Documentary: Documentary series showcasing women's stories from around the world
• VOA Learning English
• VOA Persian
• VOA Kurdish
• VOA365

Products and services

• VOA News Primary news broadcasting service providing accurate, objective, and comprehensive news and information in 48+ languages to global audiences via radio, television, web, and mobile media, reaching over 354 million people weekly in nearly 100 countries.
• VOA Learning English English language learning service providing news-based educational content for English learners worldwide, with radio broadcasts and web content designed to help audiences learn American English while staying informed.
• 52 Documentary Documentary series featuring 22 films released in 2023 showcasing women's stories from around the world, producing award-winning long-form journalism content.
• VOA Persian (VOA365) Persian-language programming targeting Iran with fact-based news, current affairs, cultural and entertaining content. Programs accessible via 24-hour direct-to-home satellite television channel VOA365, web, mobile apps and social media platforms, reaching 15.7% weekly audience in Iran.
• VOA Kurdish Kurdish language service reaching over 30 million Kurds in the Middle East and Eurasia, plus approximately one million in Europe and North America. Programming includes 46 hours/week radio, 6 hours/week TV, and video reports in Kurmanji and Sorani.
• VOA Afghan Service (Radio Ashna) Pashto and Dari language service reaching 7.3 million adults weekly in Afghanistan via FM, medium wave, shortwave, a 24/7 TV satellite channel (Yahsat channel 469), websites, and social media.
• VOA Zimbabwe Service (Studio 7) Zimbabwe coverage in English, Shona, and Ndebele languages, broadcasting via medium wave at 909 kHz and shortwave frequencies 4930, 13755, and 15775 kHz, plus online content at voazimbabwe.com, voashona.com, and voandebele.com.
• VOA Mobile App Mobile application available for Android and iPhones/iPads providing VOA News content in formats optimized for mobile devices.
• VOA+ Digital content platform for accessing VOA documentaries and special programming across network digital platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 354 million+ weekly audience reach across all platforms
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)coreOthersVOA's parent federal agency that provides funding, oversight, and administrative support. USAGM operates the Direct System for professional content distribution and evaluates ongoing subscription requests based on broadcasting principles and standards.
• Radio Dario (Nicaragua)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVOA and USAGM affiliate radio station broadcasting for more than 70 years. One of the oldest and most recognized independent radio stations in Nicaragua, serving as one of the few media outlets critical of the Ortega administration. License was cancelled by Nicaraguan government in 2022.
• NRT (Northern Iraq Television)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTV affiliate in Northern Iraq airing VOA Kurdish programming including 'Kurd Connection' (50-minute daily program Sunday-Thursday), 'Washington Eye' (40-minute weekly program), and other content through NRT and NRT2 channels.
• Radio Badinan (Duhok, Northern Iraq)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFM radio affiliate in Duhok, Northern Iraq receiving VOA Kurdish 'Deng U Reng' (Sound and Color) arts and culture programming in the Kurmanji dialect.
• Radio ARTA FM (Northern Syria)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFM radio affiliate in Northern Syria receiving VOA Kurdish arts and culture programming 'Deng U Reng'.
• Ahadu Radio and TV (Ethiopia)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEthiopian broadcaster that was ordered by Ethiopian Media Authority in 2021 to stop broadcasting VOA content, restricting free flow of information to citizens of Ethiopia.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BBC World Service: UK publicly-funded international broadcaster operating in 40+ languages with global radio, TV, and digital distribution. Most direct functional analogue to VOA: state-funded news for foreign audiences, with extensive correspondent network and editorial independence protections.
• Deutsche Welle (DW): Germany's publicly-funded international broadcaster providing news in 30+ languages via TV, radio, and digital platforms, targeting similar foreign audiences in censored markets (Iran, Afghanistan, Africa) with a comparable funding-source profile and broadcast model to VOA.
• Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): Sibling U.S. international broadcaster under USAGM, operating in 27 languages across Europe, Eurasia, and Central/South Asia. Shares parent agency, congressional funding, and editorial firewall framework with VOA, and broadcasts to overlapping geographies (e.g., Russia, Ukraine, Iran).
• France 24: French state-funded international 24/7 news channel broadcasting in French, English, Spanish, and Arabic to global audiences. Closely comparable continuous news channel format and target markets (Middle East, Africa) where VOA also operates.
• NHK World-Japan: Japan's publicly-funded international broadcaster delivering news in multiple languages via TV and digital platforms. Similar public-broadcaster identity, multi-platform distribution, and editorial standards framework applied to foreign audiences.
• Radio Free Asia (RFA): U.S. international broadcaster under USAGM providing news in 23 Asian languages including Mandarin, Tibetan, Uyghur, and Burmese. Sister agency to VOA within the same federal structure, sharing funding and firewall protections.
• Radio France Internationale (RFI): France's public international radio service broadcasting in 16 languages, particularly active in Africa. VOA's 16 African language services and VOA French-to-Africa overlap directly with RFI's audience and editorial mission.

Broad incumbents

• Al Jazeera English: Qatar-based 24/7 English-language international news channel with extensive digital and broadcast operations. Competes with VOA for English-speaking diaspora audiences in the Middle East and Africa and reaches similar censored-market geographies.
• RT (Russia Today): Russian state-funded international multilingual broadcaster and direct competitor for audiences in countries where VOA is blocked (e.g., Russia, parts of Africa and Latin America). Operates as a state-aligned alternative news source targeting overlapping audiences.
• CGTN (China Global Television Network): Chinese state-funded multilingual international broadcaster competing for influence in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia where VOA also maintains substantial presence. Comparable large-scale state-funded model targeting global audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/insidevoa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VOAPublicRelations
• Facebookfacebook.com/insidevoa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voice-of-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/insidevoa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VOA News