VOA and Radio Marti Expand Radio Broadcasts to Latin America

February 03, 2010 | Washington, DC

"A Fondo" is a new weeknight, Spanish-language radio program targeted to audiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, providing vital news and information to a region where media freedom is under attack.

With anchors at Voice of America studios in Washington, D.C. and the studios of Radio Marti in Miami, Fl., the hour-long program utilizes the unique resources of both entities to provide local, national and international news reports to audiences throughout the region. Call-in segments and interviews with experts and government officials will provide facts and opinions that are currently unavailable to listeners.

"A Fondo" (In Depth) debuted Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC). It is available on shortwave, medium-wave, satellite and Internet at (http://www.voanews.com/spanish/news/.) It airs Monday to Friday.

The program was developed in response to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's decision to shut down cable and satellite TV channels last month for failing to broadcast a speech he made. The Venezuelan Government said the stations, including Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), failed to comply with new regulations mandating coverage of Chavez. Protests erupted after RCTV was shuttered.

"The media crackdown in Venezuela demonstrates the need for accurate, reliable and comprehensive news and information to audiences throughout the region. This program will help serve that need," said Alberto Mascaro, director of VOA's Latin America Division.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors is an independent federal agency, supervising all U.S. government-supported, civilian international broadcasting, whose mission is to promote freedom and democracy and to enhance understanding through multimedia communication of accurate, objective, and balanced news, information, and other programming about America and the world to audiences overseas. BBG broadcasting organizations include the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa), Radio Free Asia, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Marti).