Voice of America in the post-Cold War era: Opportunities and challenges to external media services via new information and communication technology

This study examines Voice of America’s (VOA) services in the post-Cold War era within the framework of the information revolution and globalization. The use of new information venues has caused VOA to evolve from a pure propaganda machine to a notion of informational soft power. However, this study...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international communication gazette 2011-06, Vol.73 (4), p.343-358
Main Authors: Sharon Wang, Shaojung, Junhao Hong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Audiences
Broadcasting
Cold War
Communication
Communications technology
Diplomacy
Ethical standards
Ethics
Globalization
Hegemony
Information and communication technologies
Information services
Information Technology
Mass media
Mass Media Effects
Media
Norms
Perception
Post Cold War period
Post-Cold War
Power
Propaganda
Social norms
Social perception
Soft power
Strategic resources
Strategy
Technology
Telecommunications
U.S.A
United States
United States of America
Values
Visitors
Voice communication
Voice of America
War
Websites
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Summary:This study examines Voice of America’s (VOA) services in the post-Cold War era within the framework of the information revolution and globalization. The use of new information venues has caused VOA to evolve from a pure propaganda machine to a notion of informational soft power. However, this study finds that not only is there a gap between VOA’s target audiences and its actual website visitors but its website attracts more American and western users than users in the societies it intends to influence the most. The role of informational soft power in articulating appealing ideas, values, norms and ethics through all manners of media and new information and communication technology to create the perception that US hegemony is benign poses challenges for the US’s information strategy.
ISSN:1748-0485
1748-0493
DOI:10.1177/1748048511398599