Voice of America’s weekly global audience measured significantly higher in the past year, showing a net weekly audience gain of 38.4 million adults, reaching 275.2 million, according to the latest annual numbers released by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In total, VOA’s weekly audience has grown by sixty percent over the past five years.
The most significant gains came in China, largely from newly measured online users. In addition, new surveys measured significant audience increases both in Iran, where satellite TV and online produced large gains, and in Ethiopia where TV and radio led.
In Russia, measured audience was essentially stable, despite the challenges in reaching Russian consumers.
“I am really proud of the exponential audience growth since last year,” said Voice of America Director, Amanda Bennett. “As VOA has been a beacon for freedom of the press around the world, we’re keenly aware that providing objective, insightful news and information is invaluable to our audiences.”
In addition to weekly audience size, the surveys showed that VOA provides programming that the audience finds trustworthy and important for their understanding of current events. VOA’s credibility score increased to 84%. More importantly, six in ten users of VOA products in Russia, Iran and China say VOA content has increased their understanding of current events.
