Worldnet Television and Film Service
| Worldnet Television and Film Service | |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1983 |
| Closed | May 16, 2004 (merged to VOA) |
| Owned by | Broadcasting Board of Governors |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Multilingual |
| Broadcast area | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Website | www.ibb.gov/worldnet (closed) |
Worldnet Television and Film Service was an American state-funded cable and satellite television channel directed to audiences outside of the United States. Its studios were located in Washington, D.C.[1] It broadcast 24-hour-a-day.[1] Worldnet had the mission to show "a balanced and accurate picture of American society, policies, and people".[1]
History
Worldnet was launched in 1983.[1][2] In the beginning, it worked under the umbrella of the United States Information Agency (USIA).[3] Later, Worldnet became part of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).[1][4]
On September 11, 2001, Worldnet, Using Bloomberg Television, interrupted its regular programming on seven satellites to broadcast raw footage of terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington.[5]
In 2002, Worldnet switched from an analog system to a digital one.[5]
On May 16, 2004, Worldnet was merged into the Voice of America to reduce costs.[5][6]
Programs
Programs produced by Worldnet were provided in Arabic, Croatian, English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Serbian, Ukrainian, and other world languages.[1] They were transmitted via satellite, and also via foreign TV broadcast and cable systems.[1]
Besides, Worldnet offered some programs produced by other U.S. networks, such as NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Nightly Business Report, Computer Chronicles and Bloomberg Information Television.[1]
American English-teaching telecourses were part of the list of programs.[7] One of them was Crossroads Cafe, which combined comedy, drama, and English skills training.[7]
Law
The Smith–Mundt Act of 1948 restricted Worldnet to broadcast directly to American citizens.[8] The intent of the legislation was to protect the American public from propaganda actions by its own government.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Worldnet Fact Sheet". Worldnet. Archived from the original on 21 April 1999. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ McPhail, Thomas L. (2006). Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends. Blackwell Publishing. p. 168. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ Blanchard, Margaret A. (2013). History of the Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 101. ISBN 1-57958-012-2. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ Vaughn, Stephen L. (2008). Encyclopedia of American Journalism. Routledge. p. 549. ISBN 0-203-94216-7. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Innovations for a New Century – Multimedia Expansion". Voice of America. 1 March 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ "WORLDNET merges with VOA". Voice of America. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- 1 2 "The Message and the Medium". Website of WORLDNET. Archived from the original on 7 December 1998. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ "Legal information". Worldnet. Archived from the original on 6 December 1998. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ↑ Broderick, James F., and Darren W. Miller. Consider the Source: A Critical Guide to 100 prominent news and information sites on the Web. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2007. ISBN 0-910965-77-3, ISBN 978-0-910965-77-4. p. 388