Women’s Rights in China (WRIC) NGO has produced a short video showing that both very young and older persons in China continue to rely on Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts for uncensored news and information. These comments, recorded in China, point to the censorship of the Internet by the Chinese authorities and the fact that hundreds of millions of Chinese cannot use the Internet to access VOA websites, which are being blocked in China, or can’t afford to have Internet access of any kind.
The Voice of America is celebrating this month the 70th anniversary of broadcasting to China. Its supporters in China seen in this video wish VOA happy birthday, which almost could not have been celebrated as the U.S. agency responsible for these broadcasts wanted to stop them shortly before the 70th anniversary date.
Thanks to numerous protests in China and in the United States, members of Congress from both parties prevented the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) from implementing its plan to end VOA radio and TV programs to China on October 1, 2011, which happened to be the anniversary of the founding of communist China.
On December 6, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher hosted a large reception on Capitol Hill to mark the 70th anniversary of VOA broadcasts to China. Members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, who initially wanted to fire 45 VOA China Branch broadcasters, may have realized that they had made a mistake of listening to the advice of their executive staff. Last week they had signed a Certificate of Recognition, which was presented to the VOA China Branch employees by BBG Governor Victor Ashe.
Women’s Rights in China Video was recorded in China by WRIC volunteers. Those appearing in this video have shown a lot of courage by admitting that they are listeners to VOA radio broadcasts. Jing Zhang, president of Women’s Rights in China, is an Advisory Board member of the Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB).

Link to the Women’s Rights in China video on the 70th anniversary of Voice of America broadcasting to China.