A One-Stop-Shop for U.S.-Sponsored Global Journalism

The Broadcasting Board of Governors on Monday launched a “Global News Dashboard” that amalgamates English-language news from more than 50 of its bureaus, its production centers and its network of more than 1,500 journalists and stringers worldwide.

Visitors to the single website will be directed to content from Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia, and the dashboard will also contain links to Spanish content from Radio/TV Martí and the Arabic-language offerings of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

"This site showcases the depth and reach of the high-quality journalism that the BBG produces," said Richard M. Lobo, director of the BBG's International Broadcasting Bureau, in a statement. "There are millions of English-speakers worldwide who get their news from the individual websites of our broadcasters. It makes sense to pool our resources and put them to work to serve our audiences even better."

Robert Bole, director of BBG's Office of Digital and Design Innovation, added that "bringing all these sources of information together makes a powerful statement about this agency and the way we do business. We're so much greater than just the sum of our parts."

Later this summer the BBG will enjoy new freedom to package its overseas journalism for domestic audiences as a result of enactment in December of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act relieving the agency of some Cold-War-era restrictions on distribution within the United States.

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