Radio Free Asia

Radio Free Asia (RFA), a private, non-profit corporation, aired its first broadcast in Mandarin to China on September 29, 1996. Its first Vietnamese broadcast aired on February 5, 1997. Located in Washington D.C., the organization was founded to broadcast news and information from an American viewpoint to Asian countries where full and accurate news reports were not available. Besides its news broadcasts, RFA is also a "university of the air," meaning that it broadcasts works of fiction and nonfiction that would be censored in RFA's target countries. The organization is funded by grants from the United States Congress, and it is journalistically independent. The autonomy of RFA is vital to providing objective domestic news and information. Daily broadcasts include reports from correspondents throughout Asia. RFA broadcasts are in the local languages and dialects of each of its target countries, including Vietnamese, Lao, Mandarin, Cantonese, Cambodian, and Korean. The broadcasts serve as the free press lacking in the countries, and the news and commentary is specific to each of the target areas. Since the beginning, RFA has also provided its listeners with opportunities to call in to the broadcast and voice their opinions. Six call-in programs are done daily where listeners can dial a toll free number and speak directly with a broadcast host. All of the broadcasts originate from the central Washington D.C. office. In addition to its headquarters in Washington D.C., RFA also has bureaus in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, and Phnom Penh. Smaller offices are located in Ankara, Kathmandu, Seoul, and Dharamsala, India. The organization also publishes a monthly digest of top news and features from its main language services.

Historical Background

Radio Free Asia (RFA), a private, non-profit corporation, aired its first broadcast in Mandarin to China on September 29, 1996. Its first Vietnamese broadcast aired on February 5, 1997. Located in Washington D.C., the organization was founded to broadcast news and information from an American viewpoint to Asian countries where full and accurate news reports were not available. Besides its news broadcasts, RFA is also a "university of the air," meaning that it broadcasts works of fiction and nonfiction that would be censored in RFA's target countries. The organization is funded by grants from the United States Congress, and it is journalistically independent. The autonomy of RFA is vital to providing objective domestic news and information.

Daily broadcasts include reports from correspondents throughout Asia. RFA broadcasts are in the local languages and dialects of each of its target countries, including Vietnamese, Lao, Mandarin, Cantonese, Cambodian, and Korean. The broadcasts serve as the free press lacking in the countries, and the news and commentary is specific to each of the target areas. Since the beginning, RFA has also provided its listeners with opportunities to call in to the broadcast and voice their opinions. Six call-in programs are done daily where listeners can dial a toll free number and speak directly with a broadcast host.

Each of the 105 RFA broadcasters are able to record and edit their own programs simultaneously using the organization's studio system and digital audio storage. All of the broadcasts originate from the central Washington D.C. office. In addition to its headquarters in Washington D.C., RFA also has bureaus in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, and Phnom Penh. Smaller offices are located in Ankara, Kathmandu, Seoul, and Dharamsala, India. The organization also publishes a monthly digest of top news and features from its main language services.

For further information on RFA, see the organization's website .