VOA Creole marks 30 years on the air
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Creole Service of the Voice of America is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
From its first five-minute news feed with one broadcaster to its current Radio-on-TV programming, VOA Creole has been one of the most reliable and authoritative sources of news in Haiti. More than eighty percent of weekly listeners say they trust the news and information they receive from the service, according to the latest polling research.
For three decades, VOA Creole has provided in-depth coverage of stories important to Haiti — including the rise and fall of the country’s first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and the 2010 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people in the country and left more than one million others homeless.
Today, VOA Creole is on radio and the web 15 hours each week. These programs are placed on affiliate stations throughout the country and cover the latest developments in Haiti, U.S. news and international affairs of interest to Haitian listeners. The service also provides audiences with valuable information on reconstruction, democracy building, health and the environment.
The service’s call-in shows offer listeners a unique opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions of experts on key issues. As VOA Creole Service Chief Ronald Cesar noted, “We will continue to accompany the Haitian people as they build democracy.”
The Creole Service, in collaboration with other U.S. government agencies, also has been instrumental in training more than 100 Haitian journalists since 2008.