Webstream Of The Week: Voice Of America News Now

International news on the radio is actually a dying breed, especially after the disappearance of Swiss Radio International, as more and more local stations go online. One source that is available is VOA News Now, from the Voice Of America.

Whilst it is a US Government owned and operated operation, run as it is by the Broadcasting Board Of Governors, it actually seems to manage to retain a greater degree of editorial independence than other state owned radio and TV stations, which is actually quite a feat in itself.

At 32kbps, for the Real Media stream, the quality is sufficient for clear listening, even on dial-up connections. But remember, this service was designed for an international audience, so don't expect to be too US centric, even though it does seem to cover more US news than other international outlets, although not by much.

I rate this a 7.5 out of 10.