VOA's Hindi broadcast service ceases

Mumbai, Aug 30 (UNI) The Hindi radio service of Voice of America (VOA) has ceased broadcasting from today.

The 53-year-old Hindi Radio broadcast service to India, currently only an hour a day was launched in July 1955. a release said here today.

VOA's website and once-a-week, seven-minute segment on news television channel 'Aaj Tak' will, however, continue.

The cut, attributed to indirect fallout of the hundreds of millions of dollars absorbed by 'Alhurra' - the US government funded Arabic television news channel, will see about six staffers lose their jobs.

Other language programmes to be removed from VOA's 45- language programme include Ukrainian, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian and Georgian.

Other services in the region like the Urdu service of the VOA for Pakistan, Dari and Pashto services for Afghanistan, have however been extended by several hours a day, added the release.

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