Preparation and broadcasting of radio programs intended for radio listeners abroad is a special kind of broadcasting. It is broadcast both in foreign languages and in the language of the broadcasting country.
The term “international broadcasting” is widely used in scientific and popular literature, as well as in journalistic practice. Along with it, the terms “foreign broadcasting”, “broadcasting to foreign countries”, “foreign broadcasting”, “foreign radio broadcasting” are used. All of them are synonyms.
Within a broadcasting country, international broadcasting is an important part of the national media system. At the same time, it is part of a system of global information exchange that also includes the press, television, tourism, all kinds of international communications and organizations, and diplomatic channels.
The inhabitants of the world today are bombarded with a gigantic flow of information from different countries in different languages. According to UNESCO and other sources, by the end of the millennium there were 8,896 daily newspapers with a combined circulation of over 400 million copies, and almost 70,000 radio and television stations. The world population had about 1.5 billion television sets and over 2 billion radios. That means that we had an average of 100 newspapers, 236 televisions and 380 radios for every 1,000 people each day.
Almost all states of the world are active in information activity in the international arena, participate in the exchange of information, and this activity is constantly expanding, changing its directions, goals and methods. This is due to a number of economic, socio-political and technical factors, both in the countries – subjects of information activity, and in the world as a whole. The scale of modern international information exchange is greatly influenced by changes in the international environment, expansion and deepening of all types of international cooperation.
Historical experience shows that international broadcasting can serve the interests of international cooperation, deepening mutual understanding, trust, good-neighborliness and partnership, but in other conditions it can also become a factor destabilizing the international situation and can provoke explosive situations.
The growing importance of outdoor radio broadcasting is demonstrated by the fact that by the end of the 20th century, 1,600 radio stations in more than 160 countries were on the international airwaves. These range from the BBC, which has the world’s highest volume of broadcasts to foreign audiences, 1,400 hours a week, to Radio Botswana, which broadcasts for about 100 hours a week. Many nations take advantage of radio’s ability to reach listeners abroad, to influence public opinion in other countries, and to use the airwaves to keep in touch with their compatriots abroad. Print media are unable to accomplish such tasks. Even prestigious world-class publications have a limited audience beyond their borders, while international broadcasting programs can be received by anyone who owns a shortwave receiver at any time of day or night.
Listeners turn to the programs of foreign radio stations for a number of significant reasons. One of them is the desire to get first-hand information about events in a particular country. For many, the broadcasts of world radio are the only source of information about facts and events that the mass media in their countries do not report at all. For a large part of the audience, alternative information is needed and they are interested in different perspectives on what is happening in the world.
Finally, listeners are drawn to foreign programs to learn more about the culture, art, literature, music, history, and language of the broadcasting country.
International broadcasting in most countries of the world is carried out by state or public organizations (BBC, Deutsche Welle). In a number of states, private radio stations are also engaged in such activities on behalf of public, cultural, religious and other organizations and interest groups.