George Bistis
Director, VOA Greek Service

Now, perhaps more than ever, audiences around the world are demanding accurate and timely news and information. For audiences in Greece, there is great interest in the unfolding situation in Cyprus and the future of the relations between Greece and its Balkan neighbors, including Turkey. It takes an international leader to provide this news and information on a daily basis.

For over 50 years, the Greek service of the Voice of America has been a valuable source of information to the Greek speaking world.

In the early days, our programs provided vital news to the people of Nazi-occupied Greece, about the Greek government in exile, and the efforts by the U.S. and its allies to liberate Greece and the rest of Europe from the Axis forces. VOA Greek Service was also termed a much-needed voice during the years of the Greek civil war in the late 1940s, and again in the period from 1967 to 1974 when the country was ruled by a military junta. The popularity of our programs continued throughout the years of peace and prosperity that followed for Greece.

Today's Greek audiences listen to us for an accurate and balanced account of U.S. and international news, as well as for information about major economic, cultural and scientific developments in America. Special attention is regularly given to the contributions of the large Greek-American community, and to U.S. developments of particular interest to the people of Greece and Cyprus.

This is probably why some of Greece's more reputable radio stations from Crete to Thessaloniki, including the leading broadcasters in Athens, are carrying our programs on a daily basis. The Greek Service is also the recipient of the 1996 Voice of America Excellence in Programming Award in the important category of News and News-Related programming.

If you have any suggestions or comments about our programs please call me in Washington at 001-202-619-0361, or send me e-mail. If you would like to write, my address is:

If you are interested in becoming an affiliate you can either contact me directly or you can contact the Office of Affiliate Relations in Prague at (00420) 2-2112-3775, or by e-mail at voa-prague@praguemail.rferl.org.

Sincerely yours,
George Bistis
Director, VOA Greek Service