BBG: US International Media Attracts Record Audience Of 226 Million

The Broadcasting Board of Governors released its annual impact numbers, including an unprecedented weekly measured audience of 226 million.

The increase includes substantial gains in digital and television audiences in highly competitive media markets that are of strategic importance to the United States. Digital audiences increased from 25 million to 32 million, driven in part by social media and BBG-sponsored Internet circumvention tools used to evade the Chinese firewall to access Radio Free Asia and Voice of America content, as well as a new multi-platform campaign launched by the Middle East Broadcasting Networks aimed at engaging Iraqi audiences and providing them an opportunity to voice their opinions.

Thanks in part to a successful customized affiliate strategy, especially in Latin America, Africa and the Russian periphery, television audiences saw a substantial increase, growing 18 million in the last year.