Yesterday at the Capitol Visitor Center, the Broadcasting Board of Governors took the focus off of its struggling board and held a Digital Innovation Expo that showcased what else it does in the world, with demonstrations on the various news and information initiatives it offers to audiences worldwide who would otherwise not have access to a free press.
These include the Internet anti-censorship tools employed in China and Iran, social media links with audiences in Cuba, how people in Mali can listen to Voice of America with a local phone call and a collaborative blog with personalized accounts on the plight of Syrians.
Participants included employees of the BBG’s Offices of Digital Design and Innovation and Technology, Services and Innovation, as well as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
Some of the latest innovations on display included paper USBs, translation tools and mobile crisis intervention projects. Focal topics included use of social media, mobile phones and innovative tools for exchanging content with audiences, and tools for getting information into press-restrictive societies such as Cuba, Syria and China.
The crowd was at capacity, according to the BBG, and included scholars, Congressional staff and members of the public diplomacy community.
