On Thursday, September 27, VOA’s Persian News Network (PNN) launches Today’s Woman, a one-hour daily television discussion program featuring influential women from around the world. The inaugural program will focus on the “One Million Signatures” campaign in Iran, a peaceful and civil effort to influence the country’s Parliament to reform laws discriminating against women.
“This is an important new program, with new faces, compelling topics, and a contemporary look,” said VOA Director Danforth W. Austin. “Each day we’ll tackle issues that affect all women, those inside Iran as well as around the world, and broaden our viewers’ horizons. It’s groundbreaking.”
Today’s Woman will feature a pool of participants discussing and debating a full spectrum of topics, including social, medical, human rights, legal, sports, and business. The show will include international call-ins, original reports, a male perspective, and profiles of women who make a difference.
“The launch of Today’s Woman will bring our expansion of VOA’s Persian-language television from one hour to seven and a half hours a day,” said James K. Glassman, Chairman of VOA’s oversight body, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). “This is particularly impressive since we were able to accomplish this in little more than a year.”
VOA has the largest combined radio and television audience of all international broadcasters in Iran, with one in four adult Iranians tuning into a VOA show at least once a week. Programs are also streamed on www.VOANews.com/Persian/.