美国之音宪章

为了确保美国之音节目的完善和确定美国之音的使命，1960年起草的美国之音宪章于1976年7月12日由杰拉尔德-福特总统签署成为法律。宪章曰：

通过广播跟全世界人民直接交流符合美国的长远利益。为了有效地达到这个目标， 美国之音必须赢得听众的注意和尊重。因此，美国之音的节目必须符合这些原则：
 

1. 美国之音将作为一个持续可靠的、权威的信息来源。美国之音播送的信息必须准确、客观、全面。
2. 美国之音将代表整个美国，而不是美国社会的个别层面。所以，美国之音将平衡、全面地反映重要的美国思想和体制。
3. 美国之音将清楚而有效地展示美国的政策，以及关于这些政策的负责任的讨论和意见。

The VOA Charter

To protect the integrity of VOA programming and define the organization's mission, the VOA Charter was drafted in 1960 and later signed into law (Public Law 94-350) on July 12, 1976, by President Gerald Ford.  It reads:

The long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world by radio. To be effective, the Voice of America must win the attention and respect of listeners. These principles will therefore govern Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts.

1. VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.
2. VOA will represent America, not any single segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions.
3. VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.