Tag Archives: Voice of America

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration sent layoff notices on Friday to more than 600 employees at Voice of America, a federally funded news organization that provides independent reporting to countries with limited press freedom. The layoffs, known as reductions in force, will shrink the staff count at the news organization to less than 200, around one-seventh of …

Politico reports: All remaining staff at Voice of America are expected to receive reduction-in-force notices this week, likely closing the book on the network founded 80-plus years ago to combat Nazi disinformation during World War II. Employees are anticipating termination notices to go out this week to all full-time staff at the embattled news network, according to four VOA employees …

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration on Thursday fired nearly 600 employees at Voice of America, a federally funded news network that provides independent reporting to countries with limited press freedoms. The layoffs targeted contractors, most of them journalists but also some administrative employees, and amounted to over a third of Voice of America’s staff. They signaled that …

“United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is excited to announce a partnership with One America News Network (OAN) to provide newsfeed services to USAGM networks, including Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), Radio Martí, and Voice of America (VOA). “This idea came about after OCB suggested we explore OAN as a newsfeed option for the Miami-based, U.S. Government-funded news operation …

CBS News reports: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to rehire all Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Network staff for now, and he said all congressional funding must resume to the outlets, which had been effectively shuttered by the administration. D.C. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction on behalf of the …

The Associated Press reports: A lawsuit filed late Friday accuses the Trump administration of unlawfully shutting down the Voice of America and asks a federal court to restore the outlet that for decades has supplied news about the United States to nations around the world — including many that lack a free press of their own. The case, filed in …

Axios reports: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is suing the Trump administration, Kari Lake, the U.S. Agency for Global Media and USAGM acting CEO Victor Morales over moves to terminate the news organization’s federal funding. The lawsuit that was filed Tuesday says “Congress has appropriated funds specifically for RFE/RL” and “expressly directed” the USAGM to make these available to the outlet …

CBS News reports: President Trump’s dismantling of the government-funded Voice of America will pave the way for America’s adversaries to have greater influence abroad, predicted the agency’s director Michael Abramowitz. After Mr. Trump signed an executive order that seeks to make sweeping cuts at the nation’s largest international broadcaster, about 1,300 employees, including Abramowitz, learned over the weekend they had …

NBC News reports: Chinese state media are celebrating President Donald Trump’s move to gut Voice of America and other U.S. government-funded news outlets that push back against authoritarian regimes. The government of China, where media is tightly controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, has long criticized coverage by VOA and other U.S. government-funded news outlets. In an editorial Monday, …

The New York Times reports: For more than 80 years, Voice of America transmitted the news into countries, many of them authoritarian, where reliable sources of information about the outside world were often hard to come by. Now those broadcasts — long viewed as an important part of U.S. efforts to promote democracy and transparency overseas — are flickering out. Hours …

The New York Times reports: President Trump signed an executive order on Friday seeking to dismantle seven additional federal agencies, including the one that oversees Voice of America and other government-funded media outlets around the world. Mr. Trump directed the heads of the agencies, largely obscure entities that address issues like labor mediation and homelessness prevention, to eliminate all functions …

The Associated Press reports: The government agency that runs the Voice of America has moved to terminate contracts with The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse, and told its journalists Friday to stop using material from the wire services. While awaiting official approval to take over, Kari Lake was brought on as special adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global …

The Associated Press reports: As it has with other government agencies, the Trump administration is moving swiftly to assert its vision at the Voice of America. As it does so, a question hangs in the air: Is the news organization’s journalistic mission, which dates to World War II, in for some fundamental changes? Within the past week, VOA placed veteran …

“I am pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next Director of the Voice of America. She will be appointed by, and work closely with, our next head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, who I will announce soon, to ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and …

NPR reports: Last summer, an appointee of former President Donald Trump was irate because he could not simply fire top executives who had warned him that some of his plans might be illegal. Michael Pack, who was CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media that oversees Voice of America, in August suspended those top executives. He also immediately ordered …

NBC News reports: The Trump appointee overseeing the Voice of America and other U.S.-funded broadcasters resigned on Wednesday at the request of the Biden administration, after a tumultuous tenure marked by accusations he was undermining the networks’ editorial independence. Michael Pack, CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said his resignation was effective at 2 p.m. EST, just two …

NPR reports: Michael Pack’s stormy tenure over the federal agency that oversees government-funded broadcasters abroad — including Voice of America — appears to be coming to a close. Yet President Trump’s appointee has sparked an internal outcry by taking bold steps to try to cement his control over at least two of the networks and shape the course of their …

NBC News reports: A senior U.S. official appointed by President Donald Trump has scrapped a federal regulation designed to protect the editorial independence of Voice of America and other U.S.-funded media outlets, amid accusations he is undermining the journalistic credibility of the broadcasters. Michael Pack, CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media who rescinded the editorial “firewall” regulation late …

The Guardian reports: The Trump administration has accelerated its purge of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), in what critics warn is a further step towards turning Voice of America and other public broadcasters into propaganda outlets. Seven senior officials had their security clearances withdrawn this week, making it impossible for them to continue in their roles. They included …

Vox reports: If Joe Biden wins the presidency, he’s promising at least one staffing change: firing the CEO of a US-funded global media agency who’s accused of trying to turn it into a propaganda shop aligned with Donald Trump’s ideology. Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the former vice president’s campaign, told me Biden will oust Michael Pack from his Senate-confirmed …