Exclusive: Voice of America to Embrace Dynamic Feeds from Pro-Trump Network, Administration Reveals
Voice of America, a pivotal U.S.-funded international news broadcaster, is poised for a transformation following its silencing by the Trump administration in March. This shift arises as Kari Lake, a former news anchor appointed by President Trump to revamp the broadcaster, announced that Voice of America will incorporate content from One America News Network (OAN). Known for its staunchly pro-Trump stance, OAN has propagated false claims about the 2020 presidential election.
Lake, who unsuccessfully pursued political office in Arizona, revealed in a social media statement that OAN has offered to supply free news reports to both Voice of America and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. She described this as “an enormous benefit to the American taxpayer.” Although she asserted, “I don’t have editorial control over the content of VOA and OCB programming,” she emphasized providing “reliable and credible options” for these outlets’ news production.
However, this development has sparked concern among journalism veterans. Patsy Widakuswara, a former White House bureau chief for Voice of America who was placed on leave, voiced her alarm: “We’ve worked so hard to build trust for our brand. This is 83 years of good journalism that’s going to be destroyed.”
Founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, Voice of America has a legacy of delivering trustworthy news to regions lacking reliable journalism. Its operations were disrupted in March when Trump issued an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America. He accused it of bias, branding it the “voice of radical America,” and sent its 1,300 employees home.
In response, Voice of America journalists sued, leading a federal judge in Washington to rule against the administration, ordering program restoration. However, an appeals panel later complicated the situation, reversing parts of the ruling regarding funding while mandating program revival.
The situation has engendered uncertainty about staffing. “Some have already returned,” Lake stated, though she declined further comment. Widakuswara mentioned that about 15 employees have been reinstated, yet she remains among those not returned.
Grant Turner, formerly the chief executive of Voice of America’s parent agency, warned against integrating OAN content, noting it would contravene legal mandates for “accurate, objective, and comprehensive” reporting. Turner remarked, “They know what real fake news sounds like,” expressing that the intended foreign audiences favor authenticity.
As the future of Voice of America unfolds, these developments underscore critical challenges in maintaining journalistic integrity and reliability. The broadcaster’s legacy and mission to deliver truthful news worldwide face a pivotal moment, with potential implications for its reputation and impact on global audiences.
Original Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/us/politics/trump-voice-of-america.html
Category : United States Politics and Government,News and News Media,Freedom of the Press,Television,One America News Network,United States Agency for Global Media,Voice of America,Lake, Kari A,Trump, Donald J,United States
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Publish Date: 2025-05-08 09:36:00
