The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has announced significant staff reductions, notifying over 639 employees of their termination. This reduction completes an 85% decrease in personnel since March, echoing cuts made under the Trump administration. The agency’s decision, according to senior advisor Kari Lake, is aimed at addressing what has been perceived as a bloated bureaucracy within USAGM and its subsidiary, Voice of America (VOA), which was established during World War II to counter propaganda.
In total, the agency has eliminated approximately 1,400 positions, leaving only 250 employees among USAGM, VOA, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, with the latter remaining unaffected in terms of personnel cuts. Lake described the downsizing as necessary to operate within statutory limits and to improve operational accountability, asserting that USAGM has been plagued by dysfunction and waste.
These layoffs follow a previous dismissal of nearly 600 VOA contractors earlier in the year. Critics, particularly among Republicans, have accused VOA and other publicly funded media outlets of bias, leading to calls for their closure. As USAGM moves forward with these changes, another station, Radio Free Asia, has implemented further furloughs, indicating a trend of reduced operational capacity across the agency’s networks.
Looking ahead, while the fate of VOA, which served historically significant roles in providing news to audiences living under authoritarian regimes, appears bleak, there exists a potential for other nations to fill the gaps left by diminished U.S. media presence. This challenge could prompt discussions around more sustainable funding and operational models for broadcast media that better serve global audiences. As the international landscape continues to evolve, the necessity for diverse voices in media remains critical.
The ongoing changes at USAGM mark a pivotal moment in U.S. foreign information policy, reflecting broader shifts in how American media interacts with global audiences and raises essential discussions about the role of public broadcasting in democratic societies.
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