Support to journalists at VOA and its sister outlets, who are being axed by US President Donald Trump’s latest order to put them on leave, is growing as the world’s top and well-established media organisations from almost all continents pour in their support to their plight and press freedom
More than 26 organisations — World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), International Press Institute, Society of Professional Journalists, Global Investigative Journalism Network, Pulitzer Center, Nieman Foundation for Journalism, the European Federation of Journalists, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, the Asian American Journalists Association, and others — have joined CPJ and RJF in showing their support to the journalists at the outlets as well as press freedom that they said is facing a major blow by the order. (Read: World’s leading media organisations throw support to staff at VOA and its sister outlets after being axed by Trump’s latest order)
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), among the world’s oldest and largest media organisations with 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries, and its affiliates have also issued their joint statement alongside.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which was among the first to react to the order, said eliminating the agency’s outlets, which have reached audiences living under authoritarian rule for more than 80 years, was a “significant blow to press freedom”.
It further noted that Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and other affiliates are frequent targets in authoritarian countries and noted that many of their staff face significant personal risk in reporting on and from highly repressive regimes.
In the group’s letter, organised by CPJ, the organisations said they reaffirm their support for press freedom and a free media that is able to operate without coercion by, or interference from, government – and call on the United States to protect all reporters and media workers employed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), many of whom face significant personal risk in reporting on and from highly repressive regimes.
The group said for more than 80 years, USAGM entities, which include Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), have played a vital role in reaching audiences living under authoritarian governments, empowering free expression in some of the world’s most dangerous reporting environments.
“Eliminating these organizations is a significant blow to press freedom – and a gift to autocrats worldwide,” the group noted in the letter.
Journalists for VOA, RFE/RL, and other affiliates, they noted, are frequently targeted by authorities in highly censored or dangerous countries.
A March 14 executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump called for USAGM to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” as part of ongoing efforts to reduce “the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary”.
The group said USAGM is a U.S. federal agency whose mandate is drawn from several laws. It oversees broadcast entities including VOA, RFE/RL, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Under U.S. law, the editorial operations of USAGM entities are separate from the government to protect editorial independence.
“It is vital that Congress protect USAGM, ensure the safety of its affiliate journalists, and reaffirm the U.S. government’s commitment to a free and independent media at home and Abroad,” said the group in their letter.
The IFJ as well as its affiliates in the US — the National Writers Union (NWU), the NewsGuild-CWA and the Authors Guild — have issued their joint statement, strongly condemning the President’s decision, which they said threatens journalists’ livelihoods, job security, the public’s right to know, and media pluralism.
While updating the dire situations of the outlets in different regions, from severe funding cuts to significant reduction of operational capacity and job losses among freelance workers and international contractors, the executives of the organisations took turns rebuking the decision while urging the administration to reverse its decision.
The Washington-based NewsGuild-CWA’s President, Jon Schleuss, said the organisation stands with the thousands of journalists and hundreds of millions of people around the globe impacted by this order.
“And we’ll do whatever it takes to fight for our members. Journalists shine a light on corruption and provide life-saving news without fear or favour—a mission everyone should support,” said the President of this aged old labor union founded by newspaper journalists in 1933.
NWU President Larry Goldbetter said the Trump administration has made no secret of its aim to attack the free press and media workers. “Our members are among the many that have been impacted by these attacks, which are aimed mainly not at journalists themselves, but at the public’s right to know,” he said.
Mary Rasenberger, CEO of the Authors Guild, the oldest and largest organisation for writers in America, said the loss of Voice of America, RFE/RL, and RFA will devastate original investigative reporting and eliminate vital analysis of political and military developments in regions where independent media is most urgently needed.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “The dismantling of USAGM directly threatens thousands of journalists with unemployment and also undermines the public’s right to know. “We call on the US president to reverse his decision, stand for media pluralism and protect all workers employed by the USAGM.”
Meanwhile, Germany-based Deutsche Welle has reported today that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RI) is suing the administration of President Donald Trump to try to reverse an order canceling funding for the US-backed broadcaster.
The media group’s president and CEO Stephen Capus was quoted as saying that he believes the network has a “very strong case.”
“It is an unlawful act to withhold the funds that have been appropriated by Congress,” Mr. Capus told DW from Washington, DC, where he was holding meetings with congressional staffers to make his case.
“It’s time to release the funds. It’s time to respect this work that’s being done, and it’s of vital nature both for the United States and for members of our audience,” Capus said. (Read: Radio Free Europe vows to fight ‘unlawful’ Trump admin cuts)
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