They also call on the international community to stand up against the action citing it infringes on press freedom
CPJ and RSF have issued statements in support of the journalists at the outlets who were abruptly put on leave by the latest executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s Office of Human Resources, Crystal G. Thomas, issued an email to employees of Voice of America (VOA) in the early morning of Saturday, March 15, announcing they were placed under administrative leave.
As a result, all permanent staff, including agency leaders, must cease working immediately, which means the de facto stop of news production, according to the RSF. This agency, the RSF noted, brings together VOA, and also some outlets like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said more than 1,300 staffers had worked with VOA alone. Other contract terminations at the other sister outlets would effectively end operations, and access to independent news for millions of citizens around the world, the press freedom championing organisation further said.
The organisation cited RFA President and CEO Bay Fang as saying, “a reward to dictators and despots”.
The USAGM is an independent agency chartered by Congress. It funds VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia, which altogether reach an estimated 427 million people, according to the CPJ. The CPJ said its research shows that journalists for USAGM networks often put themselves at risk by reporting in highly censored countries and frequently face retribution for their reporting.
VOA itself is the largest and oldest of the U.S. international broadcasters. Founded in 1942, VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content in 47 languages produced for audiences outside the U.S. borders.
Michael Joshua Abramowitz, VOA’s Director, posted on his Facebook account upon learning about the news that for more than 80 years, VOA has been a priceless asset for the United States, playing an essential role in the fight against communism, fascism, and oppression, and the fight for freedom and democracy around the world. In many dictatorships, VOA is often the only reliable source of news and information, he said, citing the reach of VOA to more than 360 million people every week in 48 languages.
Mr. Abramowitz said today’s action of the U.S. Administration will leave VOA unable to carry out its vital mission, which he views as being especially critical today, when America’s adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the U.S.
VOA, he added, promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling America’s story and by providing objective and balanced news and information, especially for those living under tyranny.
Even if the agency survives in some form, the director of VOA said the actions by the Administration will severely damage the agency’s ability to foster a world that is safe and free and in doing so is failing to protect U.S. interests.
“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” wrote Mr. Abramowitz, while saluting his colleagues for doing their part in advancing freedom and democracy. Many of them, he said, came to America from authoritarian countries where they were not able to practice journalism freely.
The CPJ said it stands in support of thousands of journalists and millions of citizens around the world impacted by President Donald Trump’s dismantling of VOA staff and termination of funding to the sister outlets.
The organisation condemns a Trump executive order issued Friday. In reiterating its call for congressional leaders to restore support for the parent funder of these outlets, it emphasized the dire consequences of Trump’s action for many journalists.
“This suffocation of independent media is already putting the lives of journalists – who have often withstood enormous challenges to bring news to millions living in censored countries – in grave danger,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “It is really dystopian that the U.S. administration is now posing an existential threat to these historical organizations.
“We express our solidarity with the journalists put on administrative leave and urge congressional leaders to restore USAGM before irreparable harm is done.”
The RSF, meanwhile, also joined in condemning the president’s decision. The organisation viewed this as a departure from the U.S.’s historic role as a defender of free information. It calls on the U.S. government to restore VOA and urges Congress and the international community to take action against this unprecedented move.
This decision, it further noted, also endangers USAGM journalists currently working abroad or detained for carrying out their work. The organisation said it is still trying to confirm details of how these personnel decisions will impact the status of these jailed journalists.
Thibaut Bruttin, General Director of the RSF, said: “Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expresses deep concern over this decision from the Trump administration, a move that threatens press freedom worldwide and negates 80 years of American history in supporting a free flow of information.
“RSF calls on the U.S. government to immediately respect the autonomy of VOA as an independent news organization and to cancel this decision.
“Furthermore, RSF urges Congress and international stakeholders to mobilize against this fateful move. RSF stands in solidarity with VOA’s employees and is worried for the 10 employees of USAGAM currently detained abroad for doing their work: producing journalism.”
Earlier, President Trump banned reporters from AP from attending the press briefings at the White House for not using the word, “The Gulf of America”, to replace “The Gulf of Mexico”.
The RSF said his latest actions just follow a series of troubling steps and harsh statements aimed at questioning the action of USAGM and its outlets. Last month, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency called for VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to be shut down in a post to his X social media platform.
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