The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate nearly 500 employees from the federally funded news organization Voice of America (VOA). This action is part of a larger initiative by President Donald Trump, who has characterized the outlet as having a “radical” bias.
Kari Lake, the acting CEO of VOA’s parent agency, the Agency for Global Media (USAGM), stated that this decision aims to reduce federal bureaucracy, enhance agency efficiency, and save taxpayer money. However, a union representing the affected employees has described the move as illegal, according to a statement given to the New York Times.
Established during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA has developed into a significant global broadcaster. The USAGM has indicated that a total of 532 positions will be eliminated, predominantly affecting VOA, which would be left with a staff of 108, as indicated in a recent court filing.
Earlier in June, Lake had proposed the termination of 639 employees; however, those notices were withdrawn due to administrative errors. Some employees have also pursued legal action to prevent the terminations.
The recent announcement followed a court ruling indicating that the Trump administration had not adhered to proper procedures regarding the dismissal of VOA’s director, Michael Abramowitz. The judge mandated that Lake participate in a deposition where she would be questioned by legal representatives.
A lawsuit has been initiated by a group of agency employees who are contesting the moves aimed at reducing VOA’s operations. They expressed a commitment to ensure that Lake’s plans for the agency comply with Congressional review processes, noting that as of yet, they have not seen sufficient evidence of such compliance.
Most of VOA’s journalists have been on administrative leave since March, although some Farsi-speaking staff have returned in response to ongoing conflict in the region. The layoffs will not impact journalists in the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which provides news in Spanish from Miami. VOA currently broadcasts in nearly 50 languages across TV, radio, and digital platforms.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd38v3zvjdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss