President Donald Trump’s administration has begun mass layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded media outlets, signaling a dramatic shift in the country’s approach to global broadcasting.
On Sunday, contract employees received emails notifying them of their immediate termination, effective March 31. The email, confirmed by multiple employees to AFP, instructed contractors to “cease all work immediately” and barred them from accessing agency buildings or systems.
This move comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, leaving the future of these media organizations in limbo.
Contractors, who make up a significant portion of VOA’s workforce, dominate staffing in non-English language services. Many of these employees are not US citizens, meaning their visas and legal status in the country are now at risk.
Voice of America’s Mission and Global Reach
Voice of America, established during World War II, has been a cornerstone of US global influence, broadcasting in 49 languages to countries with limited media freedom. Its mission has been to provide accurate, unbiased news to audiences worldwide, countering authoritarian narratives and promoting democratic values.
However, the Trump administration’s decision to gut VOA and its sister outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, marks a significant departure from this longstanding mission. These organizations were created to provide independent reporting to regions with restricted media, such as the former Soviet bloc, China, and North Korea.
Impact on Employees and Press Freedom
The layoffs have left many employees in shock. Liam Scott, a VOA reporter specializing in press freedom and disinformation, confirmed on social media platform X that he was among those dismissed. Scott described the administration’s actions as part of a broader assault on press freedom and the media.
“I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the US over the past couple of months,” Scott wrote.
Full-time employees, who have more legal protections, remain on administrative leave but have been instructed not to work. With much of its workforce sidelined, some VOA services have resorted to playing music due to a lack of new programming.
Trump’s Executive Order and Broader Government Cuts
The layoffs follow an executive order signed by President Trump on Friday, targeting VOA’s parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The agency, which employed 3,384 people in the 2023 fiscal year, had requested $950 million in funding for the current fiscal year.
The widespread cuts also affect other US-funded outlets, including: Radio Farda (a Persian-language broadcaster blocked by Iran’s government) and Alhurra (an Arabic-language network established after the Iraq invasion to counter critical coverage by Qatar-based Al-Jazeera).
The White House defended the cuts in a statement, claiming that “taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.”
This accusation is a sharp departure from VOA’s traditional role as a staid, independent broadcaster aimed at countering communism and promoting democratic values.
The Global Reactions and the Future of US Media Influence
The layoffs have drawn criticism from press freedom advocates and international observers. China’s state-run Global Times published an editorial celebrating the demise of VOA, claiming that “the monopoly of information held by some traditional Western media is being shattered.”
The editorial argued that as more Americans break through their “information cocoons,” the demonizing narratives propagated by VOA will become irrelevant.
However, many are harbouring the fear that the cuts will weaken the US’s ability to counter authoritarian propaganda and promote democratic values globally.
