We had a crowd of ~170, including US Sen. Durbin, for our #SaveVOA speech tonight to World Affairs Council-Central Illinois at the Illini Country Club.
The PDCA First Monday Forum looks at the struggle to save America's voices to the world via USAGM broadcasting (including the Voice of America, RFE/RL and Radio Free Asia). The main speakers are two ex VOA White House bureau chiefs: me & Patsy Widakuswara. https://publicdiplomacy.org/news_manager.php?page=42338#SaveVOA
Happy Halloween. It’s spooky out there without the Voice of America shining the light for hundreds of millions of viewers and listeners outside North America who are otherwise kept in the dark and misdirected by authoritarian media. #SaveVOA
USAGM informs hundreds of VOA staffers who were to be fired today that it is complying with a federal judge’s order not to implement the terminations and the reduction-in-force proceedings “are currently on hold.” #SaveVOA
The Reduction in Force of VOA staff announced by Kari Lake “is
SUSPENDED and may NOT be implemented, effectuated, or completed in any way until this Court has ruled on the plaintiffs’ Motion following the briefing submitted under Paragraph B of this Order.” - US District Court Judge Royce Lamberth
There’s a last minute #SaveVOA legal effort to halt tomorrow’s mass firings ordered by USAGM “acting CEO” Kari Lake. Plaintiffs argue the terminations would make it impossible to comply with a federal judge’s injunction to restore Voice of America programming to the level of its statutory mandate.
RSF - The shutdown of US-based international broadcaster Voice of America has left a hole in the news environment for people all over the world, especially those living in countries with limited or no press freedom. https://rsf.org/en/meet-journalists-fighting-save-voice-america#SaveVOA
Late on the Friday before Labor Day, hundreds of VOA journalists were told they’re being terminated in 30 days. Kari Lake, the ‘acting CEO’ of USAGM, says “this will help reduce the federal bureaucracy, improve agency service, and save the American people more of their hard-earned money.”#SaveVOA
Most of those from across VOA and USAGM who’ve received Reduction in Force notices, terminating their employment, had been on adminstrative leave since mid-March after President Trump ordered that the agency be dismantled, according to the #SaveVOA movement.
Federal District Court Judge Royce Lamberth just agreed allowing #SaveVOA plaintiffs to depose Kari Lake and others at USAGM about the plan to destroy the Voice of America , telling DoJ attorneys their client, Lake, is on the verge of contempt of court.
I’ll be in the federal courtroom here in DC today where the #SaveVOA plaintiffs are urging the judge to hold the USAGM defendants in contempt. Details: savevoa.com
Statement from named plaintiffs in Widakuswara vs. Lake (Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper) in reaction to Kari Lake’s mandated explanation to a federal judge. #SaveVOA
For years, I’ve been pointing out the recent attacks on the Voice of America echo McCarthyism and critics of the international broadcaster wanted its coverage of the US to be pure propaganda. This article articulates my argument far better than I have done. https://www.cjr.org/analysis/joseph-mccarthy-voice-of-america.php#SaveVOA
Amid the self-imposed destruction of USAGM (which oversees government-funded international broadcasting) a number of journalists who worked for RFA, RFE/RL and VOA remain imprisoned by authoritarian regimes. #SaveVOA