A view of the Voice of America building in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 2025 , a day after more than 1,300 employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's broadcaster were placed on leave. (Photo: Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)
A view of the Voice of America building in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 2025, a day after more than 1,300 employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's broadcaster were placed on leave. (Photo: Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

Media rights, journalist groups call on US to protect press freedom after USAGM gutted

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 27 other press freedom and journalist groups on March 19 in voicing support for a free press, and called on the United States to protect reporters and media workers employed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

The letter, organized by CPJ, said that 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 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.

Read the letter here.