VOA Under Fire: Personnel Purge and Political Pressures

In its very first broadcast, the U.S.-government-run service called Voice of America pledged honesty.

"The news may be good and it may be bad. We shall tell you the truth."

The idea was to model a free press, especially for audiences in places that might not have one. Places where political parties and governments might pressure or intimidate journalists.

But over the past seven months, Voice of America and its federal parent organization, U.S. Agency for Global Media, have been caught in an ideological war. Employees say agency CEO Michael Pack, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, obsessed over staff loyalty and embraced conspiracy theories.

NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik talked to more than 60 current and former staffers. He's put together a comprehensive picture of Pack's radical tenure.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy