Editing Voice of America (section)

== History ==

===American private shortwave broadcasting before World War II===
[[File:Voice of America headquarters and United States Capitol.jpg|thumb|280px|Voice of America headquarters]]
Before World War II, all American [[shortwave radio]] stations were in private hands.<ref name="Berg, Jerome S. 1999, page 105">Berg, Jerome S. ''On the Short Waves, 1923–1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio.'' 1999, McFarland. {{ISBN|0-7864-0506-6}}, p. 105</ref> Privately controlled shortwave networks included the [[NBC|National Broadcasting Company]]'s International Network (or White Network), which broadcast in six languages, the [[CBS|Columbia Broadcasting System]]'s Latin American international network, which consisted of 64 stations located in 18 countries, the [[Crosley Broadcasting Corporation]] in Cincinnati, Ohio, and [[General Electric]] which owned and operated WGEO and WGEA, both based in [[Schenectady, New York]], and [[KGEI]] in [[San Francisco]], all of which had [[shortwave transmitter]]s.<ref>Chamberlain, A.B. "CBS International Broadcast Facilities". ''Proceedings of the IRE'', Volume 30, Issue 3, March 1942 pp. 118–129.</ref><ref>Library of Congress. "NBC Resources Held by the Recorded Sound Section." [https://www.loc.gov/rr/record/recnbc.html Library of Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702121133/http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/recnbc.html |date=July 2, 2018 }}</ref> Experimental programming began in the 1930s, but there were fewer than 12 transmitters in operation.<ref name="Dizard_24">{{harvp|Dizard|2004|p=24}}</ref>

In 1939, the U.S. [[Federal Communications Commission]] set the following policy, which was intended to enforce the [[US State Department]]'s [[Good Neighbor Policy]], but which some broadcasters felt was an attempt to direct censorship:<ref>{{Cite web |title=NABusiness |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,771673-1,00.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080322072617/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,771673-1,00.html |archive-date=March 22, 2008 |work=Time Magazine}}</ref>

<blockquote>A licensee of an international broadcast station shall render only an international broadcast service which will reflect the culture of this country and which will promote international goodwill, understanding and cooperation. Any program solely intended for, and directed to an audience in the continental United States does not meet the requirements for this service.<ref>Rose, Cornelia Bruère. ''National Policy for Radio Broadcasting.'' 1971, Ayer Publishing. {{ISBN|0-405-03580-2}}. p. 244</ref></blockquote>

Around 1940, shortwave signals to [[Latin America]] were regarded as vital to counter [[Nazi propaganda]].<ref name="Dizard_24" /> Initially, the US [[Office of the Coordinator of Information]] sent releases to each station, but this was seen as an inefficient means of transmitting news.<ref name="Berg, Jerome S. 1999, page 105" /> The director of Latin American relations at the Columbia Broadcasting System was [[Edmund A. Chester]], and he supervised the development of CBS's extensive "La Cadena de las Américas" radio network to improve broadcasting to [[South America]] during the 1940s.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Qx00pQIkclMC&q=Edmund+Chester&pg=PA166 ''Dissonant Divas In Chicana Music: The Limits of La Onda''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406003731/https://books.google.com/books?id=Qx00pQIkclMC&q=Edmund+Chester&pg=PA166 |date=April 6, 2023 }} Deborah R. Vargas. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2012 {{ISBN|978-0-8166-7316-2}} pp. 152–153 Edmund Chester, CBS, Franklin Roosevelt and "La Cadena De Las Americas"</ref>

===World War II===
{{See also|Frank Shozo Baba}}{{external media|width=175px|image1="La Cadena de las Américas" – [[Edmund Chester]] CBS Radio Director in 1943 <br> [https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/radio-director-of-shortwave-broadcasts-edmund-a-chester-and-news-photo/537936608?adppopup=true '''Here on Getty Images''']|image2=The"[[Viva America]]" program on CBS Radio including vocalist [[Nestor Mesta Chayres]] in 1946 <br> [https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/viva-america-a-cbs-radio-program-featuring-latin-america-news-photo/905998882?adppopup=true '''Here on Getty images''']|image3= "Viva America" – CBS Radio and [[Alfredo Antonini]], Conductor in 1946 <br> [https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/viva-america-a-cbs-radio-program-featuring-latin-america-news-photo/905995866?adppopup=true '''Here on Getty Images''']}}
Even before the December 1941 Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], the U.S. government's [[Office of the Coordinator of Information]] (COI) had already begun providing war news and commentary to the commercial American shortwave radio stations for use on a voluntary basis, through its Foreign Information Service (FIS) headed by playwright [[Robert E. Sherwood]], who served as President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]'s speech writer and information advisor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Walter R. |title=The Voice of America: Origins and Recollections |url=http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2009/1012/fsl/roberts_voice.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426030633/https://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2009/1012/fsl/roberts_voice.html |archive-date=April 26, 2018 |access-date=October 3, 2010}}</ref> Direct programming began a week after the United States' entry into World War II in December 1941, with the first broadcast from the San Francisco office of the FIS via General Electric's KGEI transmitting to the Philippines in English (other languages followed). The next step was to broadcast to Germany, which was called ''Stimmen aus Amerika'' ("Voices from America") and was transmitted on February 1, 1942. It was introduced by the “[[Battle Hymn of the Republic]]" and included the pledge: "Today, and every day from now on, we will be with you from America to talk about the war... The news may be good or bad for us – We will always tell you the truth."<ref>Roberts, Walter R. [http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2009/1012/fsl/roberts_voice.html UNC.edu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426030633/https://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2009/1012/fsl/roberts_voice.html |date=April 26, 2018 }} See also: {{Cite web |last=Kern |first=Chris |title=A Belated Correction: The ''Real'' First Broadcast of the Voice of America |url=http://www.chriskern.net/essay/voaFirstBroadcast.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224123522/http://www.chriskern.net/essay/voaFirstBroadcast.html |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |access-date=October 3, 2010}}</ref> Roosevelt approved this broadcast, which then-Colonel [[William J. Donovan]] (COI) and Sherwood (FIS) had recommended to him. It was Sherwood who actually coined the term "The Voice of America" to describe the shortwave network that began its transmissions on February 1, from 270 [[Madison Avenue]] in New York City.

The [[Office of War Information]], when organized in the middle of 1942, officially took over VOA's operations. VOA reached an agreement with the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] to share medium-wave transmitters in Great Britain, and expanded into [[Tunis]] in North Africa and [[Palermo]] and [[Bari, Italy]], as the Allies captured these territories. The OWI also set up the [[American Broadcasting Station in Europe]].<ref>{{harvp|Dizard|2004|pp=24–25}}</ref> Asian transmissions started with one transmitter in [[California]] in 1941; services were expanded by adding transmitters in [[Hawaii]] and, after recapture, the [[Philippines]].<ref name="Dizard_25">{{harvp|Dizard|2004|p=25}}</ref>

By the end of the war, VOA had 39 transmitters and provided service in 40 languages.<ref name="Dizard_25" /> Programming was broadcast from production centers in New York and San Francisco, with more than 1,000 programs originating from New York. Programming consisted of music, news, commentary, and relays of U.S. domestic programming, in addition to specialized VOA programming.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Sterling |first1=Christopher H. |title=Stay Tuned: a History of American Broadcasting |last2=Kittross |first2=John Michael |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8058-2624-1 |edition=3rd |series=LEA's Communication Series |page=263}}</ref> About half of VOA's services, including the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] service, were discontinued in 1945.<ref name="Rugh 2006, 13">{{harvp|Rugh|2006|p=13}}</ref> In late 1945, VOA was transferred to the US Department of State.

Also included among the [[cultural diplomacy]] programming on the Columbia Broadcasting System was the musical show ''[[Viva America]]'' (1942–49) which featured the Pan American Orchestra and the artistry of several noted musicians from both North and South America, including [[Alfredo Antonini]], [[Juan Arvizu]], [[Eva Garza]], [[Elsa Miranda]], [[Nestor Mesta Chayres|Nestor Mesta Chaires]], [[Miguel Sandoval (composer)|Miguel Sandoval]], [[John Serry Sr.]], and [[Terig Tucci]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Settel |first=Irving |title=A Pictorial History of Radio |publisher=[[Grosset & Dunlap]] |year=1967 |location=New York |page=146 |lccn=67-23789 |oclc=1475068 |orig-year=1960}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |editor1=Bronfman, Alejandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehN4sM0Xy_UC&pg=PA49 |title=Media Sound & Culture in Latin America|editor2=Wood, Andrew Grant|publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press
|location=Pittsburgh  |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-8229-6187-1 |page=49 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Anthony |first=Edwin D. |title=Records of the Office of Inter-American Affairs |publisher=National Archives and Record Services – General Services Administration |year=1973 |volume=Inventory of Record Group 229 |location=Washington D.C. |pages=25–26 |chapter=Records of the Radio Division |lccn=73-600146 <!-- dead --> |access-date=October 18, 2020 |chapter-url=https://www.archives.gov/files/research/foreign-policy/related-records/rg-229-inter-american-affairs.pdf#page=33 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202004731/https://www.archives.gov/files/research/foreign-policy/related-records/rg-229-inter-american-affairs.pdf#page=33 |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> By 1945, broadcasts of the show were carried by 114 stations on CBS's "La Cadena de las Américas" network in 20 Latin American nations. These broadcasts proved to be highly successful in supporting President Roosevelt's policy of [[Pan-Americanism]] throughout South America during World War II.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Qx00pQIkclMC&q=ociaa&pg=PA166 ''Dissonant Divas in Chicana Music: The Limits of La Onda''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406122859/https://books.google.com/books?id=Qx00pQIkclMC&q=ociaa&pg=PA166 |date=April 6, 2023 }} Deborah R. Vargas. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2012 pp. 152–155 {{ISBN|978-0-8166-7316-2}} OCIAA (Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs), FDR's Good Neighbor Policy, CBS, Viva America, La Cadena de las Americas</ref>

===Cold War===
[[File:Iron Curtain map.svg|thumb|The [[Iron Curtain]], in black:
{{legend|#004990|[[NATO]] members{{efn|[[Spain]] joined NATO in 1982.}}
{{legend|#FF8282|[[Warsaw Pact]] countries}}}}]]
The VOA ramped up its operations during the [[Cold War]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2023 |title=Voice of America |url=https://ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org/archives/5859 |website=Ohio Memory |publisher=Ohio History Connection, State Library of Ohio}}</ref> [[Foy D. Kohler|Foy Kohler]], the director of VOA from 1949 to 1952, strongly believed that the VOA was serving its purpose, which he identified as aiding in the fight against communism.<ref name="Kohler-1951">{{Cite journal |last=Kohler |first=Foy |date=1951 |title=The Effectiveness of the Voice of America |journal=The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=20–29 |doi=10.2307/1209931 |jstor=1209931 |hdl-access=free |hdl=2027/hvd.32044057212938}}</ref> He argued that the numbers of listeners they were getting such as 194,000 regular listeners in Sweden, and 2.1 million regular listeners in France, was an indication of a positive impact. As further evidence, he noted that the VOA received 30,000 letters a month from listeners all over the world, and hundreds of thousands of requests for broadcasting schedules.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kohler |first=Foy |date=1951 |title=Voice Of America |journal=Naval War College Information Service for Officers |volume=3 |issue=9 |pages=1–20 |jstor=44792598}}</ref> There was an analysis done of some of those letters sent in 1952 and 1953 while Kohler was still director. The study found that letter writing could be an indicator of successful, actionable persuasion. It was also found that broadcasts in different countries were having different effects. In one country, regular listeners adopted and practiced American values presented by the broadcast. Age was also a factor: younger and older audiences tended to like different types of programs, no matter the country.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Herzog |first=H. |date=1952 |title=Listener Mail to the Voice of America |journal=The Public Opinion Quarterly |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=607–611 |doi=10.1086/266423 |jstor=2746119}}</ref> Kohler used all of this as evidence to claim that the VOA helped to grow and strengthen the free world. It also influenced the UN in their decision to condemn communist actions in Korea, and was a major factor in the decline of communism in the "free world, including key countries such as Italy and France.<ref name="Kohler-1951" /> In Italy, the VOA contributed to the decline of communism and a process of "[[Westernization]]".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tobia |first=S |date=2013 |title=Did the RAI buy it? The role and limits of American broadcasting in Italy in the Cold War |journal=Cold War History |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=171–191 |doi=10.1080/14682745.2012.746665 |s2cid=154534690}}</ref> The VOA also had an impact behind the [[Iron Curtain]]. Practically all defectors during Kohler's time said that the VOA helped in their decision to defect.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP65B00383R000100050038-7.pdf|title=Russian Defector Gives Witness to the Effectiveness of Voice of America|accessdate=March 3, 2025}}</ref> Another indication of impact, according to Kohler, was the Soviet response. Kohler argued that the Soviets responded because the VOA was having an impact. Based on Soviet responses, it can be presumed that the most effective programs were ones that compared the lives of those behind and outside the Iron Curtain, questions on the practice of slave labor, as well as lies and errors in [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]]'s version of [[Marxism]].<ref name="Kohler-1951" />

In 1947, VOA started broadcasting to the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] citizens in Russia under the pretext of countering "more harmful instances of [[Soviet propaganda]] directed against American leaders and policies" on the part of the internal Soviet Russian-language media, according to John B. Whitton's treatise, ''Cold War Propaganda''.<ref name="whitton">{{Cite journal |last=John B. Whitton |year=1951 |title=Cold War propaganda |journal=[[American Journal of International Law]] |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=151–153 |doi=10.2307/2194791 |jstor=2194791 |s2cid=146989731}}</ref> The Soviet Union responded by initiating electronic [[radio jamming|jamming]] of VOA broadcasts on April 24, 1949.<ref name="whitton" />

[[Charles W. Thayer]] headed VOA in 1948–49.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charles Thayer (1948–1949) |url=https://www.insidevoa.com/a/4488436.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627012715/https://www.insidevoa.com/a/4488436.html |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=VOA |date=July 18, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Over the next few years, the U.S. government debated the best role of Voice of America. The decision was made to use VOA broadcasts as part of [[Foreign policy of the United States|U.S. foreign policy]] to counter the propaganda of the [[Soviet Union]] and other countries. The Arabic service resumed on January 1, 1950, with a half-hour program. This program grew to 14.5 hours daily during the [[Suez Crisis]] of 1956, and was six hours a day by 1958.<ref name="Rugh 2006, 13" /> Between 1952 and 1960, Voice of America used a converted [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]] cutter ''[[USCGC Courier (WAGR-410)|Courier]]'' as a first mobile [[Offshore radio|broadcasting ship]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrew Glass |title=Voice of America begins broadcasts to the Soviet Union, Feb. 17, 1947 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/voice-of-america-begins-broadcasts-to-the-soviet-union-feb-17-1947-219288 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627012650/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/voice-of-america-begins-broadcasts-to-the-soviet-union-feb-17-1947-219288 |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=Politico |date=February 17, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

[[file:Willis Conover 1969.jpg|thumb|180px|left|[[Willis Conover]] broadcasting with Voice of America in 1969]]
Control of VOA passed from the State Department to the [[U.S. Information Agency]] when the latter was established in 1953<ref name="Rugh 2006, 13" /> to transmit worldwide, including to the countries behind the Iron Curtain and to the People's Republic of China. From 1955 until 2003, VOA broadcast American jazz on the ''[[Voice of America Jazz Hour]]''. Hosted for most of that period by [[Willis Conover]], the program had 30 million listeners at its peak. A program aimed at [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]] in 1956 broadcast two hours nightly, and special programs such as ''The [[Newport Jazz Festival]]'' were also transmitted. This was done in association with tours by U.S. musicians, such as [[Dizzy Gillespie]], [[Louis Armstrong]], and [[Duke Ellington]], sponsored by the State Department.<ref>Appy, Christian G. Cold ''War Constructions: The Political Culture of United States Imperialism''. 2000, [[University of Massachusetts Press]]; {{ISBN|1-55849-218-6}}, p. 126.</ref> From August 1952 through May 1953, Billy Brown, a high school senior in [[Westchester County, New York]], had a Monday night program in which he shared everyday happenings in [[Yorktown Heights, New York]]. Brown's program ended due to its popularity: his "chatty narratives" attracted so much fan mail, VOA couldn't afford the $500 a month in clerical and postage costs required to respond to listeners' letters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folsom |first=Merrill |date=May 28, 1953 |title='Voice' to Drop Boy's Broadcasts; Can't Afford to Answer Fan Mail |work=The New York Times |volume=CII|issue=34823|page=1}}</ref> During 1953, VOA personnel were subjected to [[McCarthyism|McCarthyist]] policies, where VOA was accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy, [[Roy Cohn]], and [[G. David Schine|Gerard David Schine]] of intentionally planning to build weak transmitting stations to sabotage VOA broadcasts. However, the charges were dropped after one month of court hearings in February and March 1953.<ref name="Central European University Press-2010">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/671648365 |title=Cold War broadcasting: impact on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe : a collection of studies and documents |date=2010 |publisher=Central European University Press |editor1=A. Ross Johnson |editor2=R. Eugene Parta |author=Timothy Garton Ash |isbn=978-1-4416-7708-2 |location=Budapest |oclc=671648365}}</ref>

Sometime around 1954, VOA's headquarters were moved from New York to Washington D.C. The arrival of cheap, low-cost transistors enabled the significant growth of shortwave radio listeners. During the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956]], VOA's broadcasts were deemed controversial, as Hungarian refugees and revolutionaries thought that VOA served as a medium and insinuated the possible arrival of the Western aid.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Uttaro |first=Ralph A. |date=1982 |title=The Voices of America in International Radio Propaganda |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1191297 |url-status=live |journal=Law and Contemporary Problems |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=103–122 |doi=10.2307/1191297 |issn=0023-9186 |jstor=1191297 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627133231/https://www.jstor.org/stable/1191297 |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref>

Throughout the [[Cold War]], many of the targeted countries' governments sponsored [[radio jamming|jamming]] of VOA broadcasts, which sometimes led critics to question the broadcasts' actual impact. For example, in 1956, [[Polish People's Republic]] stopped jamming VOA transmissions,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Varis |first=Tapio |date=1970 |title=The Control of Information by Jamming Radio Broadcasts |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45083158 |url-status=live |journal=Cooperation and Conflict |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=168–184 |doi=10.1177/001083677000500303 |issn=0010-8367 |jstor=45083158 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627012650/https://www.jstor.org/stable/45083158 |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |s2cid=145418504}}</ref> but [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]] continued to jam the signal through the 1970s. [[Edward R. Murrow]] said that: "The Russians spend more money jamming the Voice of America than we have to spend for the entire program of the entire Agency. They spend about $125 million 
[${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|125000000|1966|r=-8}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}] a year jamming it."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6joTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22voice+of+america%22+-voanews+russia&pg=PA942|title=Postal Rate Revision of 1962: Hearings Before the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, United States Senate, Eighty-seventh Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 7927, an Act to Adjust Postal Rates, and for Other Purposes, March 6, 13, 22; April 3, 10, 17; May 1, 21, 28; June 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; August 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, and 23, 1962|first=United States Congress Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil|last=Service|date=February 12, 1962|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|via=Google Books}}</ref> [[Chinese language|Chinese-language]] VOA broadcasts were jammed beginning in 1956 and extending through 1976.<ref>''Broadcasting Yearbook'', 1976 and 1979 editions.</ref> However, after the collapse of the [[Warsaw Pact]] and the Soviet Union, interviews with participants in anti-Soviet movements verified the effectiveness of VOA broadcasts in transmitting information to socialist societies.<ref>Conference Report, ''Cold War Impact of VOA Broadcasts,'' Hoover Institution and the Cold War International History Project of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Oct. 13–16, 2004</ref> The People's Republic of China diligently jams VOA broadcasts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bihlmayer |first=Ulrich |date=September 12, 2006 |title=Fighting the Chinese Government "Firedragon" – Music Jammer AND "Sound of Hope" Broadcasting (SOH), Taiwan |url=http://www.iarums-r1.org/iarums/prcdragon.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216021842/http://www.iarums-r1.org/iarums/prcdragon.pdf |archive-date=February 16, 2008 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |publisher=IARU Region 1 Monitoring System}}</ref> [[Cuba]] has also been reported to interfere with VOA satellite transmissions to [[Iran]] from its Russian-built transmission site at [[Bejucal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S.: Cuba Jamming TV Signals To Iran – Local News Story – WTVJ |url=http://www.nbc6.net/news/2334674/detail.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224191817/http://www.nbc6.net/news/2334674/detail.html |archive-date=December 24, 2008 |access-date=January 15, 2008}}</ref> David Jackson, former director of Voice of America, noted: "The [[North Korea]]n government doesn't jam us, but they try to keep people from listening through intimidation or worse. But people figure out ways to listen despite the odds. They're very resourceful."<ref>Jackson, David. "The Future of Radio II." ''World Radio TV Handbook'', 2007 ed., Billboard Books. {{ISBN|0-8230-5997-9}}. p 38.</ref>

[[File:Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (cropped).jpg|thumb|200px|[[Martin Luther King Jr.]] addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered his “[[I Have a Dream]]” speech.|left]]
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}}

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, VOA covered some of the era's most important news, including [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s 1963 "[[I Have a Dream]]" speech,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heil |first=Alan L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vofsaBdqxWEC&pg=PA71 |title=Voice of America: A History |year=2003 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0231126748}}</ref> the [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy]], and [[Neil Armstrong]]'s 1969 [[Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations|first walk on the Moon]], which drew an audience estimated at between 615 and 750 million people. In 1973, due to the détente policies in the Cold War, Soviet jamming of the VOA ceased; it restarted in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1841&context=mjil|title=Jamming and the Law of International Communications|accessdate=March 3, 2025}}</ref>[[file:Aldrin Apollo 11 original.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Buzz Aldrin]] on the moon, in a photograph taken by [[Neil Armstrong]], who can be seen in the visor reflection along with Earth<ref name="Byrne. 2019">{{cite web | last=Byrne. | first=Dave | title=Apollo 11 Image Library | website=hq.nasa.gov | date=2019-07-08 | url=https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/images11.html#Mag37 | access-date=2021-06-10 | archive-date=February 24, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224163200/https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/images11.html#Mag37 | url-status=live }}</ref>]]In the early 1980s, VOA began a $1.3 billion rebuilding program to improve broadcast with better technical capabilities. During the implementation of the [[Martial law in Poland]] between 1981 and 1983, VOA's Polish broadcasts expanded to seven hours daily. Throughout the 1980s, VOA focused on covering events from the "American hinterland", such as 150th anniversary of the [[Oregon Trail]].<ref name="Central European University Press-2010" /> Also in the 1980s, VOA also added a television service, as well as special regional programs to Cuba, [[Radio Martí]] and [[TV Martí]]. Cuba has consistently attempted to jam such broadcasts and has vociferously protested U.S. broadcasts directed at Cuba. In September 1980, VOA started broadcasting to [[Afghanistan]] in [[Dari language|Dari]] and in [[Pashto language|Pashto]] in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VOA Broadcasting to Afghanistan |url=https://www.insidevoa.com/p/6455.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515235847/https://www.insidevoa.com/p/6455.html |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=VOA |language=en}}</ref> In 1981, VOA opened a bureau in Beijing, China.<ref name=":Li">{{Cite book |last=Li |first=Hongshan |title=Fighting on the Cultural Front: U.S.-China Relations in the Cold War |date=2024 |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |isbn=9780231207058 |location=New York, NY |pages=326 |doi=10.7312/li--20704 |jstor=10.7312/li--20704}}</ref> The next year, it began regular exchanges with [[China Radio International|Radio Peking]].<ref name=":Li" />

In 1985, VOA Europe was created as a special service in English that was relayed via satellite to AM, FM, and cable affiliates throughout Europe. With a contemporary format including live disc jockeys, the network presented top musical hits as well as VOA news and features of local interest (such as "EuroFax") 24 hours a day. VOA Europe was closed down without advance public notice in January 1997 as a cost-cutting measure.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Holland |first=Bill |date=March 8, 1997 |title=VOA Europe: A Victim of Bureaucracy? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61 |magazine=Billboard |volume=109 |issue=10 |access-date=June 3, 2020 |archive-date=February 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201161336/https://books.google.com/books?id=qQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> It was followed by VOA Express, which from July 4, 1999, revamped into VOA Music Mix.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heil |first=Alan L. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/heil12674 |title=Voice of America: A History |date=2003 |publisher=Columbia University Press |page=299 |jstor=10.7312/heil12674 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627020703/https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/heil12674 |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Since November 1, 2014, stations are offered VOA1 (which is a rebranding of VOA Music Mix).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeno.fm/radio/voa1thehits/|title=Listen to VOA1|website=Zeno.FM}}</ref>

In 1989, Voice of America expanded its [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] and [[Cantonese Chinese|Cantonese]] programming to reach the millions of Chinese and inform the country about the pro-democracy movement within the country, including the demonstration in Tiananmen Square.<ref>{{Cite book |last=United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27408482 |title=The Radio Free China Act, S. 2985 : hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, second session, September 15, 1992 |date=1992 |publisher=U.S. G.P.O. |isbn=0-16-039614-X |location=Washington |oclc=27408482 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509045840/http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27408482 |archive-date=May 9, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in 1990, the U.S. consolidated its international broadcasting efforts, with the establishment of the Bureau of Broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USAGM |url=https://www.usagm.gov/who-we-are/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702010128/https://www.usagm.gov/who-we-are/history/ |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=USAGM |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Post–Cold War===
With the breakup of the Soviet bloc in Eastern Europe, VOA added many additional language services to reach those areas. This decade was marked by the additions of services in [[Standard Tibetan]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] (to Iran and Iraq), [[Serbo-Croatian]] (Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian), [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], and [[Rwanda-Rundi]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=VOA Guide: Voice of America English Broadcasts Worldwide |date=1998 |publication-place=University of Minnesota |publisher=VOA|page=8 |chapter=Voice of America broadcasts in 52 languages |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pJ7DpUe1SO4C&pg=PA8 |issue=1 |access-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-date=February 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201161246/https://books.google.com/books?id=pJ7DpUe1SO4C&pg=PA8#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=VOA Language Service Fact Sheets |url=https://www.insidevoa.com/a/voa-fact-sheets/3780820.html#Eurasia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408170711/https://www.insidevoa.com/a/voa-fact-sheets/3780820.html#Eurasia |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=insidevoa.com |publisher=Voice of America Public Relations}}</ref>

In 1993, the [[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]] advised cutting funding for [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], as it believed post-Cold War information and influence was not needed in Europe. This plan was not well received, and US President [[Bill Clinton]] then proposed the compromise of the [[International Broadcasting Act]], which he signed into law in 1994. This law established the [[International Broadcasting Bureau]] as a part of the [[United States Information Agency]] (USIA), and established the [[Broadcasting Board of Governors]] (BBG) with oversight authority, which took control from the Board for International Broadcasters which previously had overseen funding for RFE/RL.<ref name="Raghavan">Raghavan, Sudarsan V., Stephen S. Johnson, and Kristi K. Bahrenburg. "Sending cross-border static: on the fate of Radio Free Europe and the influence of international broadcasting," Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 47, 1993, access on March 25, 2011.</ref> In 1998, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act was signed into law, and mandated that the BBG become an [[Independent agencies of the United States government|independent federal agency]] as of October 1, 1999. This act also abolished the USIA, and merged most of its functions into those of the State Department.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/research/foreign-policy/related-records/rg-306|title=Records of the United States Information Agency (RG 306)|date=August 15, 2016|website=National Archives}}</ref>

The Arabic Service was abolished in 2002 and replaced by a new radio service, called the Middle East Radio Network or [[Radio Sawa]], with an initial budget of $22 million. Radio Sawa offered mostly Western and Middle Eastern popular songs with periodic brief news bulletins. It then expanded to television with [[Alhurra]] in February 2004 (and later to various social media and websites).<ref>{{Cite web |title=USAGM |url=https://www.usagm.gov/networks/mbn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703122757/https://www.usagm.gov/networks/mbn/ |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |access-date=July 23, 2019}}</ref> In May 2004, the US government's international English language TV service [[Worldnet Television and Film Service|Worldnet]], became part of VOA as "VOA TV".

As part of an effort to allocate resources to broadcasts in the [[Muslim world]],<ref name="post">{{Cite news |last=Lakshmi |first=Rama |date=September 12, 2008 |title=India Set to Lose Voice of America |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091103305.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228210333/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091103305.html |archive-date=December 28, 2018 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref name="publica">{{Cite web |date=July 3, 2008 |title=Voice of America to Cut Language Services |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/voice-of-america-to-cut-language-services-709 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611160646/https://www.propublica.org/article/voice-of-america-to-cut-language-services-709 |archive-date=June 11, 2019 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=propublica.org}}</ref> radio programs in Russian, Hindi, Ukrainian, Serbian, Macedonian and Bosnian ended in 2008.<ref name="post" /><ref name="publica" /> In September 2010, VOA began radio broadcasts in Sudan. As U.S. interests in [[South Sudan]] grew, there was a desire to provide people with free information.<ref>Abedje, Ashenafi. "Voice of America Expands its Sudan Programming," Voice of America News, September 17, 2010. Retrieved on March 25, 2011</ref> In 2013, budget cuts led VOA to end foreign-language transmissions on shortwave and medium wave to Albania, Georgia, Iran, and Latin America, as well as English-language broadcasts to the Middle East and Afghanistan.<ref name="inside">{{Cite web |date=March 26, 2013 |title=VOA Reducing Radio Frequencies |url=http://www.insidevoa.com/content/voa-reducing-radio-frequencies/1629194.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405082510/http://www.insidevoa.com/content/voa-reducing-radio-frequencies/1629194.html |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=insidevoa.com}}</ref> Then, in 2014, most of its English-language transmissions to Asia were cut,<ref name="arrl">{{Cite web |date=July 1, 2014 |title=Voice of America Makes More Cuts to International Shortwave Broadcast Schedule |url=http://www.arrl.org/news/voice-of-america-makes-more-cuts-to-international-shortwave-broadcast-schedule |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331141645/http://www.arrl.org/news/voice-of-america-makes-more-cuts-to-international-shortwave-broadcast-schedule |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=arrl.org}}</ref> as well as shortwave transmissions in Azerbaijani, Bengali, Khmer, Kurdish, Lao, Uzbek, and Greek.<ref name="arrl" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Voice of America Ends Greek Broadcasts |url=http://www.bbg.gov/blog/2014/08/11/voice-of-america-ends-greek-broadcasts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816115316/http://www.bbg.gov/blog/2014/08/11/voice-of-america-ends-greek-broadcasts/ |archive-date=August 16, 2014 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=bbg.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2014 |title=After 72 years on air, VOA's Greek Service goes silent |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite6_1_12/08/2014_542099 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819233735/http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite6_1_12/08/2014_542099 |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=December 3, 2014 |publisher=[[Kathimerini]]}}</ref>

=== Internet era ===
In 1994, Voice of America became the first broadcast-news organization to offer continuously updated programs on the Internet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kern |first=Chris |title=The Voice of America: First on the Internet |url=http://www.chriskern.net/history/voaFirstOnTheInternet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709043008/http://www.chriskern.net/history/voaFirstOnTheInternet.html |archive-date=July 9, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008}}</ref>

From 1948 until its amendment in 2013, Voice of America was forbidden to broadcast directly to American citizens, pursuant to § 501 of the [[Smith–Mundt Act]].<ref name="chuck_nbc_2013">{{Cite news |last=Chuck |first=Elizabeth |date=July 20, 2013 |title=Taxpayer money at work: US-funded foreign broadcasts finally available in the US |url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/20/19502580-taxpayer-money-at-work-us-funded-foreign-broadcasts-finally-available-in-the-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723104400/http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/20/19502580-taxpayer-money-at-work-us-funded-foreign-broadcasts-finally-available-in-the-us |archive-date=July 23, 2013 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> The intent of the 1948 legislation was to protect the American public from propaganda by its own government and to avoid any competition with private American companies.<ref>Broderick, James F., and Darren W. Miller. ''Consider the Source: A Critical Guide to 100 prominent news and information sites on the Web.'' Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2007. {{ISBN|978-0-910965-77-4}}, p. 388.</ref> The act was amended via the passage of the ''Smith-Mundt Modernization Act'' provision of the [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013|National Defense Authorization Act for 2013]].<ref name="smma">{{Cite news |last=Hudson |first=John |date=July 14, 2013 |title=U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News to Americans |url=http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/12/us_backs_off_propaganda_ban_spreads_government_made_news_to_americans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716002319/http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/12/us_backs_off_propaganda_ban_spreads_government_made_news_to_americans |archive-date=July 16, 2013 |access-date=July 16, 2013 |work=[[Foreign Policy]]}}</ref> The amendment was intended to adapt the law to the Internet and to allow American citizens access to VOA content.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2017 |title=VOA Through the Years |url=https://www.insidevoa.com/a/3794247.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513105818/https://www.insidevoa.com/a/3794247.html |archive-date=May 13, 2022 |access-date=December 2, 2018}}</ref>

''VOA Radiogram'' was an experimental Voice of America program that started in March 2013 and ended in June 2017, which transmitted [[Digital data|digital]] text and images via [[Shortwave radio|shortwave]] [[Radiogram (message)|radiograms]].<ref>{{cite web |title=VOA Radiogram |url=https://voaradiogram.net/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201161243/https://voaradiogram.net/ |archive-date=February 1, 2024 |access-date=11 August 2023 |website=Tumblr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=VOA Radiogram |url=http://voaradiogram.net/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518080209/http://voaradiogram.net/ |archive-date=May 18, 2014 |access-date=April 15, 2014 |publisher=VOA Radiogram}}</ref> There were 220 editions of the program, transmitted each weekend from the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station. The audio tones that comprised the bulk of each 30-minute program were transmitted via an [[Analog signal|analog]] [[transmitter]], and could be [[Digital-to-analog converter|decoded]] using a basic [[Amplitude modulation|AM]] [[shortwave receiver]] with freely downloadable software of the [[Fldigi]] family. This software was available for [[Windows]],  [[macOS]], [[Linux]], and [[FreeBSD]] systems. Broadcasts could also be decoded using the free TIVAR app from the [[Google Play]] store using any [[Android (operating system)|Android]] device. The mode used most often on ''VOA Radiogram'', for both text and images, was [[Multiple frequency-shift keying|MFSK32]], but other modes were also occasionally transmitted. The final edition of ''VOA Radiogram'' was transmitted during the weekend of June 17–18, 2017, a week before the retirement of the program producer from VOA. An offer to continue the broadcasts on a contract basis was declined, so a follow-on show called ''Shortwave Radiogram'' began transmission on June 25, 2017, from the [[WRMI]] transmitting site in Okeechobee, Florida.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VOA Radiogram, 20–21 May 2017: Special doomed edition |url=http://voaradiogram.net/post/160839098787/voa-radiogram-20-21-may-2017-special-doomed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626230952/http://voaradiogram.net/post/160839098787/voa-radiogram-20-21-may-2017-special-doomed |archive-date=June 26, 2017 |access-date=June 26, 2017 |website=VOA Radiogram}}</ref><ref>[http://swradiogram.net/post/162168963047/shortwave-radiogram-25-june-2017-first-show Shortwave Radiogram, 25 June 2017: First show. Holding my breath.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626193433/http://swradiogram.net/post/162168963047/shortwave-radiogram-25-june-2017-first-show|date=June 26, 2017}} VOA Radiogram Official Site</ref>

In 2021, Voice of America launched 52 Documentary, a series that publishes weekly films about human experiences.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2021 |title=VOA Launches New Documentary Series |url=https://www.insidevoa.com/a/6346520.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522065347/https://www.insidevoa.com/a/6346520.html |archive-date=May 22, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=VOA |language=en}}</ref> The series is presented on the streaming app, VOA+, and [[YouTube]]. Films average 10–15 minutes and are translated with captions in several languages, including Russian, Persian, Mandarin, Urdu, and English. [[Euna Lee]] directs the program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shahbaz |first=Ali |title=Looking For Diverse Human Stories? Watch This Compelling New Documentary |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alishahbaz/2022/02/07/looking-for-diverse-human-stories-watch-this-compelling-new-documentary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822152222/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alishahbaz/2022/02/07/looking-for-diverse-human-stories-watch-this-compelling-new-documentary/ |archive-date=August 22, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

===Politicization under the first Trump presidency===
After the [[First inauguration of Donald Trump|January 2017 inauguration]] of US President [[Donald Trump]], tweets by Voice of America seemed to support debunked claims by White House press secretary [[Sean Spicer]] about the crowd size and related media coverage. This raised concerns over possible attempts by Trump to politicize VOA.<ref name="TrumpTV">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/26/voice-of-america-says-it-wont-become-trump-tv/ Voice of America says it won't become Trump TV] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818125538/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/26/voice-of-america-says-it-wont-become-trump-tv/|date=August 18, 2018}}, ''The Washington Post''</ref><ref name="stamp">[http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/donald-trump-voice-america-234078 Trump moves to put his own stamp on Voice of America] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331114406/http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/donald-trump-voice-america-234078|date=March 31, 2017}}, ''Politico''</ref><ref name="megaphone">[https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-voice-of-america-cold-war-bennett-20170215-htmlstory.html Can Donald Trump turn Voice of America into his own private megaphone?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308101933/https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-voice-of-america-cold-war-bennett-20170215-htmlstory.html|date=March 8, 2021}}, ''LA Times''</ref><ref name="salon/01/24/2017">[http://www.salon.com/2017/01/24/donald-trump-sends-two-aides-to-voice-of-america-studios-raising-fears-hes-going-to-politicize-the-outlet/ Donald Trump sends two aides to Voice of America studios, raising fears he's going to politicize the outlet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331031358/http://www.salon.com/2017/01/24/donald-trump-sends-two-aides-to-voice-of-america-studios-raising-fears-hes-going-to-politicize-the-outlet/|date=March 31, 2017}}, ''Salon''</ref> An Obama-era law gave the powers of the board of the [[Broadcasting Board of Governors]] to a CEO appointed by the president, and Trump's selection of aides to work with the CEO - a former writer for the [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] website ''The Daily Surge'' and a field director from [[Americans for Prosperity]] - during the [[First presidential transition of Donald Trump|presidential transition]], raised concerns about VOA being transformed into a more traditional state propaganda platform.<ref name="TrumpTV" /> VOA officials responded with assurances that they would not become "Trump TV",<ref name="TrumpTV" /> citing existing laws that prevent interference in editorial processes.<ref name="megaphone" />

During the COVID-19 pandemic, claims and messaging by the Trump administration diverged from that of public health experts and journalists.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Superville |first1=Darlene |last2=Woodward |first2=Calvin |date=March 4, 2020 |title=A disconnect between Trump and health officials on COVID-19 |url=https://apnews.com/7b4368cae934785657acac1f09873505 |access-date=May 15, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref name="PazApril9">{{cite news |last1=Paz |first1=Christian |date=April 27, 2020 |title=All the President's Lies About the Coronavirus |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/trumps-lies-about-coronavirus/608647/ |access-date=May 10, 2020 |work=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> In April 2020, the [[White House]] published an article in its daily newsletter critical of VOA coverage of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|coronavirus pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 10, 2020 |title=Amid a Pandemic, Voice of America Spends Your Money to Promote Foreign Propaganda |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/articles/amid-a-pandemic-voice-of-america-spends-your-money-to-promote-foreign-propaganda/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120200021/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/articles/amid-a-pandemic-voice-of-america-spends-your-money-to-promote-foreign-propaganda/ |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |access-date=June 16, 2020 |website=[[whitehouse.gov]] |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |quote=Even worse, while much of the U.S. media takes its lead from China, VOA went one step further: It created graphics with Communist government statistics to compare China's Coronavirus death toll to America's.}}</ref> [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC) press official Michawn Rich sent a memo to agency employees telling them to deny interview requests by VOA.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jerreat |first=Jessica |date=June 14, 2020 |title=CDC Media Guidance Blacklists VOA Interview Requests |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/press-freedom_cdc-media-guidance-blacklists-voa-interview-requests/6191106.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903204825/https://www.voanews.com/press-freedom/cdc-media-guidance-blacklists-voa-interview-requests |archive-date=September 3, 2020 |access-date=June 16, 2020 |publisher=Voice of America}}</ref> When VOA reported that Vice President [[Mike Pence]]'s office required the press to wear masks to cover his visit to the Mayo Clinic, his office then threatened retaliation against the reporter, according to the ''Washington Post.''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=April 30, 2020 |title=Pence's staff threatens action against reporter who tweeted about visit to clinic without surgical mask |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/pence-staff-threatens-action-against-reporter-who-tweeted-about-visit-to-clinic-without-surgical-mask/2020/04/30/27c63056-8b0a-11ea-9df-990f9dcc71fc_story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830161659/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/pence-staff-threatens-action-against-reporter-who-tweeted-about-visit-to-clinic-without-surgical-mask/2020/04/30/27c63056-8b0a-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html |archive-date=August 30, 2020 |access-date=September 3, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

On June 3, 2020, the US Senate confirmed [[Michael Pack]], a conservative documentarian and close ally of [[Steve Bannon]], to serve as head of the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Edmondson |first=Catie |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Senate Confirms Conservative Filmmaker to Lead U.S. Media Agency |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/politics/senate-confirms-michael-pack-voa.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604204058/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/politics/senate-confirms-michael-pack-voa.html |archive-date=2020-06-04 |access-date=June 20, 2020 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Subsequently, Director Bennet and deputy director Sandy Sugawara resigned from VOA. On June 17, the heads of VOA's Middle East Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Open Technology Fund were all fired, their boards were dissolved, and external communications from VOA employees required approval from senior agency personnel in what one source described as an "unprecedented" move.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hansler |first1=Jennifer |last2=Stelter |first2=Brian |date=June 18, 2020 |title='Wednesday night massacre' as Trump appointee takes over at global media agency |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/media/us-agency-for-global-media-michael-pack/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215031602/https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/media/us-agency-for-global-media-michael-pack/index.html |archive-date=February 15, 2021 |access-date=June 18, 2020 |work=CNN}}</ref> Four former members of the advisory boards filed suit challenging Pack's standing to fire them.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=June 26, 2020 |title=Citing A Breached 'Firewall,' Media Leaders Sue U.S. Official Over Firings |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882654831/citing-a-breached-firewall-media-leaders-sue-u-s-official-over-firings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628201042/https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882654831/citing-a-breached-firewall-media-leaders-sue-u-s-official-over-firings |archive-date=June 28, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref> On July 9, NPR reported VOA would not renew the work visas of dozens of non-resident reporters, many of whom could face repercussions in their home countries.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=July 9, 2020 |title=U.S. Broadcasting Agency Will Not Extend Visas For Its Foreign Journalists |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/09/889301025/u-s-broadcasting-agency-will-not-extend-visas-for-its-foreign-journalists |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710213127/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/09/889301025/u-s-broadcasting-agency-will-not-extend-visas-for-its-foreign-journalists |archive-date=July 10, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref> In late July, four contractors and the head of VOA's [[Urdu]]-language service were suspended after a video featuring extensive clips from a Muslim-American voter conference, including a campaign message from then-Democratic presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]], was determined not to meet editorial standards and taken down.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lippman |first=Daniel |date=July 30, 2020 |title=Deleted Biden video sets off a crisis at Voice of America |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/deleted-biden-video-sets-off-a-crisis-at-voice-of-america-388571 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807132338/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/deleted-biden-video-sets-off-a-crisis-at-voice-of-america-388571 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |publisher=Politico}}</ref> The ''Post'' reported that VOA Spanish-language service White House correspondent's Brigo Segovia's interview with an official about the administration's response to Pack's personnel and other moves had been censored and his own access to VOA's computer system restricted.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last1=Ellison |first1=Sarah |last2=Farhi |first2=Paul |date=September 2, 2020 |title=New Voice of America overseer called foreign journalists a security risk. Now the staff is revolting. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/new-voice-of-america-overseer-called-foreign-journalists-a-security-risk-now-the-staff-is-revolting/2020/09/01/da7fa0a8-eba2-11ea-ab4e-581edb849379_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903033621/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/new-voice-of-america-overseer-called-foreign-journalists-a-security-risk-now-the-staff-is-revolting/2020/09/01/da7fa0a8-eba2-11ea-ab4e-581edb849379_story.html |archive-date=September 3, 2020 |access-date=September 3, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

In response to Pack's August 27 interview with ''[[The Federalist (website)|The Federalist]]'' website, a group of VOA journalists sent a letter to VOA Acting Director Elez Biberaj complaining that Pack's "comments and decisions 'endanger the personal security of VOA reporters at home and abroad, as well as threatening to harm U.S. national security objectives.{{' "}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=August 31, 2020 |title=Voice of America Journalists: New CEO Endangers Reporters, Harms U.S. Aims |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/31/907764105/voice-of-america-journalists-new-ceo-endangers-reporters-harms-u-s-aims |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903033622/https://www.npr.org/2020/08/31/907764105/voice-of-america-journalists-new-ceo-endangers-reporters-harms-u-s-aims |archive-date=September 3, 2020 |access-date=September 3, 2020 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref> VOA's response indicated the journalists may be punished for sending the letter.<ref name=":6" /> 

On September 29, six senior USAGM officials filed a whistleblower complaint in which they alleged that Pack or one of his aides had ordered research conducted into the voting history of at least one agency employee, which would be a violation of laws protecting civil servants from undue political influence.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lippman |first=Daniel |date=September 30, 2020 |title=6 whistleblowers allege misconduct by government media boss |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/30/whistleblowers-allege-misconduct-agency-for-global-media-423758 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005112909/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/30/whistleblowers-allege-misconduct-agency-for-global-media-423758 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=October 7, 2020 |publisher=Politico}}</ref> NPR reported that two Pack aides had compiled a report on VOA White House bureau chief [[Steven L. Herman]]'s social media postings and other writings in an attempt to charge him with a conflict of interest, and that the agency released a conflict of interest policy stating in part that a "journalist who on Facebook 'likes' a comment or political cartoon that aggressively attacks or disparages the President must recuse themselves from covering the President."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=October 4, 2020 |title=VOA White House Reporter Investigated For Anti-Trump Bias By Political Appointees |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/04/919266194/political-aides-investigate-voa-white-house-reporter-for-anti-trump-bias |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007012527/https://www.npr.org/2020/10/04/919266194/political-aides-investigate-voa-white-house-reporter-for-anti-trump-bias |archive-date=October 7, 2020 |access-date=October 7, 2020 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref> A [[preliminary injunction]] issued on November 20 barred Pack "from making personnel decisions involving journalists at the networks; from directly communicating with editors and journalists employed by them; and from investigating any editors or news stories produced by them," and characterized the investigation of Herman as an "unconstitutional prior restraint" of his, his editors', and fellow journalists' free speech.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=November 20, 2020 |title=Judge slaps down Trump appointee who has sought to reshape Voice of America and related agencies |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/judge-slaps-down-trump-appointee-who-has-sought-to-reshape-voice-of-america-and-related-agencies/2020/11/21/125d285a-2baa-11eb-92b7-6ef17b3fe3b4_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121055435/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/judge-slaps-down-trump-appointee-who-has-sought-to-reshape-voice-of-america-and-related-agencies/2020/11/21/125d285a-2baa-11eb-92b7-6ef17b3fe3b4_story.html |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |access-date=November 21, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

Suspended officials from Voice of America sued the agency news outlet on October 8. They accused Pack of using Voice of America as a vehicle to promote the personal agenda of President Trump and of violating a statutory firewall intended to prevent political interference with the agency, and they sought their reinstatement.<ref>''[https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-michael-pack-lawsuits-district-of-columbia-15dcdd15d92bd8ce2c07fab82a6c6070 Suspended officials sue agency that runs Voice of America] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009171737/https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-michael-pack-lawsuits-district-of-columbia-15dcdd15d92bd8ce2c07fab82a6c6070|date=October 9, 2020}}'', [[Associated Press]] (AP), October 9, 2020</ref>In November 2020, US District Court [[Beryl A. Howell|Judge Beryl Howell]] found Pack violated the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] rights of Voice of America journalists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Nicky |date=November 22, 2020 |title=Judge rules Voice of America head curbed First Amendment rights of journalists |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/21/business/voice-of-america-violated-journalists-rights/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122025551/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/21/business/voice-of-america-violated-journalists-rights/index.html |archive-date=November 22, 2020 |access-date=November 22, 2020 |website=CNN}}</ref> 

In December 2020, ''The Washington Post'' reported that Pack was refusing to cooperate with [[President-elect of the United States|President-elect]] Biden's transition team and, in an end run around the court order, had persuaded VOA Acting Director Biberaj to step down, replacing him with [[Robert Reilly (politician)|Robert Reilly]], a former VOA director who had written critically of Muslims, gays, and lesbians.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=December 9, 2020 |title=Voice of America interim director pushed out by Trump-appointed overseer in final flurry of actions to assert control |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/voice-of-america-director-fired-trump-michael-pack/2020/12/08/3d9539f4-3997-11eb-98c4-25dc9f4987e8_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209030816/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/voice-of-america-director-fired-trump-michael-pack/2020/12/08/3d9539f4-3997-11eb-98c4-25dc9f4987e8_story.html |archive-date=December 9, 2020 |access-date=December 9, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=December 8, 2020 |title=Trump appointee who oversees Voice of America refuses to cooperate with Biden transition team |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-appointee-who-oversees-voice-of-america-refuses-to-cooperate-with-biden-transition-team/ar-BB1bK51F |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208175329/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-appointee-who-oversees-voice-of-america-refuses-to-cooperate-with-biden-transition-team/ar-BB1bK51F |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |access-date=December 9, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>  On December 19, 33 days before President-elect Biden's inauguration, Pack named Ted Lipien, a former VOA veteran journalist who had since become an outspoken critic of the platform, as head of RFE/RL, and ''[[Breitbart]]'' writer [[Jeffrey Scott Shapiro]] as head of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=January 22, 2021 |title=USAGM Chief Fires Trump Allies Over Radio Free Europe And Other Networks |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/22/959848852/usagm-chief-fires-trump-allies-over-radio-free-europe-and-other-networks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217230144/https://www.npr.org/2021/01/22/959848852/usagm-chief-fires-trump-allies-over-radio-free-europe-and-other-networks |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=February 17, 2022 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=USAGM |date=December 18, 2020 |title=Ted Lipien returns to U.S. international broadcasting as head of RFE/RL |url=https://www.usagm.gov/2020/12/18/ted-lipien-returns-to-u-s-international-broadcasting-as-head-of-rfe-rl/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217230148/https://www.usagm.gov/2020/12/18/ted-lipien-returns-to-u-s-international-broadcasting-as-head-of-rfe-rl/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=February 17, 2022 |website=U.S. Agency for Global Media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=December 18, 2020 |title=Trump appointee names conservative allies to run Radio Free Europe and Cuba broadcast agency |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/radio-free-europe-marti-michael-pack/2020/12/18/1c48f86c-418f-11eb-8db8-395dedaaa036_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220002303/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/radio-free-europe-marti-michael-pack/2020/12/18/1c48f86c-418f-11eb-8db8-395dedaaa036_story.html |archive-date=December 20, 2020 |access-date=December 20, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Matthew Lee |date=December 18, 2020 |title=Pro-Trump shakeups continue at VOA's parent agency |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-michael-pack-f779133aeb9ab6d3abdec63e104f1c4c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501211817/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-michael-pack-f779133aeb9ab6d3abdec63e104f1c4c |archive-date=May 1, 2021 |access-date=May 1, 2021 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Pack attempted to add contractual language that would make it impossible to fire the broadcasting board members he had installed for two years, but it was withdrawn after inquiries from media and Congress.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=December 30, 2020 |title=Trump Appointee Seeks Lasting Control Over Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/30/951126591/trump-appointee-seeks-lasting-control-over-radio-free-europe-radio-free-asia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115075446/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/30/951126591/trump-appointee-seeks-lasting-control-over-radio-free-europe-radio-free-asia |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |access-date=January 14, 2021 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref>

[[File:Secretary Pompeo Delivers Remarks at the Voice of America (50828046222).jpg|thumb|left|240px|Then-Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] speaks at VOA headquarters in January 2021.]]
On January 11, 2021, VOA interim director Reilly ordered veteran reporter [[Patsy Widakuswara]] off the White House beat. Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] gave a speech critical of VOA and conducted an interview with VOA Director Robert Reilly about the dangers of censorship, then did not take permit press questions to Widakuswara followed Pompeo out, trying to ask questions.<ref name="Gaouette 2021">{{Cite news |last1=Gaouette |first1=Nicole |last2=Hansler |first2=Jennifer |last3=Atwood |first3=Kylie |date=January 13, 2021 |title=Voice of America reassigns White House reporter who tried to ask Mike Pompeo a question |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/media/voa-reassigns-reporter/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023050054/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/media/voa-reassigns-reporter/index.html |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=January 12, 2021 |title=Voice Of America White House Reporter Reassigned After Questioning Pompeo |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/12/955976976/voice-of-america-white-house-reporter-reassigned-after-questioning-pompeo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019173808/https://www.npr.org/2021/01/12/955976976/voice-of-america-white-house-reporter-reassigned-after-questioning-pompeo |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=[[NPR]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Oktavianti |first=Tri Indah |date=January 16, 2021 |title=Patsy Widakuswara: Jakarta native asking Trump administration tough questions |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/01/16/patsy-widakuswara-jakarta-native-asking-trump-administration-tough-questions.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023051850/https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/01/16/patsy-widakuswara-jakarta-native-asking-trump-administration-tough-questions.html |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=[[The Jakarta Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=January 12, 2021 |title=Voice of America reassigns White House reporter after she sought to question Mike Pompeo |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voice-of-america-reassigns-white-house-reporter-after-she-sought-to-question-mike-pompeo/ar-BB1cFBq5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112064458/http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voice-of-america-reassigns-white-house-reporter-after-she-sought-to-question-mike-pompeo/ar-BB1cFBq5 |archive-date=January 12, 2021 |access-date=January 12, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |publisher=MSN News}}</ref> In response, dozens of VOA journalists, including Widakuswara, wrote and circulated a petition calling on Reilly and public affairs specialist Elizabeth Robbins to resign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=January 14, 2021 |title=Voice of America journalists demand resignation of news agency's top leadership |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voice-of-america-journalists-demand-resignation-of-news-agencys-top-leadership/ar-BB1cLd9b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194616/http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voice-of-america-journalists-demand-resignation-of-news-agencys-top-leadership/ar-BB1cLd9b |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |access-date=January 14, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> In a statement, [[United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs|U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee]] Chairman [[Gregory Meeks]] and ranking member [[Michael McCaul]] supported her reinstatement.<ref name="Gaouette 2021" />

As of 2024, the audience was larger than the next-largest international broadcaster, the [[BBC World Service]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=March 19, 2025 |title=Donald Trump shoots his own global mouthpiece |url=https://www.economist.com/international/2025/03/19/donald-trump-shoots-his-own-global-mouthpiece |access-date=2025-05-08 |newspaper=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

On January 19, the last full day of the Trump presidency, Pack named a slate of five directors to head each of the three USAGM boards for RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks: conservative radio talk show host Blanquita Cullum, [[Liberty Counsel]] officer Johnathan Alexander, former White House staffer Amanda Milius, conservative writer Roger Simon, and [[Center for the National Interest]] Fellow Christian Whiton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USAGM CEO Michael Pack names Board of Directors |url=https://www.usagm.gov/2021/01/19/usagm-ceo-michael-pack-names-board-of-directors/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119224436/https://www.usagm.gov/2021/01/19/usagm-ceo-michael-pack-names-board-of-directors/ |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2021 |website=usagm.com |publisher=US Agency for Global Media}}</ref> The following day, Pack resigned at the request of the Biden administration.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthew |date=January 20, 2021 |title=Trump global broadcasting chief quits amid VOA staff revolt |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-media-michael-pack-4c3796bf47085218b94ac7a080634bf1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121033456/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-media-michael-pack-4c3796bf47085218b94ac7a080634bf1 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2021 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> On January 21, Shapiro resigned from the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. Biden named veteran VOA journalist [[Kelu Chao]] to replace Pack. Chao in turn dismissed Riley and Robbins from VOA, naming Yolanda Lopez, another VOA veteran, as acting director; Lopez had also been reassigned in the wake of the Pompeo interview.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=January 21, 2021 |title=At Voice of America, a sweeping ouster of Trump officials on Biden's first full day |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/at-voice-of-america-a-sweeping-ouster-of-trump-officials-on-bidens-first-full-day/2021/01/21/4827f3cc-5c2c-11eb-8bcf-3877871c819d_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122010722/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/at-voice-of-america-a-sweeping-ouster-of-trump-officials-on-bidens-first-full-day/2021/01/21/4827f3cc-5c2c-11eb-8bcf-3877871c819d_story.html |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> On January 22, the Biden administration fired [[Victoria Coates]] and her deputy Robert Greenway from the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, naming Kelley Sullivan as acting head.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lippman |first=Daniel |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Biden administration ousts Victoria Coates, who was falsely accused of being 'Anonymous' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/22/biden-victoria-coates-anonymous-461532 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123015315/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/22/biden-victoria-coates-anonymous-461532 |archive-date=January 23, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |work=Politico}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthey |date=January 23, 2021 |title=More heads roll at US-funded international broadcasters |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-cuba-media-middle-east-052e16ac28ac264e3ed9b17eb6bf5031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124012812/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-cuba-media-middle-east-052e16ac28ac264e3ed9b17eb6bf5031 |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>

=== Second Trump administration ===
In December 2024, Donald Trump, as president-elect, announced [[Kari Lake]] would be his choice for VOA Director. Lake had called for imprisoning journalists whose reporting she called "lies",<ref name="ElectionLies">{{Cite news |last=Dale |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel Dale |date=October 16, 2021 |title=Fact-checking Kari Lake, serial promoter of election lies and early frontrunner in GOP primary for Arizona governor |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/16/politics/fact-check-kari-lake-arizona-governor-election-lies/index.html |access-date=October 17, 2021 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> called for imprisoning a political opponent,<ref name="ElectionLies" />
lost elections for Arizona governor and senator, advanced false claims around both her and Trump's election losses and left her previous job with the Phoenix, Arizona, affiliate of [[Fox News]] after controversies including spreading [[COVID-19 misinformation]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Treisman |first1=Rachel |last2=Folkenflik |first2=David |date=12 December 2024 |title=Trump says Kari Lake will lead Voice of America. He attacked it during his first term |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/12/12/nx-s1-5226920/voice-of-america-kari-lake-voa |access-date=14 December 2024 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref> Though the president may make a nomination, under the International Broadcasting Act only the [[U.S. Agency for Global Media#International_Broadcasting_Advisory_Board|International Broadcasting Advisory Board]] has the authority to approve the appointment or removal of the VOA Director.<ref name="auto4">{{cite web |title=Statute, ByLaws, and Functions |url=https://www.ibab.gov/about-us/statute-bylaws-and-functions/ |access-date=14 December 2024 |website=www.ibab.gov |publisher=International Broadcasting Advisory Board}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite news |last1=VOA News |title=Trump names Kari Lake as choice for VOA director |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-names-kari-lake-as-choice-for-voa-director/7899195.html |access-date=14 December 2024 |publisher=Voice of America}}</ref> 

In February 2025, [[Elon Musk]], the functional leader of DOGE,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Shalal |first1=Andrea |last2=Bose |first2=Nandita |date=February 20, 2025 |title=Trump appears to contradict White House, says Elon Musk in charge of DOGE |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-appears-contradict-white-house-says-elon-musk-charge-doge-2025-02-20/ |access-date=March 23, 2025 |website=Reuters}}</ref> called for VoA and [[Radio Free Europe]] to shut down,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pravda |first1=Ukrainska |author-link1= |date=February 9, 2025 |title=Elon Musk calls for Radio Free Europe and Voice of America to be shut down |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-calls-shutting-down-171116744.html |url-access= |access-date=March 7, 2025 |work= |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |location= |publication-place= |publication-date=February 9, 2025 |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |quote=American billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called for the US-funded radio stations Radio Free Europe and Voice of America to be shut down. |trans-quote= |bibcode-access= |doi-access= |hdl-access= |jstor-access= |ol-access= |osti-access= |script-work= |trans-work= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |eissn= |hdl= |ismn= |medrxiv= |pmc-embargo-date= |sbn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |archive-format= |quote-page= |quote-pages= |script-quote=}}</ref> coming after previously made suggestions by other government officials to shutter the agency.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Dan |author-link1= |date=February 11, 2016 |title=Shut Down the Voice of America? |script-title= |trans-title= |url=https://www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/shut-down-voice-america |url-access= |access-date=March 7, 2025 |publisher=USC Center on Public Diplomacy |publication-place= |publication-date=February 11, 2016 |via= |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |quote= |trans-quote= |bibcode-access= |doi-access= |hdl-access= |jstor-access= |ol-access= |osti-access= |trans-work= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |eissn= |hdl= |ismn= |medrxiv= |pmc-embargo-date= |sbn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |archive-format= |quote-page= |quote-pages= |script-quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Belida |first1=Alex |author-link1= |name-list-style= |date=February 11, 2017 |title=The Fate of VOA in the Balance |script-title= |trans-title= |url=https://www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/fate-voa-balance |url-access= |access-date=March 7, 2025 |publisher=USC Center on Public Diplomacy |edition= |publication-place= |publication-date=February 11, 2017 |via= |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |quote= |trans-quote= |bibcode-access= |doi-access= |hdl-access= |jstor-access= |ol-access= |osti-access= |title-link= |trans-work= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |eissn= |hdl= |ismn= |medrxiv= |pmc-embargo-date= |sbn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |archive-format= |quote-page= |quote-pages= |script-quote=}}</ref> In February and March 2025, it was reported that at VOA, a chief national correspondent was placed on paid absence and veteran reporter [[Patsy Widakuswara]] was reassigned from the White House [[Beat (journalism)|beat]].<ref name=":5" /> Widakuswara had been given the same reassignment during the first Trump administration, which was reversed under Biden.<ref name="Beitsch 2021">{{Cite news |last=Beitsch |first=Rebecca |date=January 22, 2021 |title=VOA reinstates White House reporter reassigned after questioning Pompeo |url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/535387-voa-reinstates-white-house-reporter-reassigned-for-questioning-pompeo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023061637/https://thehill.com/policy/international/535387-voa-reinstates-white-house-reporter-reassigned-for-questioning-pompeo |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> At the same time, it was also reported that at least two articles containing criticism of Trump were not published or were changed after publication. A Trump administration official, [[Richard Grenell]], called the VOA chief correspondent's comments "[[treason|treasonous]]" in a post on X.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Enrich |first1=David |last2=Kim |first2=Minho |date=2025-02-28 |title=Voice of America Journalists Face Investigations for Trump Comments |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/business/media/voice-of-america-trump.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |author-link=David Folkenflik |date=2025-03-01 |title=Voice of America bias inquiry sparks concerns of political meddling |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/g-s1-51489/voice-of-america-bias-inquiry |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:VOA Burmese Myanmar Evening 2025-03-15.webm|thumb|VOA Burmese goes dark at 21:00 Myanmar Time on March 15, 2025 as a result of staff reductions and lockouts.]]
On the night of March 14, Trump signed an [[executive order]], calling the agency "the Voice of Radical America" and reducing the functions of several agencies including the U.S. Agency for Global Media to the minimum required by law.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-15 |title=Trump signs order to gut staff at Voice of America and other US-funded media organizations |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-voice-of-america-cuts-3faf72e620dbc5f42e5508a2b9d8c8da |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-15 |title=Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/ |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref> The next day, all employees could not access VOA headquarters, and many VOA foreign language broadcasts replaced news and other regularly scheduled programming with music.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last1=Schick |first1=Camilla |last2=Gómez |first2=Fin Daniel |last3=Jiang |first3=Weijia |date=2025-03-17 |title=Voice of America's full-time staff and contractors placed on leave following Trump directive |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-signs-order-to-cut-staff-at-voice-of-america-media/ |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=[[CBS News]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="silentCNN" /><ref name="SilentNYT" /> More than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="silentCNN" /><ref name=":3" /> VOA has also set about ending contracts with the [[Associated Press]], [[Reuters]] and [[Agence France-Presse]]. [[Kari Lake]], the special advisor to the USAGM selected by Trump, estimated ending these contracts would save $53 million.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Bauder |first=David |date=2025-03-14 |title=Voice of America ending contracts with Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France Presse |url=https://apnews.com/article/voa-government-media-contracts-2bd47cf0c1bbcdc5cbe08eea030c1454 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, said in a [[Facebook]] post on March 15, that he was also placed on leave, along with “virtually the entire staff” of 1,300. The announcement came exactly 24 hours after President Trump signed an executive order to gut VOA’s parent agency as well as the network having a move to terminate contracts with [[The Associated Press]], [[Reuters]], and [[Agence France-Presse]].<ref name=":4" /> Some of VOA’s local-language radio stations have stopped broadcasting news reports and switched over to music automation to fill the airtime.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stelter |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Stelter |date=2025-03-15 |title=Voice of America channels fall silent as Trump administration guts agency and cancels contracts |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/15/media/voice-of-america-trump-cuts/index.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=CNN Business |language=en}}</ref> The decision to cut the service, which has primarily served to counter propaganda in authoritarian countries, was met with praise from Russian state media pundits and condemnation by [[Reporters Without Borders]], who said it sends a "chilling signal" to China and Russia that they "now have free rein to spread their propaganda unchecked."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanger |first=David E. |date=2025-03-22 |title=How Elon Musk's DOGE Cuts Leave a Vacuum That China Can Fill |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-china.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-17 |title=Russian TV celebrates Trump's "awesome" move to shut down Voice of America |url=https://www.newsweek.com/russian-tv-trump-shut-down-voice-america-2045867 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-17 |title=VOA journalists sound off on 'betrayal' after Trump dismantles broadcaster |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-media-voice-america-bloody-saturday-b2716583.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

In response, lawsuits were filed against the Trump administration in March 2025. One lawsuit noted that some VOA employees were foreign nationals with J-1 visas and faced risks to their safety if they were forced to return to their home countries if their visas were to be revoked due to loss of employment. In March 2025, the [[District Court for the Southern District of New York]] issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the Trump administration from carrying out any further actions resulting from the executive order, including terminating staff, ending contracts or closing offices.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.justsecurity.org/109984/voice-of-america-litigation/ | title=Unpacking the Voice of America Litigation | date=April 10, 2025 }}</ref><ref>https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/3-Widakuswara-v-Kari-Lake-tro.pdf</ref>

On April 22, 2025, a federal ruling from the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia|U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia]] ordered the Trump administration to restore VOA and return its employees and contractors to work.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feng |first=Emily |date=2025-04-22 |title=Judge blocks Trump administration plans to dismantle Voice of America |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372530/voa-trump-radio-free-asia |access-date=2025-05-04 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref> On May 3, the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]] blocked the ruling in a 2-1 decision citing a lack of jurisdiction by the district court.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=May 3, 2025 |title=US court halts ruling ordering Voice of America employees back to work |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-halts-ruling-ordering-voice-america-employees-back-work-2025-05-03/ |access-date=May 4, 2025 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

On May 6, 2025, Kari Lake announced that [[One America News]] (OAN), a [[far-right]], pro-Trump network known for promoting [[conspiracy theories]], will provide news coverage for VOA.<ref name="guard-7may2025"/><ref name=CNN/>