Editing Voice of America (section)

== Region-specific reception ==
{{Undue weight section|Undue focus on controversies and not an overall picture of reception of the service|date=May 2025}}
Voice of America has paid attention to more remote areas that are poorly-covered by other media, helping to boost democracy efforts by shining a spotlight on autocrats so the people can make them accountable.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Grynbaum |first=Michael M. |date=2025-03-28 |title=U.S. Judge Orders Halt to Trump's Effort to Dismantle Voice of America |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/business/media/voice-of-america-lawsuit-trump.html |access-date=2025-05-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=Voice of America wins in court, for now, as judge blocks Trump administration from firing staff |url=https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-a1ed0ad37917055a1565da5325bd4fd8 |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

===China===

A study was done on Chinese students in America. It found that through the VOA, they disapproved of the actions of the Chinese government.<ref name="Zhang-2002">{{Cite journal |last=Zhang |first=Lena Liqing |date=2002 |title=Are They Still Listening? Reconceptualizing the Chinese Audience of the Voice of America in the Cyber Era. |url=https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals%2Fjradstud9&div=31&id=&page= |url-status=live |journal=Journal of Radio Studies |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=317–337 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627020703/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals%2Fjradstud9&div=31&id=&page= |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=November 29, 2020}}</ref> Another study was done on Chinese scholars in America, and found that the VOA had an effect on their political beliefs. Their political beliefs did not change in relation to China, though, as they did not tend to believe the VOA's reports on China.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Liquing |last2=Dominick |first2=Joseph R. |date=1998 |title=Penetrating the Great Wall: the ideological impact of Voice of America newscasts on young Chinese intellectuals of the 1980s |journal=Journal of Radio Studies |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=82–101 |doi=10.1080/19376529809384531}}</ref>

In February 2013, a documentary released by [[China Central Television]] interviewed a Tibetan alleged [[self-immolation protests by Tibetans in China|self-immolator]] who survived his suicide attempt. The interviewee said he was motivated by Voice of America's broadcasts of commemorations of people who committed suicide in political self-immolation. VOA denied instigating self-immolations and demanded that the Chinese station retract its report.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Flanagan |first=Ed |date=February 7, 2013 |title=Chinese documentary alleges US broadcaster incites Tibetan self-immolations |url=http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/07/16878280-chinese-documentary-alleges-us-broadcaster-incites-tibetan-self-immolations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210005405/http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/07/16878280-chinese-documentary-alleges-us-broadcaster-incites-tibetan-self-immolations |archive-date=February 10, 2013 |access-date=February 26, 2013 |work=Behind the Wall |publisher=NBC News}}</ref>[[File:Guo Wen-gui in April 2017.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Guo Wengui]]]]
On April 19, 2017, the VOA Mandarin Service interviewed Chinese real estate tycoon [[Guo Wengui]] in a live broadcast. The [[government of China]] warned VOA representatives not to interview Guo about his "unsubstantiated allegations".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shih |first=Gerry |date=April 20, 2017 |title=China says Interpol notice issued for outspoken tycoon Guo |url=https://apnews.com/article/8dd2d876a4ec4fcc964aa8c79874bcde |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914203808/https://apnews.com/article/8dd2d876a4ec4fcc964aa8c79874bcde |archive-date=September 14, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=China says Interpol notice issued for outspoken tycoon Guo |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-says-interpol-notice-issued-billionaire-guo-wengui-095609234.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226092137/https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-says-interpol-notice-issued-billionaire-guo-wengui-095609234.html |archive-date=December 26, 2018 |website=Yahoo! News |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> During the interview, Guo said he had evidence of corruption among the members of the [[Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|Politburo Standing Committee of China]], the highest political authority of China. It was then abruptly halted by VOA leadership less than half-way into the three-hour interview. Guo's allegations involved Fu Zhenhua and [[Wang Qishan]] (a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, and the leader of the anti-graft movement).<ref>[https://qz.com/968941/what-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-most-wanted-man/ China's most wanted man is in the United States] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831113006/https://qz.com/968941/what-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-most-wanted-man/|date=August 31, 2019}}. ''Quartz''.</ref> The following August, four U.S. Congressmen requested an investigation into the event, with the [[Office of Inspector General]] (OIG) concluding that the VOA leadership decision to curtail the Guo interview was based solely on [[Journalism ethics and standards|journalistic best practices]], rather than due to any pressure from the Chinese government.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2017 |title=Members of Congress request OIG investigation of VOA and BBG handling of Guo Wengui interview |url=http://bbgwatch.com/bbgwatch/members-of-congress-request-oig-investigation-of-voa-and-bbg-handling-of-guo-wengui-interview-exclusive/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725144425/http://bbgwatch.com/bbgwatch/members-of-congress-request-oig-investigation-of-voa-and-bbg-handling-of-guo-wengui-interview-exclusive/ |archive-date=July 25, 2019 |access-date=October 4, 2017 |website=BBG Watch}}</ref> Another investigation by [[Philip Merrill College of Journalism|Mark Feldstein]], Chair of Broadcast Journalism at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], came to similar conclusions, criticizing the VOA Mandarin Service interview team for not following instructions by VOA leadership.<ref>{{Cite news |title=VOA fires journalist over interview with Chinese exile |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/12/03/voa-fires-journalist-over-interview-with-chinese-exile/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204211706/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/12/03/voa-fires-journalist-over-interview-with-chinese-exile/ |archive-date=December 4, 2020 |access-date=August 3, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=VOA Dismisses Mandarin Service Chief Over Interview With Chinese Exile |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/voa-dismisses-mandarin-service-chief-over-interview-chinese-exile |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724183834/https://www.voanews.com/usa/voa-dismisses-mandarin-service-chief-over-interview-chinese-exile |archive-date=July 24, 2021 |access-date=August 3, 2021 |work=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref>

===Horn of Africa service===

The Amharic Service was started in 1982.<ref name="Sheckler1998">{{cite Q|Q122644264}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2025}} From 1982 to 1986 its staff included former members of the [[Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party]] (EPRP) and US-educated staff without strong political involvement in the 1974 [[Ethiopian Revolution]] and the associated student movement of the revolutionary period. Reporting was mostly critical of the [[Derg]] led by [[Mengistu Haile Mariam]].<ref name="Sheckler1998" /> From 1986 to 1996, the service opposed the [[Tigray People's Liberation Front]] (TPLF)/[[Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front]] (EPRDF), which took control of Ethiopia in 1991. According to Annette Sheckler, who led Horn of Africa service starting in 1998, the reporting became more politicized due to the loss of qualified staff, the anti-TPLF stance of EPRP-supporting staff, and the role of former Derg officials who were recruited to the Service. US ambassadors to Ethiopia, Mark Bass, Irvin Hicks and David Shinn, objected to what they saw as a lack of balance.<ref name="Sheckler1998" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2025}} Sheckler described the Horn of Africa service during an 18-month period in 1996–98 as "essentially ungovernable" with a "legacy of personal animosity, hostility and complete lack of professionalism".<ref name="Sheckler1998" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2025}} The [[Eritrean–Ethiopian War]] exacerbated ethnic conflicts within the service in 1998. Sheckler wrote memos to VOA leadership describing her assessment of serious problems in the service, and was fired on November 20, 1998, officially for "a lack of professional journalistic ethics"; she describes the reason for her firing as "telling the truth".<ref name="Sheckler1998" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2025}} Peter Heinlein led the service from 2012 to 2014. In 2013, he wrote a complaint about the service, citing role confusion whereby non-journalist translators took on the role of journalists.<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET">{{cite Q|Q122546796|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The service was mostly seen as anti-Ethiopian government until 2018, when Negussie Mengesha, the head of the VOA Africa division for several years, met the newly appointed Ethiopian prime minister [[Abiy Ahmed]].<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET" /> In May 2021, several former employees accused VOA's [[Amharic]] service, under Mengesha, of being biased in favor of the government of Ahmed and failing to report on [[war crimes in the Tigray war|atrocities]] committed during the [[Tigray War]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Nick Turse |date=May 21, 2021 |title=Propaganda Machine: Voice of America Is Accused of Ignoring Government Atrocities in Ethiopia |url=https://theintercept.com/2021/05/21/voice-of-america-ethiopia-bias |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230914230416/https://theintercept.com/2021/05/21/voice-of-america-ethiopia-bias |archive-date=2023-09-14 |newspaper=[[The Intercept]]}}</ref> VOA journalist Jason Patinkin reported the problems "at every level of the VOA hierarchy" and resigned, saying it had "sided with the perpetrators both by commission and omission" of "potential crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and perhaps even genocide".<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET" /> In June 2021, ''[[Mail & Guardian]]'' reported on an investigation which found that during the Tigray War, the only major foreign news service that was not harassed by Ethiopian security services was VOA.<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET" /> VOA frequently covered the [[Mai Kadra massacre]], mostly attributed to Tigrayan youth and documented by [[Amnesty International]], while later focusing on the Ethiopian government's dismissal of Amnesty International's report on the [[Axum massacre]] rather than on the methods and content of the report itself. A majority of the stories about the war only showed government or military officials' points of view.<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET" /> Instructions emailed to staff stated that the terms "civil war" and "war" were forbidden in reporting on the Tigray War, with Scott Stearns writing on 14 November, according to ''Mail & Guardian'', "There are to be no deviations from these instructions by any member of any Africa division language service on any platform."<ref name="MailGuardian_VOA_is_airing_ET" />

=== Israel and Palestine ===
After the [[October 7 Hamas attack|October 7, 2023 Hamas attack]] on Israel, an email was sent to Voice of America staff from the associate editor for news standards with guidance related to how to refer to the actions ("terrorist acts" or "acts of terror") and advice about how to refer to individual members of [[Hamas]], i.e. to use the term "terrorist" only in direct quotes from sources.<ref name="Farhi 2023">{{cite news |last1=Farhi |first1=Paul |date=29 November 2023 |title=GOP senators blast Voice of America for Hamas 'militants' terminology |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2023/11/29/voice-of-america-hamas-israel-terrorist-militant-hagerty/ |access-date=20 February 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> At the time, VOA was not the only news outlet with journalists discussing how to objectively refer to the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]].<ref name="Farhi 2023" /> Six Republican members of Congress signed a letter sent by Senator [[Bill Hagerty]], which criticized and strongly objected to the editorial guidance about how to refer to individual members of Hamas.<ref name="Farhi 2023" /> USAGM chief executive Amanda Bennett sent a letter to the senators to clarify that the VOA email was guidance only, and "There is no policy prohibiting the use of the words 'terror,' 'terrorism,' or 'terrorist{{' "}} at VOA, and stating the news organizations within USAGM "counsel care and attention in the use of the words but do not place any restrictions on the appropriate use."<ref name="Farhi 2023" /> The controversy prompted Congress to reduce the budget of VOA's parent organization, USAGM.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-03 |title=Darrell Issa: Congress Cut Voice of America's Budget over Hamas Controversy |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/darrell-issa-congress-cut-voice-of-americas-budget-over-hamas-controversy/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=National Review |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Kurdistan and Iran===

VOA's service in Iran had a negative impact on [[Kurd]]s and [[Kurdistan]] according to the publication ''[[Kurdish Life]]'' in 2000. They claimed that the VOA exacerbated the conflict between the [[Talabani]] and the [[Barzani (tribe)|Barzani]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000 |title=The Kurdish Disservice |work=Kurdish Life |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A132000325/GIC?u=viva_gmu&sid=GIC&xid=47c |url-status=live |access-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914203755/https://login.gmu.edu/idp/profile/cas/login?execution=e1s1 |archive-date=September 14, 2022}}</ref> They further claimed that the VOA covered up wrongful imprisonments, wrongful arrests, and the building of extremist mosques. According to the same publication, Kurds were being turned into fanatics, and a new generation of terrorists was forming because of the VOA. They claimed the VOA was doing this to help [[Patriotic Union of Kurdistan|PUK]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Revisiting the Kurdish Disservice |work=Kurdish Life}}</ref>

On April 2, 2007, [[Abdul Malik Rigi]], the leader of [[Jundallah (Iran)|Jundullah]], an Iranian Muslim [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] [[Salafi]] militant group with possible links to [[al-Qaeda]], appeared on Voice of America's [[Persian language|Persian-language]] service. The interview was condemned by the [[Iranian government]].<ref name="swissinfo.org">{{Cite web |title=Iranian speaker says U.S. supports 'terrorists' |url=http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Iranian_speaker_says_U_S_supports_terrorists.html?siteSect=143&sid=7692846&cKey=1175790190000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205232531/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Iranian_speaker_says_U_S_supports_terrorists.html?siteSect=143&sid=7692846&cKey=1175790190000 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |publisher=swissinfo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=fa:گفتوگوي صداي آمريکا با قاتل مردم بلوچستان! |url=http://www.baztab.com/news/63969.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410034234/http://baztab.com/news/63969.php |archive-date=April 10, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |language=fa}}</ref> Jundullah was linked to attacks on both Iranian military and civilians.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=M. Hersh |first=Seymour |date=June 28, 2008 |title=Preparing the Battlefield |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh?printable=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627031726/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh?printable=true |archive-date=June 27, 2014 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]}}</ref><ref name="washt400killed">{{Cite news |last=Massoud |first=Ansari |date=January 16, 2006 |title=Sunni Muslim group vows to behead Iranians |url=http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060116-124019-6619r.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403203656/http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060116-124019-6619r.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2007 |access-date=April 5, 2007 |work=The Washington Times}}</ref> Rigi was captured by the Iranian security services and executed in 2010 in [[Evin Prison]] in [[Tehran]].<ref>{{cite news |date=20 June 2010 |title=Iran hangs Sunni militant leader Abdolmalek Rigi |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10359415.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109135059/https://www.bbc.com/news/10359415 |archive-date=9 January 2016 |access-date=16 March 2011 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2010 |title=Iran hangs Sunni group leader |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/06/201062034410244183.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203064900/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2010/06/201062034410244183.html |archive-date=3 December 2011 |access-date=2020-03-05 |website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]}}</ref>

On June 12, 2024, the House Foreign Affairs Committee concluded that there was "credible evidence of corruption" regarding the matter of Setareh Derakhshesh Sieg, the former director of Voice of America's Persian News Network (PNN).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=House Committee Alleges 'Credible Evidence of Corruption' at U.S. Agency for Global Media |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/06/house-committee-alleges-credible-evidence-of-corruption-at-u-s-agency-for-global-media/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=National Review |language=en-US}}</ref> Sieg had been terminated in January 2021 for falsifying her education credentials and corruption-related offenses, but was later reinstated in February under the Biden administration.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gertz |first=Bill |date=February 8, 2021 |title=VOA executive Setareh Derakhshesh Sieg fired under Trump rehired by Biden |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/18/voa-executive-setareh-derakhshesh-sieg-fired-under/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |work=Washington Times}}</ref>

=== Pakistan ===

The VOA's DEEWA Radio airs in Pakistan. Although in 2015 some listeners were suspicious that the program was promoting an American agenda, others said they were experiencing a positive effect. Some listeners felt that the programs were giving a voice to the voiceless, giving them a sense of empowerment.<ref name="Jan-2015">{{Cite journal |last=Jan |first=F |date=2015 |title=International Broadcasting as Component of U.S. Public Diplomacy (A Case Study of Voice of America's DEEWA Radio) |url=http://qurtuba.edu.pk/thedialogue/The%20Dialogue/10_2/Dialogue_April_June2015_152-165.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Dialogue |volume=10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422055243/https://qurtuba.edu.pk/thedialogue/The%20Dialogue/10_2/Dialogue_April_June2015_152-165.pdf |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=August 22, 2021}}</ref> In 2018, the Pakistani authorities blocked the website of VOA's Pashto and Urdu language radio service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/12/29/2018-a-year-of-media-suppression-and-rights-abuses-in-pakistan|title=2018: A year of media suppression and rights abuses in Pakistan|first=Rabia|last=Mehmood|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1451133|title=Urdu, Pashto VOA websites inaccessible in Pakistan|first=Ikram|last=Junaidi|date=December 13, 2018|website=DAWN}}</ref>

=== Russia ===
In January 2016, upon his arrival in Moscow, Russian authorities detained and then deported [[Jeff Shell]], the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors that oversees the Voice of America, despite his having a valid Russian visa.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2016 |title=Russia detains, deports U.S. Voice of America official &#124; Arkansas Democrat Gazette |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jul/14/russia-detains-deports-us-voice-america-official/ |website=www.arkansasonline.com}}</ref> Russian authorities did not explain their actions.<ref name="auto1" />

Round-the-clock broadcasting of Current Time began on February 7, 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Current Time TV Channel Новости, видео и репортажи из России, Украины, стран Азии – Настоящее Время |url=https://www.currenttime.tv/p/6018.html |access-date=2020-03-28 |website=Настоящее Время |language=ky |ref={{sfnref | Настоящее Время}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Current Time TV |url=https://www.voanews.com/author/current-time-tv-rfe-rl-voa/kv-yo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328090933/https://www.voanews.com/author/current-time-tv |archive-date=2020-03-28 |website=Voice of America}}</ref><ref name="usagm.gov2">{{cite web |date=2019-02-12 |title=Current Time celebrates two years of impact and growth |url=https://www.usagm.gov/2019/02/12/current-time-celebrates-two-years-of-impact-and-growth/ |access-date=2020-03-28 |website=USAGM |ref={{sfnref | USAGM | 2019}}}}</ref>

In December 2017, under a new directive from Russia's [[Kremlin]] after a new law was passed by the [[State Duma]] (Russia's lower house of parliament) and the upper house [[Federation Council]] and signed by Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], Voice of America was deemed a "foreign agent" under the [[Russian foreign agent law]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russia labels VOA and RFE as 'foreign agents' – DW – 12/06/2017 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/russia-labels-voice-of-america-and-radio-free-europe-as-foreign-agents/a-41651707 |website=dw.com}}</ref><ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/05/568502826/russia-slaps-restrictions-on-voice-of-america-and-radio-free-europe "Russia Slaps Restrictions On 'Voice Of America' And 'Radio Free Europe'"]</ref> In June 2021, the Russian news agency [[TASS]] reported that Russia's state communications watchdog ''[[Roskomnadzor]]'' complained that the foreign agent Voice of America radio station challengingly refused to observe Russian law because it had not established a Russian legal entity.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Voice of America, Radio Liberty ignore Russian laws — watchdog |url=https://tass.com/society/1301669 |website=TASS}}</ref> ''Roskomnadzor'' also said that VOA was as a foreign agent "obliged to mark their content and provide information about all aspects of their activity, including a detailed description of contacts with the authorities."<ref name="auto2" />

In March 2022, VOA and other news broadcasters, including the [[BBC]], [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], and [[Deutsche Welle]] were blocked in Russia,<ref name="Reuters March 2022">{{cite news |date=March 4, 2022 |title=Russia blocks access to BBC and Voice of America websites |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russia-restricts-access-bbc-russian-service-radio-liberty-ria-2022-03-04/ |access-date=22 February 2024 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> as after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in February 2022, Russian authorities increased censorship of independent journalism, anti-war protests, and dissenting voices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Troianovski |first1=Anton |last2=Safronova |first2=Valeriya |date=4 March 2022 |title=Russia Takes Censorship to New Extremes, Stifling War Coverage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/04/world/europe/russia-censorship-media-crackdown.html |access-date=22 February 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Russia: Kremlin's ruthless crackdown stifles independent journalism and anti-war movement |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/03/russia-kremlins-ruthless-crackdown-stifles-independent-journalism-and-anti-war-movement/ |website=Amnesty International}}</ref><ref name="NYT Mar 7 2022">{{cite news |last1=Satariano |first1=Adam |last2=Hopkins |first2=Valerie |date=7 March 2022 |title=Russia, Blocked From the Global Internet, Plunges Into Digital Isolation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/technology/russia-ukraine-internet-isolation.html |access-date=22 February 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Klar |first=Rebecca |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Grassroots effort uses shortwave radio to broadcast VOA in Ukraine, Russia |work=The Hill |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/597411-grassroots-effort-uses-shortwave-radio-to-broadcast-voa-in-ukraine-russia/}}</ref> Nevertheless, many Russians have used [[VPN]]s and other software to get around Russian government blocks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGil |first1=Margaret Harding |date=March 12, 2022 |title=How Russians are evading the internet blockade |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/03/09/vpns-evading-russias-internet-blockade |access-date=22 February 2024 |work=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bicknell |first=John |date=June 21, 2022 |title=Radio to Russia: Can Old Technologies Make a Dent in Putin's Information Blockade? |url=https://information-professionals.org/radio-to-russia-can-old-technologies-make-a-dent-in-putins-information-blockade/ |website=Information Professionals Association}}</ref> As of March 2022, VOA broadcasts were reaching people in Russia and the region through TV, FM and medium wave radio, digital, and direct-to-home satellite.<ref name="auto" /> In May 2023, Russia banned then-acting VOA chief Yolanda Lopez from ever entering the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Russia Bans Late Night Hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers From Entering the Country |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/russia-bans-jimmy-kimmel-stephen-colbert-seth-meyers-rachel-maddow-1235496448/ |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>

=== Turkey ===
On June 30, 2022, the Turkish media watchdog, [[Radio and Television Supreme Council]] (RTÜK), blocked access to VOA's website amerikaninsesi.com in [[Turkey]] because VOA had not applied for the necessary licence, which would subject VOA to certain obligations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/08/23/us-concerned-by-turkeys-threat-to-silence-voa-turkish/|title=US 'Concerned' by Turkey's Threat to Silence VOA Turkish|first=Hamdi Firat|last=Buyuk|date=August 23, 2023|accessdate=March 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-30 |title=Turkey blocks access to Deutsche Welle, Voice of America for not getting licenses – official |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/turkey-blocks-access-deutsche-welle-voice-america-not-getting-licenses-official-2022-06-30/ |url-status=live |access-date=2022-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630211954/https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/turkey-blocks-access-deutsche-welle-voice-america-not-getting-licenses-official-2022-06-30/ |archive-date=June 30, 2022}}</ref> The RTÜK regulation requires foreign news outlets that publish in Turkey to apply for publication licenses, mandates that at least half of the media organization be owned by a Turkish citizen, and would force VOA to remove content deemed inappropriate by RTÜK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/turkeys-media-watchdog-rtuk-once-again-orders-dw-to-apply-for-license-news-63301|title=Turkey's media watchdog RTÜK once again orders DW to apply for license|first=Duvar|last=English|date=October 11, 2023|website=www.duvarenglish.com }}</ref> VOA Turkish subsequently broadcast over a different VOA website domain name, voaturkce.com, which in August 2023 was blocked as well.<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/voa-website-banned-in-turkey-for-lack-of-broadcast-license/7246368.html|title=VOA Website Banned in Turkey for Lack of Broadcast License|date=August 29, 2023|website=Voice of America}}</ref> VOA said that "Given VOA's status as a public service international broadcaster legally required to provide 'accurate, objective, and comprehensive' news coverage to its global audience, VOA cannot comply with any directive intended to enable censorship."<ref name="auto5"/> VOA Turkey, after it was blocked, shared instructions on its social media accounts as to how to use a VPN to access its content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.turkishminute.com/2023/08/23/us-press-organizations-slam-impending-access-ban-on-voa-turkish/|title=US, press organizations slam impending access ban on VOA Turkish|first=Turkish|last=Minute|date=August 23, 2023}}</ref>