The Voice of America was "dysfunctional, biased and a place of waste."
This is how the administration is. Donald Trump justified the dismissal of hundreds of workers Voice of America.
"Today we took decisive action to implement President Trump's agenda to reduce the out-of-control federal bureaucracy," Kari Lake, who the president appointed to lead VOA, said in a statement announcing the 639 layoffs.
More than 85 percent of the agency's employees, about 1.400 people, have lost their jobs since March. First, the journalists who worked on a contract were fired, and now the full-time employees were fired.
They went for a cigarette - they couldn't come back
Voice of America journalist Steve Herman called the dissolution of the media, which was founded during World War II to oppose Nazi propaganda, "a historic act of self-sabotage."
Among those dismissed were Persian-speaking reporters who were on administrative leave. However, they were called back to work in mid-June, after Israel attacked Iran. Persian reporters left the office last week for a cigarette break. However, they were not allowed to re-enter the building after the cancellation notices were sent, the Associated Press writes.
Fired twice
The move had been expected since March, when Trump ordered VOA, as well as USAGM, the body that oversees VOA and funds outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, "to be eliminated to the greatest extent consistent with applicable law."
Then several hundred part-time associates were fired, but they were reinstated due to the complicated procedure in America, by which any decision is made. A few months later, they were fired again, and a few days after this decision, permanent employees were also fired. Some workers have already filed lawsuits against VOA, and new ones are being prepared.
These agencies have received numerous international awards for their reporting, in places where press freedom is severely limited or non-existent, from China and Cambodia to Russia and North Korea, writes the BBC.
Why was the VOA founded?
The Voice of America (VOA) was the largest American multimedia organization that broadcast content in more than 45 languages for an audience that does not have access to free media or has limited access to it, according to the VOA portal.
Founded in 1942, VOA was committed to comprehensive, independent and truth-based reporting. VOA, as part of the Agency for Global Media (US Agency for Global Media - USAGM), was fully funded by American taxpayers.
VOA's mission and editorial policy independence are guaranteed by laws, which protect VOA journalists from influence, pressure or retaliation by government officials or politicians.
Until the arrival of Donald Trump.
Voice of America Charter
In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford signed the VOA Charter, which states:
VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative news source. VOA news will be accurate, objective and comprehensive
The Voice of America will represent America, not any particular segment of American society, and therefore will present a balanced and comprehensive account of significant American thought and institutions.
VOA will present US policy clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion regarding that policy.
In 1994, the US Congress passed the US International Broadcasting Act (US International Broadcasting Act). That law required Voice of America journalists to be authoritative, accurate, objective, comprehensive, balanced, and to be a reflection of America's cultural and social diversity.
In 2016, Congress in the National Defense Budget Act (National Defense Authorization Act) reaffirmed that news gathering and reporting must continue to be independent and objective.