A lawsuit filed by Voice of America journalists accuses Trump appointees of trying to turn VOA into a government mouthpiece. #SaveVOA

Learn more at savevoa.com/court-cases/...

How Voice of America ‘Opened a Window’ in Isolated, Communist Albania Afrim Krasniqi’s new book highlights the US radio station’s crucial role in bringing about change in Albania in 1990 – then ‘the most closed society in Europe’.

“From 1989 to 1990, Albania was the most closed society and state in Europe … Voice of America became, to some extent, the only window and door offering informative material about Albania,” Krsniqi recalls. Read more ⬇️

Is the Voice of America Still Worth Saving? In cooperation with UMD's Mass Media & Culture collections, part of Special Collections and University Archives primarily located in Hornbake Library, veteran broadcast journalist...

Veteran broadcast journalist and author @newsguy.bsky.social will speak on the current state of the Voice of America and whether it still has a role to play in the current global climate. This hybrid event is organized by UMD.

China’s quiet revolution in the art of soft power David Cottam says US mastery of the art is now in sharp decline, with a rival stepping in to fill the vacuum

"Voice of America and Fulbright scholarships whispered democracy into receptive ears." Read this opinion piece by David Cotam, a British historian and former principal of Sha Tin College.

VOA Restored: What It Means for Global News & U.S. Public Diplomacy - Today in Pittsburgh The recent court ruling to revive the Voice of America (VOA) has sparked a debate about the role of government-run media and its impact on global audiences. The story involves a legal battle over the agency's shutdown by a previous administration, raising questions about political influence and the free flow of information. The restoration of VOA is seen as a victory for independent journalism, allowing for diverse perspectives and challenging state-controlled narratives. However, the road to recovery will be challenging as VOA works to regain its reputation as a trusted source of news.

“The shutdown of VOA raised concerns about potential censorship and the impact on global discourse.”

Former VOA employees challenge voluntary separation agreements The ex-staffers file a class action case with the Merit Systems Protection Board.

“The complaint follows a recent U.S. District Court ruling by Judge Royce Lamberth finding that Kari Lake did not have the legal authority to take certain actions on behalf of USAGM.”

Masterpieces of the New Deal Critics wrote the work off as kitsch for the masses. But a set of murals celebrating Social Security—now threatened with destruction—show that such sweeping judgments went too far.

“I opened doors into unlit newsrooms and broadcast studios. In some of them, the equipment had been ripped off the walls, leaving cut wires dangling and bits of plastic scattered across desktops and floors.”

Coalition Urges DC Court To Enforce Voice of America Order - Law360 A coalition of journalists, federal employees and their unions has urged a D.C. federal judge to enforce an order requiring the Trump administration to share its plan for reinstating more than a thousand journalists and staff at Voice of America, arguing that the administration has "disregarded" its responsibility to do so.

“A coalition of journalists, federal employees and their unions has urged a D.C. federal judge to enforce an order requiring the Trump administration to share its plan” for reinstating hundreds of employees.

Former Voice of America employees call for ‘fork in the road’ agreements to be voided | Federal News Network After a federal judge ordered laid-off VOA staff to be reinstated, federal employees who left voluntarily say they should also be able to get their jobs back.

“Former Voice of America employees are calling for the dismissal of voluntary agreements they made last year to leave their jobs, after a federal judge ruled that the dismantling of VOA in 2025 was illegal.”

Ex-VOA employees challenge last year’s buyout and retirement offers Four former U.S. Agency for Global Media employees seek class certification from the Merit Systems Protection Board, arguing that the March invalidation of Kari Lake’s actions atop the agency should also apply to agreements reached under the Deferred Resignation Program and other buyout authorities.

“In a statement Tuesday, the former employees said that they were effectively coerced into voluntarily leaving through the threat of mass layoffs.”

Kari Lake wants VOA to produce propaganda. That’s a terrible idea for American taxpayers. Read more here 👇
www.instagram.com/p/DW1n6b7iaF_/

VOA's legal fight for independence. Journalists at Voice of America have been to court in the hope of getting back to their jobs. Now they are suing to protect against censorship.

“VOA journalists need to be permitted to do their jobs and make their own decisions about what content to air,” Seth Stern, the chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said.

A federal appeals court on Tuesday (3/31) paused a lower-court ruling that ordered the Trump administration to reinstate all full-time VOA employees. We break down what this means for you. #SaveVOA

Turmoil persists after Kari Lake tried to silence the Voice of America WASHINGTON – Upheaval continues at Voice of America, a year after Arizona’s Kari Lake began to dismantle the global broadcaster on President Donald Trump’s orders.

“There was never any real interest in learning what the Voice of America was really about, or running the organization,” said Steve Herman, the VOA’s former White House bureau chief about Kari Lake. “She seemed to be nothing but an agent of destruction.”

“Voice of America journalists last month sued Kari Lake, a Trump administration official who has worked to dismantle the media organization, accusing her of viewpoint discrimination and other First Amendment transgressions.”

Focus - US public media under pressure from White House Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term, media outlets in the United States have faced an uphill battle. Targeted verbal attacks, attempts to control information and press credentials, and financial…

Watch how VOA journalists are fighting for press freedom in the US.

Appeals Court Halts Judge’s Return-to-Work Order for Voice of America Staffers A U.S. appeals court panel paused a federal judge’s order that reinstated staffers from Voice of America, the news organization that Trump sought to dismantle.

www.thewrap.com/media-platfo...

Appeals court suspends order for Voice of America employees to return to work An appeals court panel has suspended a federal judge’s order for the Trump administration to bring hundreds of Voice of America employees back to work from paid leave

Every day that VOA remains sidelined is a loss for press freedom, for workers, and for audiences around the world who rely on independent, fact-based journalism.

6,000 impacted. $6,000 goal.
Support journalists affected by the 2025 shutdown of U.S. international media.
Donate before May 3.

tinyurl.com/6KReasons

#SaveVOA #PressFreedom

Appeals court suspends order for Voice of America employees to return to work An appeals court panel has suspended a federal judge’s order for the Trump administration to bring hundreds of Voice of America employees back to work from paid leave.

“More than 1,000 employees of Voice of America will remain on administrative leave while the appeals court weighs the case, a process that could take months.”

Every day that VOA remains sidelined is a loss for press freedom, for workers, and for audiences around the world who rely on independent, fact-based journalism.
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/u...

Court Delays the Reinstating of Voice of America Staff While the Case Proceeds Washington, D.C. — A federal court granted the Trump-Vance administration’s request to pause the effects of its order requiring the U.S. Agency for Global Media to bring Voice of America (VOA) staff…

Today’s decision delays, but does not change, that reality. Read the plaintiffs’ statement here:

democracyforward.org/news/press-r...

Trump admin resurrects soft power When President Donald Trump swept back into office last year, he made a point of dismantling key pillars of the nation’s soft power apparatus.

“VOA is rebuilding after a judge ruled this month that KARI LAKE did not have the authority to lay off hundreds of its workers while serving as the head of the newsroom’s parent organization."

We congratulate our @npr.org and @pbs.org colleagues on Judge Moss' ruling that First Amendment “does not tolerate viewpoint discrimination."

Voice of America journalists are suing the U.S. Agency for Global Media and its leadership, alleging illegal publication of propaganda and censorship. #SaveVOA

VOA Serbian marks 83 years this March. A key voice in the Balkans, it once reached 20% of Serbia’s adults and millions across the region—before the shutdown weakened its impact. #SaveVOA #VOASerbian

For decades, VOA’s Central Newsroom upheld editorial standards. Since last March, most journalists have been fired or put on leave—ending English coverage and weakening the VOA Charter. Without it, VOA risks becoming propaganda for whoever holds power. #SaveVOAvVOA

For decades, VOA’s Central Newsroom upheld editorial standards. Since last March, most journalists have been fired or put on leave—ending English coverage and weakening the VOA Charter. Without it, VOA risks becoming propaganda for whoever holds power. #SaveVOA

MFIA Files Lawsuit Against Federal Officials for Interfering with Voice of America’s Journalism A new lawsuit by Voice of America journalists and press freedom groups alleges that officials engaged in censorship and used the news group to distribute political propaganda in violation of the law.

“The lawsuit alleges that the defendants unlawfully interfered with VOA’s journalism by suppressing certain coverage of events in Iran and elsewhere, steering VOA reports to reflect the Trump administration’s political messages,”

VOA rebuild hits reality By signing up, you acknowledge and agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You may unsubscribe at any time by following the directions at the bottom of the email or by contacting us here. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

"...many current employees warn that the administration has done permanent damage to the media organization that can’t be fixed simply by reinstating the workforce."