Voice of America effectively ceases operations, journalists suspended
A significant number of employees of the American international broadcaster Voice of America were placed on "administrative" leave on Saturday, which could mean the actual cessation of the broadcaster's work.
Source: European Pravda, citing a number of US publications
Details: It is noted that the extent of the suspensions is not fully understood.
In particular, Reuters confirms that multiple employees of the Voice of America, an international media outlet that operates in more than 40 languages, sent the agency a copy of an email informing them of their immediate placement on leave with full pay and benefits "until otherwise notified".
In the emails sent by the head of human resources at the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent agency of Voice of America, they were instructed not to enter the workplace or access internal systems. The agency does not know for certain the extent of the suspensions and was unable to obtain official comment on the matter.
The same information is confirmed by the New York Times, noting that "many journalists and other employees at Voice of America" have received the message.
"Journalists there said the cuts [to staff with access to work] were so widespread that they would effectively shut down the international broadcaster," the newspaper adds.
One of the editors of the New York Times, David Henrich, released a copy of the letter. European Pravda has confirmation from journalists that the document is authentic. The document instructs the broadcaster's employees to send their personal contacts by Monday and be ready to give explanations if needed. The letter also states that this suspension is not a punishment for any actions.
David Enrich also cites statements from informed colleagues at Voice of America: "From what we can tell, VOA is effectively shutting down from this moment".
Background: The broadcaster had previously laid off staff who did not have a permanent contract; in particular, one of the hosts of the Ukrainian service, Ostap Yarysh, was laid off.
The move came after Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday instructing USAGM, which also funds Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, and six other little-known agencies to reduce their operations to the minimum required by law, saying it was necessary to cut bureaucracy.
Trump clashed with the Voice of America during his first term.
In addition to the USAGM, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency were also cut.
The executive order states that these agencies must eliminate all operations not authorised by law and "reduce their statutory functions and staff to the minimum presence and functions required by law".
The executive order is Trump's latest move to reform the federal bureaucracy, a task he has largely handed over to tech billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. So far, DOGE's efforts have resulted in the potential elimination of more than 100,000 jobs in the 2.3 million-strong federal civil service, a freeze on foreign aid, and the cancellation of thousands of programmes and contracts.
Some Republicans have accused Voice of America and other state-funded media outlets of being biased against conservatives. Last month, Musk called for the closure of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in a post on social media platform X.
This week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programmes would be curtailed after a six-week review.
On 7 February, US President Donald Trump said that "corruption has reached an unprecedented level" in the US Agency for International Development, and therefore it must be eliminated.
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