Journalist Dip Saikia Shot While Covering Manipur Flower Festival
August 31, 2025
NUJ FCT Demands Apology After Alleged Harassment of NTA Journalist
August 31, 2025
August 31, 2025 – USA –
Recently, there has been a sweeping restructuring at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Voice of America’s (VOA) parent body, under acting CEO Kari Lake, resulting in the elimination of more than 500 full-time positions, primarily affecting VOA staff.
Kari Lake announced a reduction-in-force (RIF) that would terminate 532 government positions, and terminate over 500 roles at VOA specifically, citing the need to shrink federal bureaucracy and cut spending. Notices were sent late on a Friday ahead of the Labor Day weekend, with termination effective by September 30.
This latest wave of layoffs follows months of upheaval: an executive order in March aimed at downsizing USAGM and halting most VOA operations; mass terminations of contractors in May; termination notices to hundreds of full-time employees in June (639 staff, marking an 85% workforce reduction since March); and court orders blocking Lake’s attempt to oust VOA Director Michael Abramowitz without board approval.
The layoffs not only triggered legal battles but also stirred fears of institutional collapse. VOA journalists and employee groups condemned the move as “abhorrent,” and continued litigation, including depositions and injunctions, reflects growing concern over violations of statutory mandates and press freedoms.
Beyond VOA, these actions threaten multiple media outlets under USAGM’s umbrella—such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and Radio Marti—which collectively reached hundreds of millions globally with broadcasts aimed at countering authoritarian narratives. Critics warn that these cuts weaken a critical pillar of U.S. public diplomacy and soft power.
Meanwhile, legal probes are intensifying: a federal judge blocked Lake’s attempt to remove the VOA director without proper authority, ordered her deposition, and questioned whether the agency had followed congressional oversight. The Government Accountability Office and congressional inquiries are also examining whether the firings violated federal law and misused taxpayer funds.
In sum, this mass layoff marks a dramatic turning point for VOA and USAGM—catalyzing legal battles, raising alarms over loss of institutional memory and independent journalism, and igniting fierce debate over the future of U.S. voice abroad.
Reference –
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd38v3zvjdo
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/us/politics/voice-of-america-layoffs-kari-lake-trump.html
