Voice Of America Being Shut Down By Trump Administration

[l0ngwire]

From the BBC:

Donald Trump has signed an order to strip back the federally funded news organisation Voice of America, accusing it of being "anti-Trump" and "radical".

A White House statement said the order would "ensure taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda", and included quotes from politicians and right-wing media railing against the "leftist", "partisan" VOA.

VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda. It is used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Mike Abramowitz, the VOA's director, said he and virtually his entire staff of 1,300 people had been put on paid leave.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvge4l109r3o

[WPE6HET]

Time to start monitoring. Just heard presumed VOA in French from Botswana, 11900 kHz, 19:50 UTC, 16 March 2026.

On the other hand, I'm not hearing Radio Marti from Greenville, NC.

[shadypyro]

Picking up the Havana Jammer on Radio Marti former frequencies at 02:50 utc

[Ct Yankee]

Have not picked up a single VOA broadcast on 17 MAR through 1705 UTC

At 1900 UTC, I did receive the French service from the Vatican on 12075.  The French service from Greenville on 17700 was silent at 1900 UTC.

[Mad Radio DXer UK]

17th March - 9835 kHz - VOA Radio Ashna still transmitting, heard at 1600 hrs UTC & closed at its scheduled time of 1630 hrs UTC. No regular programming, it was relaying VOA English TV's audio which has been playing a looped promo. The same was observed the day before.

15580 kHz VOA African service from Botswana relay did not transmit between 1600 to 2000 hrs UTC. Was heard the day before on the 16th with out of date news from last week, presumed archive program, music as filler & some dead air.

15460 kHz VOA from Kuwait & Botswana did not transmit. Same was observed the day before on the 16th.

Online stream is still going with old news, archived programs, music & dead air.

[John Poet]

Probably just as well--- unless they want to hook up to Donald's "Truth" feed...

he is doing enough to alienate every other country in the world without having "VOA" as a mouthpiece.

We can decide whether to restart VOA once there is an adult in charge again.

[staticlistener]

So if the reports I've seen about Greenville being completely shut down (mains power even cut) are true, who's relaying Vatican Radio on 7305 and KBS World on 11880 right now (0148 utc)?

[Ct Yankee]

Just (1230 UTC) tried Vatican Radio on 7305 which should be on in Spanish until 1245 UTC.  No direct reception, nor for three sdrs south of my qth including two in south Florida - azimuth is 164 degrees from Greenville.

[East Troy Don]

Radio Marti Greenvile dead in the water  with No Joy on 11930 and 11860. Seems eerily abnormal without them splashing all over the  25 meter band.  Fingers crossed this is only temporary but taking into consideration the causation I have my doubts.

[DreamWeeVA]

I'm not too disturbed with closing VOA shortwave.  The internet has supplanted shortwave broadcasting almost universally.  VOA has been closing SW transmitter sites for a long, long time.  There is a good video on youtube of the blowing up (actually down) some of the curtain arrays in NC.

If getting the message out is important to the government a platform will be found and used to get the messaging to the target audience.

[East Troy Don]

PER AI OVERVIEW:

" The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) requested $950 million for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 2025), a 7.4% increase over FY 2023, to support its mission of informing, engaging, and connecting people globally in support of freedom and democracy, including investments in networks like Voice of America and supporting entities like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
FY 2025 Budget Request:
The President's budget request for the USAGM for FY 2025 is $950 million.
Mission:
The USAGM's mission is to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.
Networks and Grantees:
USAGM oversees two federal networks, Voice of America (VOA) and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), and five non-federal entities: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), and the Open Technology Fund (OTF).
Key Priorities:
The FY 2025 budget request reflects growing attention to USAGM's mission, with a focus on increasing network reach, countering malign influence, bolstering journalist safety, and achieving cost efficiencies.
Budget Increase:
The $950 million request represents a 7.4% increase over the FY 2023 budget.
Audience Reach:
USAGM's networks reach 420 million people weekly in 63 languages and over 100 countries.
Accountability:
As a federal agency, USAGM's budget request is part of the President's budget request to Congress. "

Wait - what?!   Part of USAGM's mission is "achieving cost efficiencies" of nearly billion dollar budget?

Hmmm, best  give that another look.

[MDK2]

Government's mission to serve the interests of the American people precludes efficiency. While I'd like to look at service contracts to ensure supplies aren't being excessively charge (everyone here is old enough to remember $400 toilet seats from the Reagan days, I presume?), I wouldn't question the scope of operations until after that.

[East Troy Don]

I respectfully disagree.   Isn't that closing the barn doors after the horses are out?