FOR DECADES, U.S. government-funded foreign broadcasting has distinguished itself from that of undemocratic nations with its commitment to quality journalism and editorial independence. Though the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other outlets may not have had the resources of Russia’s RT or Qatar’s al Jazeera, foreign audiences often have turned to them for their independent reporting, both of news of the United States and that of their own countries.
Now that legacy may be in danger, thanks to President Trump’s newly installed chief executive at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker and associate of alt-right propagandist Stephen K. Bannon, kicked off his tenure this week by firing the chiefs of RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. The two top editors of Voice of America resigned days earlier.
Mr. Pack also dissolved the boards of the first three of those networks, which operate as grantees of the U.S. government; a bipartisan cast of luminaries including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former ambassador Ryan Crocker was replaced by low-level Trump political appointees from unrelated federal agencies, along with Mr. Pack and his chief of staff. The sole outside board member comes from the far-right Christian group Liberty Counsel Action, which is known for its militant anti-LGBTQ advocacy.