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2d ago

Voice of America Faces Major Overhaul with OAN Partnership Plan

Kari Lake announces deal for far-right OAN to provide free newsfeeds to VOA, sparking concerns over editorial independence and nonpartisan mission.

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The One America News Network headquarters on February 1 in San Diego, California.
FILE - This is the Voice of America building in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Overview

  • Kari Lake, senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, revealed a partnership with One America News Network (OAN) to supply free newsfeed services to Voice of America (VOA) and other USAGM networks.
  • The partnership follows President Trump’s executive order in March to cut USAGM funding and place nearly all VOA employees on leave, halting its broadcasts.
  • OAN, a pro-Trump outlet known for promoting 2020 election conspiracy theories, has faced multiple defamation lawsuits and criticism for its partisan stance.
  • VOA journalists and press freedom advocates argue the deal violates VOA’s congressional charter, which mandates editorial independence and objective reporting.
  • Legal challenges are ongoing, with a federal appeals court recently blocking an order to reinstate over 1,000 VOA employees, leaving the agency in a state of operational uncertainty.