The Trump administration has taken a dramatic turn, cutting jobs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded media outlets. On Sunday, staff were unexpectedly put on leave, and contractors received an email instructing them to cease work immediately with terminations set for the end of March. 😮
Contractors make up a large part of VOA’s workforce and often rely on these positions for visa support. Meanwhile, full-time staff, who enjoy stronger legal protections, have been placed on administrative leave and advised not to work.
This move comes right after Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting VOA’s parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, as part of sweeping federal budget cuts. Other U.S.-funded media outlets—including Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda, and Alhurra—are also facing similar freezes.
With programming at VOA in limbo, some services have even switched to playing music due to a lack of fresh content. It’s like a plot twist in a high-stakes drama, leaving many to wonder about the future of reliable global news services. 🎵
This development highlights how significant policy shifts can abruptly reshape media landscapes and impact countless lives behind the scenes.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
