{"id":62354,"date":"2025-03-15T15:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T19:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=62354"},"modified":"2025-03-15T15:04:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-15T19:04:11","slug":"bloody-saturday-mass-suspensions-at-voice-of-america-and-usagm-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/bloody-saturday-mass-suspensions-at-voice-of-america-and-usagm-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"“Bloody Saturday”: Mass Suspensions at Voice of America and USAGM Networks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station in North Carolina<\/p><\/div>\n

Journalists at Voice of America and the Office for Cuba Broadcasting arrived for work today only to find themselves locked out, following an order from President Trump\u2019s administration. Over 1,000 employees were placed on indefinite paid leave, and contracts with international broadcasters like Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia were abruptly terminated. According to NPR<\/a>, the cuts, pushed by Trump\u2019s senior adviser Kari Lake, are raising serious legal and ethical questions \u2014 with former USAGM officials calling it \u201cBloody Saturday\u201d for global media.<\/p>\n

These networks, which reach 420 million people across 63 languages, are crucial for delivering uncensored news to regions where press freedom is suppressed. The full article at NPR dives deeper into the shutdowns, political motivations, and what this could mean for global journalism and American soft diplomacy.<\/p>\n

Read the full story on NPR<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Journalists at Voice of America and the Office for Cuba Broadcasting arrived for work today only to find themselves locked out, following an order from President Trump\u2019s administration. Over 1,000 employees were placed on indefinite paid leave, and contracts with international broadcasters like Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia were abruptly terminated. According […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[960,3,43],"tags":[10733,20,1529,1160,1094,4082,1813,7246,10],"class_list":["post-62354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-bloody-saturday","tag-npr","tag-radio-free-asia","tag-radio-free-europe","tag-rfe","tag-shortwave-radio","tag-the-voice-of-america","tag-usagm","tag-voa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-gdI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55618,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/usagm-congressional-budget-justification-for-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":0},"title":"USAGM Congressional Budget Justification for 2023","author":"Thomas","date":"February 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Lin Robertson, who shares a link to the USAGM Congressional Budget Justification for Fiscal Year 2023. Click here to download the PDF. If you're interested in how shortwave services are being affected by the budget, you can do a simple search for the word\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/USAGM-Budget-Cover-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/USAGM-Budget-Cover-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/USAGM-Budget-Cover-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62398,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/usagm-shutdowns-a-roundup-of-reports-and-reactions\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":1},"title":"USAGM Shutdowns: A Roundup of Reports and Reactions","author":"Thomas","date":"March 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A Note to Our Readers: On the USAGM Shutdowns and Keeping the Conversation Respectful At the SWLing Post, we\u2019ve always strived to keep this space a safe haven \u2014 free from the divisive politics that so often cloud the media landscape. Our focus remains on sharing the joy of radio,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-44-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62356,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/usagms-official-announcement-on-agency-downsizing-and-workforce-reductions\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":2},"title":"USAGM\u2019s Official Announcement on Agency Downsizing and Workforce Reductions","author":"Thomas","date":"March 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Following an earlier report from NPR covering (and other sources) the U.S. Agency for Global Media\u2019s restructuring, this is the full official announcement from USAGM. It outlines the agency\u2019s efforts to comply with an executive order aimed at reducing non-statutory functions, cutting costs, and downsizing operations: USAGM, Senior Advisor Kari\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-35-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-35-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-35-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-35-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62690,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/a-sampling-of-coverage-federal-judge-orders-usagm-staff-reinstated\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":3},"title":"A Sampling of Coverage: Federal Judge Orders USAGM Staff Reinstated","author":"Thomas","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Readers of the SWLing Post have been sharing various articles concerning the recent ruling by a federal judge, which directs the Trump administration to reinstate the USAGM staff. This decision was initially reported by Paul Walker earlier this week. Below is further analysis from several news sources shared by Ed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-155-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-155-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-155-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-155-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33775,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/broadcasting-board-of-governors-bbg-rebranded-as-u-s-agency-for-global-media-usagm\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":4},"title":"Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) rebranded as U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)","author":"Thomas","date":"August 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: BBG\/USAGM Press Release) WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2018 Effective immediately, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent U.S. government agency that employs thousands of talented journalists, storytellers, and media professionals, is now the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The U.S. Agency for Global Media is a modern media\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/USAGM-Logo-1024x311.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/USAGM-Logo-1024x311.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/USAGM-Logo-1024x311.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45745,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/radio-survivor-inside-the-little-known-voice-of-america-and-the-u-s-agency-for-global-media\/","url_meta":{"origin":62354,"position":5},"title":"Radio Survivor: “Inside the ‘Little Known’ Voice of America and the U.S. Agency for Global Media”","author":"Thomas","date":"October 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Radio Survivor) Over the past few months, there\u2019s been a flurry of media attention focused on the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Some reports describe it as a \u201clittle-known\u201d agency and, in fact, it may seem mysterious to many in the United States, since it oversees international\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VOA-Roof-DC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VOA-Roof-DC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VOA-Roof-DC.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VOA-Roof-DC.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/VOA-Roof-DC.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62354"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62355,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62354\/revisions\/62355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}