Voice of America and other U.S. government media never engage in propaganda. Is that about to change?

For decades, US 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 US and that of their own countries. Now that legacy may be in danger, thanks to President Donald Trump’s newly installed chief executive at the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker and associate of alt-right propagandist Stephen K. Bannon, kicked off his tenure recently 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. Pack also dissolved the boards of the first three of those networks, which operate as grantees of the US government; 

That such manipulation of US government media is even possible is due to a misguided reform Congress passed four years ago, which abolished the independent, bipartisan board that previously governed the broadcasters and provided a buffer from the White House. Congressional sponsors and Obama administration officials at the time brushed off our concerns that it could destroy the very qualities of independence and journalistic integrity that have distinguished US government media. Pack appears on his way to demonstrating just how wrong they were.