Voice of America needs to be made more efficient and more focused on promoting the merits of democracy and the rule of law. But gutting the organization’s foreign-area expert staff is not sensible. Rather, it is an obvious boon to American adversaries such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the newly appointed head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Michael Pack, is doing.
In his role, Pack supervises Voice of America. But when it comes to foreign journalists who work for Voice of America, rather than double down on those who deliver truth to their fellow citizens and the advancement of American values, Pack is allowing their U.S. visas to lapse. The functional effect has been to fire at least 76 journalists. Unless Pack changes course, the journalists will be forced to leave the country within the next few weeks. A course correction is needed.
Voice of America’s foreign journalists are instrumental in the delivery of honest journalism to their fellow citizens back home. Putting true foreign-area experts in a position to report, Voice of America gives itself the contacts, nuances, and understandings to generate robust reporting. Reporting, that is, that can anticipate and overcome state media propaganda. This is reporting that can and does push back against lies that defame American actions and interests.
That reporting matters for American interests. After all, China, Russia, and Iran invest heavily in their foreign-focus propaganda outlets, attempting to spread disinformation, distract from their domestic oppression, and shift Western public opinion in their favor. Whether it’s Russia’s RT, Sputnik, or one of the dozens of other outlets, China’s aptly named CCTV, or Iran’s Press TV, the intention is clear: to mislead as to American policy, to denigrate American values, and to undermine American security.
Yes, there’s no question that Voice of America needs to better reflect the plurality of American politics. As with a July video that indirectly supported Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Pack has a right and responsibility to demand journalistic objectivity. He was correct to order an investigation into that video, setting an important precedent. Yet, what Pack is doing with foreign journalist visas fundamentally undermines Voice of America’s mission. Perhaps that’s President Trump’s intent. If so, the Trump administration should openly admit it and call for the agency’s closure. But this silent shredding of Voice of America’s mission is nonsensical. It undermines the positive perception of America abroad, and it eliminates the effective translation of American values abroad. More than that, it abandons the journalistic space to America’s enemies.
President Trump should pick up the phone and direct Pack to reconsider his approach.
