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The National
28-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Hundreds of US-based Arab journalists left in limbo after Trump executive order slashing MBN
Families are pulling children out of school weeks before the academic year ends; leases are being broken, household items put up for sale and mortgage payments are turning into mounting debts, as about 300 Arab media professionals in the US face an increasingly uncertain future. These journalists were employed by the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), a US government-funded Arabic-language broadcaster that runs Alhurra TV, Radio Sawa and five other digital platforms aimed at audiences across the Middle East and North Africa. On April 11, MBN dismissed about 90 per cent of its workforce, retaining only 30 employees now operating a digital-only version of its services. The mass lay-offs followed a US Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) freeze on congressionally approved grants to MBN's parent agency, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The freeze affected funds already earmarked through September 2025. For the Arab journalists, losing their jobs means many have lost their legal right to be in the US. Sources told The National that about 60 people are still on temporary work visas, while at least 25 are now at risk of deportation. Others, even those with work permits, permanent residency or US citizenship are caught in a legal and financial grey zone, as no employees have received severance packages to date. 'It is very chaotic and very complicated. We are left with nothing," said one laid-off journalist. With headquarters in Springfield, Virginia, and an annual budget of $106.6 million, MBN was established in the wake of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 as part of a public diplomacy initiative to reflect the American narrative to Arabic-speaking audiences. The organisation hired journalists and relocated to the US, helping it reach an estimated 33.5 million people each week. Who takes the blame? A group of former staff is currently pursuing legal action, pressing for severance and clarity on their employment terms. One journalist who began her career with Alhurra in 2004 said dozens of her colleagues and their families are preparing to return to the Middle East, "but we are determined to get our rights and are seeking to file a lawsuit". While several former employees blame MBN leadership for the lack of support or severance, the company says its hands are tied. Jeffrey Gedmin, president and chief executive of MBN, told The National the agency is being deprived of already-approved funds. "Doge does not speak with us. Leadership at our parent agency, USAGM, refuses to engage with us. They are withholding congressionally approved funds. The people in charge decline to meet or speak with us. Our only recourse is the US courts," Mr Gedmin said. He was appointed in October 2024, shortly after MBN laid off 160 employees following a 20 per cent budget cut mandated by Congress. At the time, the network also announced a shift to digital-focused output and reduced physical infrastructure. Asked about accusations from former staff, Mr Gedmin said the company "urgently needed congressionally approved funding to provide severance". "We are pleading our case in court," he said. "With a small staff and very limited financial resources, we're doing what we can. Our employees have done everything right. There's no reason for this. USAGM owes us the funding that would allow us to assist them, including those with humanitarian or legal needs." Visa issues For the hundreds of Arab journalists who relocated to the US to join MBN, it was a chance at a more stable life, far from the uncertainty and conflict that defines much of the region they left behind. Most arrived on J1 visas tied directly to their employment and had expected to begin the process of applying for a permanent residency green card and, eventually, US citizenship. But the outlook has changed drastically. Without a new sponsor, some will have to leave. 'We're split into groups,' said a former employee who asked not to be named. 'Some have citizenship or green cards and are staying to look for new jobs. Others have work permits that allow them to remain legally in the US for a few years. But there are people who have 30 days from their termination date in April to leave the country.' Some who had already applied for green cards now find themselves trapped in a heavy backlog. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reported increased delays in processing due to a rise in application volumes, pandemic-related closures and staffing shortages. 'Going back to the Middle East is on the table for me,' said one former MBN employee who arrived in 2021 and expected to get a green card within a year but has been waiting for three. 'But I still want to look for alternatives here first. It's a tough job market now, especially for Arabs.' The wider US job market, particularly for those working in jobs connected to the government, is also under pressure. Since January, Doge, led by Elon Musk, has led an aggressive campaign to reduce the federal workforce as part of a broader effort to shrink government operations. Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost and critical agencies have seen severe cuts. Press freedom concerns The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the cuts at MBN, calling it a 'betrayal of the US' historical commitment to press freedom". CPJ's chief global affairs officer Gypsy Guillen Kaiser told The National the dismantling of MBN will leave millions without access to reliable news. The organisation also warned of the personal risk some laid-off journalists now face. 'We are aware of cases in which journalists with visas tied to their employment at USAGM outlets could be deported to countries where they face surveillance, prosecution or possible imprisonment," it said. CPJ said it is working with USAGM and other affiliates to ensure that US authorities are aware of the urgent humanitarian and legal risks connected to the decision. Future uncertain despite fund ruling The MBN case has now entered a legal stand-off. On April 23, a US federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore funding to MBN, but some of the laid-off journalists told The National it remains unclear whether USAGM will actually release the money. The judge's order also covers Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. Despite the turmoil, MBN will continue to operate a minimal digital service until the end of May, Mr Gedmin said, in the hopes that the frozen funds will be released, allowing the organisation to resume operations and address the fall-out. But with time running out, there is growing uncertainty over whether the ruling will be enforced. For now, the future of MBN hangs in the balance, and the journalists once tasked with reporting on instability in the Arab world are now living through it in the United States.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spokane Valley's Ryan Crocker decries Trump administration defunding 'America's voice in the Middle East'
Apr. 19—WASHINGTON — In early 2024, Spokane Valley native and retired diplomat Ryan Crocker knew the U.S.-funded, Arabic-language news organization he had championed for years needed help. Twenty years after the Middle East Broadcasting Networks were created to counter anti-American bias that Congress and the George W. Bush administration saw in the Arab world, the editorially independent news outlet was flagging amid unstable leadership and criticism of its coverage. As chairman of MBN's board, Crocker, whose storied career in the foreign service led Bush to dub him "America's Lawrence of Arabia," recruited Jeffrey Gedmin to take over as CEO and right the ship. On April 12, after leading a yearlong overhaul that earned the support of even some of MBN's critics, Gedmin was forced to lay off more than 90% of the broadcaster's staff after Kari Lake, a former TV news anchor tapped by President Donald Trump to remake the U.S. Agency for Global Media, terminated the grants that fund MBN and other grantees, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. In an email to staff announcing the layoffs, Gedmin wrote that Lake had refused to talk with him after cutting the funding. "I'm left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff," he wrote. "It makes no sense to silence America's voice in the Middle East." In an interview, Gedmin said that, along with Crocker and the rest of MBN's board, he had faced a "very painful" choice: Either run out of cash entirely by April 18 or lay off 514 of the company's 557 employees and contractors in a last-gasp effort to keep MBN online and on the airwaves until — he hopes — the courts intervene. The board, whose members aren't paid, remains intact. On April 1, MBN filed a lawsuit against Lake and the Trump administration, alleging that their funding was illegally terminated the day after Congress passed a funding bill on March 14 that includes $100 million for MBN, an amount Crocker noted is less than the cost of two Apache helicopters. MBN secured pro bono counsel, including former Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, who argued cases before the Supreme Court during the Obama administration. As of Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth had not ruled on MBN's motion for a preliminary injunction that could at least temporarily restore its funding. But Lamberth on Friday extended a temporary restraining order in a related lawsuit filed by VOA, which prohibits the cancellation of MBN's grant along with the further dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. When MBN was established in 2004, Crocker said in an interview, it was modeled on Voice of America, created by the U.S. government in 1942 to broadcast overseas during World War II. In VOA's first broadcasts, its journalists famously said, "The news may be good or bad. We shall tell you the truth." VOA was followed in 1949 by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcast into the Soviet Union and its satellite states during the Cold War. After initially receiving covert funds from the CIA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty later adopted a funding model that made it editorially independent from the U.S. government, despite relying on annual appropriations from Congress. When Congress established Radio Free Asia in 1996 and MBN in 2004, both outlets followed that independent model, while VOA has remained a federal entity whose charter requires its editorial independence from the White House. Gedmin, who previously led Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said that MBN is unique in that it has a mandate to cover not only the Middle East and North Africa but also the United States, helping to explain U.S. policies and American society to its audience of roughly 30 million Arabic speakers. On March 14, the same day Congress passed legislation to fund MBN and its sister organizations, Trump signed an executive order decreeing that the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which was created by an act of Congress, "shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." A day later, the White House published a blog post titled "The Voice of Radical America" that accused VOA of "radical propaganda" but didn't mention MBN or the other grantees. The U.S. Agency for Global Media didn't respond to questions about the decision to defund MBN, but the White House defended the move. "President Trump's Executive Order was clear — taxpayers will no longer be forced to fund international media outlets that promote radical anti-American propaganda," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement. The White House cited reporting from ProPublica in 2008 that found an MBN TV channel, Alhurra, had broadcast an hourlong, uninterrupted speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah who was assassinated in 2024. ProPublica's reporting also found that MBN, in its early years, had given a platform to Holocaust deniers and harsh critics of Israel. The White House also pointed to reporting by the Saudi Arabia-based Arab News in 2021 in which unnamed MBN employees complained that the organization's coverage was too favorable to Israel. In response to the White House's assertions, Gedmin, who took the helm of MBN in April 2024, didn't deny that the organization had problems before his tenure. He said that hiring, training and leading a diverse staff from across the Middle East and North Africa is challenging, as is covering highly contentious issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a way that all sides consider fair. The White House also pointed to more recent criticism of MBN's coverage by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, or CAMERA, a media watchdog organization focused on coverage of Israel. Gedmin emphasized that he has worked closely with that organization over the past year to address its concerns, which included what CAMERA considered anti-Israel bias and the platforming of extremists who were presented as experts. In a lengthy statement, CAMERA's president and executive director, Andrea Levin, said that MBN's senior management had been responsive and worked to address her organization's concerns. "With more than 170 corrections consequently implemented to Alhurra's output, CAMERA is now satisfied that MBN has undergone a major change in leadership and direction," Levin wrote. "This change enables it to provide accurate, balanced perspectives on key Middle Eastern issues, including Israel, in a way that stands for the values of American taxpayers." In contrast to other Arabic-language news organizations funded by European governments, Levin said, "the dialogue with MBN was fruitful, and reflected a professional and accountable approach on their part." Whatever action the Trump administration and Congress take with respect to MBN, she said, they shouldn't leave the media landscape in the Middle East to be dominated by state-run outlets and those backed by Iran, Russia and China. But Crocker, whose four-decade career in the foreign service included stints as the ambassador to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan, said that's exactly what is happening now that MBN has been forced to all but shutter its operations. Iran and Russia, he said, have already increased funding to their Arabic-language media operations. "We've basically pre-emptively surrendered the information space, and our adversaries have already moved to take advantage of it," he said. "Our enemies have tried to silence us. They couldn't. We're now silencing ourselves." Orion Donovan Smith's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Iraqi News
14-04-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Trump cuts Alhurra news created by US government after Iraq invasion
Washington – Alhurra, the Arabic-language network created by the US government after the Iraq invasion, said Saturday it would cease broadcasts and lay off most staff after President Donald Trump's administration shut off funds. The network went on air in 2004, when US officials were complaining about coverage of the Iraq war from Qatar-backed Al-Jazeera — which two decades later maintains a dominant role in Arabic-langauge media. 'Media in the Middle East thrive on a diet of anti-Americanism,' said Jeffrey Gedmin, president and CEO of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), the parent of Alhurra and other smaller US-funded Arabic-language outlets. 'It makes no sense to kill MBN as a sensible alternative and to open the field to American adversaries and Islamic extremists,' he said in a statement. The Trump administration, in part of a sweeping cost-cutting drive led by billionaire Elon Musk, in March said it was ceasing all financial transfers for US government-supported media. The move quickly froze Voice of America, although its employees have mounted legal challenges to restore the funding, which was approved by Congress. In a memo to staff, Gedmin said that Kari Lake, a firebrand Trump supporter put in charge of the agency supervising US-funded media, had refused to see him to discuss the 'unlawfully' withdrawn funds. 'I'm left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff,' he wrote. 'What's happening is a disgrace. You deserve better and I bear responsibility for not resolving this crisis in time to keep you,' said Gedmin, a veteran scholar of democracy. Alhurra will cease broadcasts but seek to maintain digital updates through a staff reduced to 'a couple dozen,' he wrote. Alhurra says it reaches more than 30 million people each week across 22 countries. But it has faced stiff competition from Al-Jazeera as well as Al-Arabiya, which is funded by Saudi Arabia, and more recently UAE-backed Sky News Arabia. Trump has a testy relationship with media and has questioned the 'firewall' under which US-funded outlets were promised editorial independence. Unlike Voice of America, Alhurra was not considered part of the US government, instead receiving grants to operate. Other outlets in similar situations have also tried to press on. Radio Free Europe, which played a vital role in the Cold War and is now based in Prague, has won promises of support from the Czech government to step in to replace US funding. Radio Free Asia, aimed at providing news to China, North Korea and other Asian countries without free media, has been providing online news at a reduced pace.
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
After VOA, Trump administration shuts down Arabic network Alhurra
US President Donald Trump points a finger during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US on April 7, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article Alhurra, the Arabic-language television network established by the US government after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, announced on Saturday it will cease broadcasts and lay off most of its staff following a decision by the Trump administration to halt funding. The network launched in 2004 amid US frustration with media coverage of the Iraq war, particularly from Qatar-backed Al Jazeera, which, two decades later, remains a dominant force in Arabic-language media. 'Media in the Middle East thrive on a diet of anti-Americanism,' said Jeffrey Gedmin, president and CEO of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), which oversees Alhurra and other US-funded Arabic-language outlets. Gedmin criticized the decision, stating it made 'no sense to kill MBN' as a viable alternative voice, arguing that the move effectively "opens the field to American adversaries and extremists." The funding halt came as part of a sweeping cost-cutting initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk. In March, the Trump administration announced it would end all financial transfers to US government-supported media. Voice of America (VOA) was among the first to be impacted, though its employees have launched legal efforts to challenge the funding cut, which had been approved by Congress. In a memo to staff, Gedmin said he had been unable to secure a meeting with Kari Lake, a staunch Trump ally recently appointed to oversee US-funded media, to discuss what he called the 'unlawfully' withdrawn funds. 'I'm left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff,' Gedmin wrote. 'What's happening is a disgrace. You deserve better and I bear responsibility for not resolving this crisis in time to keep you,' he added. Although Alhurra will cease traditional broadcasts, Gedmin said the network will try to maintain a digital presence with a drastically reduced staff, 'a couple dozen,' he noted. Alhurra claims to reach over 30 million viewers weekly across 22 countries. Still, it has long faced fierce competition from Al Jazeera, Saudi-funded Al Arabiya, and more recently, UAE-backed Sky News Arabia. Trump has had a strained relationship with the media and questioned the 'firewall' that guarantees editorial independence for US-funded outlets. Unlike VOA, Alhurra was not technically part of the US government but instead operated via grants. Other US-funded media have also been impacted but continue to push forward. Radio Free Europe, which was instrumental during the Cold War and now operates from Prague, has secured promises of support from the Czech government to offset lost US funding. Radio Free Asia, which provides news to countries like China and North Korea, continues to publish online at a reduced pace.
Al-Ahram Weekly
13-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Alhurra network ends broadcasts after Trump cuts - International
Alhurra, the Arabic-language network created by the US government after the Iraq invasion, said Saturday it would cease broadcasts and lay off most staff after President Donald Trump's administration shut off funds. The network went on air in 2004. "Media in the Middle East thrive on a diet of anti-Americanism," said Jeffrey Gedmin, president and CEO of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), the parent of Alhurra and other smaller US-funded Arabic-language outlets. "It makes no sense to kill MBN as a sensible alternative and to open the field to American adversaries and Islamic extremists," he said in a statement. The Trump administration, in part of a sweeping cost-cutting drive led by billionaire Elon Musk, in March said it was ceasing all financial transfers for US government-supported media. The move quickly froze Voice of America, although its employees have mounted legal challenges to restore the funding, which was approved by Congress. In a memo to staff, Gedmin said that Kari Lake, a firebrand Trump supporter put in charge of the agency supervising US-funded media, had refused to see him to discuss the "unlawfully" withdrawn funds. "I'm left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff," he wrote. "What's happening is a disgrace. You deserve better and I bear responsibility for not resolving this crisis in time to keep you," said Gedmin, a veteran scholar of democracy. Alhurra will cease broadcasts but seek to maintain digital updates through a staff reduced to "a couple dozen," he wrote. Alhurra says it reaches more than 30 million people each week across 22 countries. But it has faced stiff competition from Al-Jazeera as well as Al-Arabiya, which is funded by Saudi Arabia, and more recently UAE-backed Sky News Arabia. Trump has a testy relationship with media and has questioned the "firewall" under which US-funded outlets were promised editorial independence. Unlike Voice of America, Alhurra was not considered part of the US government, instead receiving grants to operate. Other outlets in similar situations have also tried to press on. Radio Free Europe, which played a vital role in the Cold War and is now based in Prague, has won promises of support from the Czech government to step in to replace US funding. Radio Free Asia, aimed at providing news to China, North Korea and other Asian countries without free media, has been providing online news at a reduced pace. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
