Latest news with #InternationalBroadcastingAct
Euronews
23-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America
ADVERTISEMENT A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop its efforts to dismantle Voice of America (VOA) and other US-backed news outlets, including Radio Free Asia. US District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the government had illegally forced VOA to cease operations for the first time since the broadcaster was set up during World War II. The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) — which runs VOA — put nearly all 1,300 of the broadcaster's employees on administrative leave in March, while 500 contractors were informed that their contracts would be terminated at the end of last month. This followed an executive order by US President Donald Trump on 14 March mandating that several federal entities, including USAGM, be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law". The White House accused the VOA, which was established to counter Nazi propaganda, of being "anti-Trump" and "radical". In his ruling on Tuesday, Lamberth said the Trump administration must "take all necessary steps" to restore employees and contractors to their jobs and resume radio, TV and online broadcasts. He ordered the government to do the same for Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which are also operated by USAGM. The Trump administration had likely violated numerous federal laws, including the International Broadcasting Act and Congressional Appropriations Acts, Lamberth said. The US government acted "without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world", he wrote in his ruling. "It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the defendants' actions here," Lamberth wrote. Related Federal judge blocks Trump's efforts to dismantle Voice of America radio service Trump Media reports a loss of hundreds of millions for last year Lawyers representing VOA employees said the ruling was a victory for press freedom. VOA journalist Patsy Widakuswara, who is named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said the order was "just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal." USAGM and the White House have not yet commented on the ruling. Tom Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association, said that the news outlets were "trusted sources of truth in places where it is often scarce". "By upholding editorial independence, the court has protected the credibility of USAGM journalists and the global mission they serve," he said in a statement.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge halts Trump's shutdown of Voice of America
A US court has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for the Voice of America and other government-backed news outlets, saying the effort to dismantle it violated the law and Constitution. Over 1,300 VOA employees - including about 1,000 journalists - were put on leave following President Donald Trump's order, that accused the broadcaster of being "anti-Trump" and "radical". VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global media broadcaster. Judge Royce Lamberth noted that because of the Trump administration's actions, "VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence". Judge Lamberth said the administration acted "without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world". The judge found the administration also likely violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress' power to appropriate funding. "My colleagues and I are grateful for this ruling. But we know that this is just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal," said Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. "We are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration's unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate: to tell America's stories with factual, balanced, and comprehensive, reporting," she said. Trump has long criticised VOA as part of his broader attacks against the media, and often accused mainstream news outlets of being biased against him. In March, Trump ordered that the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and also funds non-profit entities such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law". A different judge in New York placed a temporary block on the executive order after a coalition of journalists, media advocacy groups, and unions filed lawsuits. The New York judge said VOA, which is funded by Congress, has a legislative mandate to deliver quality news to a global audience. The Trump administration, the judge wrote, did not have the authority to shut it down. "It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants' actions here," the judge wrote. USAGM and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Judge halts Trump's shutdown of Voice of America
A US court has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for the Voice of America and other government-backed news outlets, saying the effort to dismantle it violated the law and 1,300 VOA employees - including about 1,000 journalists - were put on leave following President Donald Trump's order, that accused the broadcaster of being "anti-Trump" and "radical".VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global media Royce Lamberth noted that because of the Trump administration's actions, "VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence". Judge Lamberth said the administration acted "without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world".The judge found the administration also likely violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress' power to appropriate funding."My colleagues and I are grateful for this ruling. But we know that this is just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal," said Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. "We are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration's unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate: to tell America's stories with factual, balanced, and comprehensive, reporting," she has long criticised VOA as part of his broader attacks against the media, and often accused mainstream news outlets of being biased against March, Trump ordered that the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and also funds non-profit entities such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law".A different judge in New York placed a temporary block on the executive order after a coalition of journalists, media advocacy groups, and unions filed New York judge said VOA, which is funded by Congress, has a legislative mandate to deliver quality news to a global audience. The Trump administration, the judge wrote, did not have the authority to shut it down."It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants' actions here," the judge and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voice Of America And Other Government-Funded Networks Must Be Restored, Judge Rules
The Voice of America staff got a reprieve today, as a federal judge ruled that Trump administration must restore the government-run broadcaster along with other networks. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that there was an absence of 'any analysis whatsoever' in the decision to shut down he U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the VOA and other government-funded broadcast entities. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the agency, and in response, VOA employees were placed on administrative leave. That largely halted the VOA's newsgathering last month. More from Deadline Pete Hegseth Returns To 'Fox & Friends' To Defend Pentagon Tenure And Blame "Disgruntled Former Employees" For Leaks Netflix Rare Media Gainer As Markets Swoon Amid Trump Tariffs, Fed Bashing 'SEAL Team' DEI Discrimination Suit Settled; Details Of Deal Between CBS & Trump Aide's America First Legal Foundation Kept Under Wraps Lamberth ruled that the shut down of VOA and the termination of grants to other networks ran afoul of congressional appropriations laws, among other things. His order is to restore the agency's employees and contractors as well as grants to Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. His ruling granting a preliminary injunction was in response to a lawsuit brought by Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA's White House bureau chief. 'My colleagues and I are grateful but we know that this is just a small step forward,' Widakuswara wrote on X. 'We will keep fighting to save VOA!' The judge did not grant an injunction to restore funding to another entity, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The fate of that network has been caught up in a dispute over its latest grant renewal. The Trump administration has attacked Voice of America as the 'Voice of Radical America,' as it has sought to undermine news media in general in the initial months of his presidency. Dating to World War II as a counter to Nazi propaganda, VOA has grown into an entity that provides news in 50 languages to an estimated audience of more than 354 million people. The 1994 International Broadcasting Act prohibits U.S. government interference in the journalistic operation. Best of Deadline 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More 'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2 'Ransom Canyon' Book Vs. Show Differences: From Quinn & Staten's Love Story To Yancy Grey's Plot
New York Times
22-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Judge Blocks Trump Effort to Dismantle Voice of America
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America, a government-funded news organization that President Trump has accused of being biased against him, and mandated that its journalists be allowed to resume their work. The judge, Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, also ordered the administration to halt its effort to shut down two other federally funded outlets, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. The judge's carefully worded decision appeared aimed at closing loopholes in previous court rulings that allowed Trump officials to keep the Voice of America newsroom shuttered and its programming on hold. Voice of America, founded in 1942, had operated without interruption until March 15, when Mr. Trump signed an executive order seeking to gut its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Judge Lamberth is overseeing multiple court challenges to Mr. Trump's order brought by Voice of America journalists and organizations that promote press freedoms. The Trump administration is 'likely in direct violation of numerous federal laws,' the judge wrote in his ruling. Nearly all of Voice of America's staff members were placed on paid leave after the March 15 executive order, abruptly halting news programming in 49 languages that more than 425 million listeners across the world tuned into every week. Kari Lake, a close ally of Mr. Trump whom he hired as special adviser to the media agency, also shut down its radio transmitters, dismissed vendors and terminated wire services and other contracts. The executive order gutting the U.S. Agency for Global Media appeared to test the bounds of Mr. Trump's authority, as Congress established it as an independent agency and moved in 2020 to limit the power of its presidentially appointed leadership. Judge Lamberth, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, wrote in his ruling that in attempting to throttle the outlets in part by cutting funding and removing staff, the Trump administration had likely violated the Constitution, along with laws that govern how federal funds are spent. He also cited the International Broadcasting Act, which mandates continued operations of the media networks. 'The president does not have unilateral authority to refuse to spend the funds,' Judge Lamberth wrote. 'The defendants' unwillingness to expend funds in accordance with the congressional appropriations laws is a direct affront to the power of the legislative branch.' He added: 'Congress possesses the 'power of the purse.'' The Middle East Broadcasting Networks and Radio Free Asia, which the Trump administration has sought to defund despite a court order that forbade the termination of news media grants, are also overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Those newsrooms have not received their congressionally approved funding for April and are on the brink of a total shutdown. Unlike Voice of America, which is a government entity, those news outlets are private nonprofits and have independent hiring authorities, but they have had to furlough their staff in recent weeks. .
