Journalists rarely make themselves the story. Our job is to report what’s happening in our communities, interview sources, verify facts and hold power to account so the public can make informed decisions. But on Tuesday night, journalists from across the United States did something unusual: they told their own stories.

After winning re-election in 2024, Donald Trump promised to be a dictator “on day one.” When it comes to press freedom, he has kept his word, extending the war on the press he launched while running for his first term with grave attacks on access to reliable information worldwide. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which monitors “press freedom predators” worldwide, has compiled a timeline of his administration’s assaults on the media in the past year and warns that he risks sinking to the levels of authoritarian regimes. 

Compromise is not a last art in Washington.

Government Accountability Project applauds the bipartisan spending bill approved by lawmakers in Congress that would allocate $643 million for broadcasting from the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and Voice of America (VOA). On January 14, by a veto-proof bipartisan majority of 341 to 79, the House approved.

Medill Magazine Issue 107

The Hollow Resurrection of U.S. International Broadcasting

The parent organization of NPR and PBS, already defunded, is shutting down—and claims that’s for the best. But there are dangers ahead.

Congress has reached a deal to fund the Voice of America, with lawmakers agreeing to provide approximately $653 million for the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

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January 13, 2026 - The proposal faces legislative hurdles and a potential presidential veto as legal challenges against USAGM continue.

President Trump is threatening America’s national security, our democracy, the rule of law, our economy and our health because he is trying wield the same kind of virtually unlimited power exercise…

If there is any good news on the free speech front, then perhaps it comes in the actions of individuals

The Trump administration has tried to eliminate funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA. Appropriators in Congress have had other ideas.

Donald Trump’s destruction of the civil service is a tragedy not just for the roughly 300,000 workers who have been discarded, but for an entire nation.

In an alternate reality, VOA Spanish would have covered the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro comprehensively, providing context and history to 100 million audience members in Latin America. Instead, we’ve crossed over to The VOA Twilight Zone.

For more than six decades, Voice of America provided uninterrupted news and information to Latin America, covering Cold War tensions, military dictatorships, a transition to democracy and changing relations with the United States.

By nearly any measure, 2025 was a rough year for anyone concerned about freedom of the press.

This is an op-ed from Heather Murray, associate director of the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic and the managing attorney of its Local Journalism Project. It was not written […]

A Strong America Depends on Telling the Truth “A strong America depends on telling the truth,” says long-time Maryland resident Brent Tolbert-Smith, warning the world will be more dangerous if Russia and China fill the vacuum left after VOA was silenced.” #SaveVOA #PressFreedom #short

The president had a remarkable first year back in office, but he made some serious missteps, too.

VOA Affiliate in Indonesia Scrutinizes U.S. Government Decision to Cut VOA “The U.S. says it promotes human rights—so why is it cutting freedom of speech and VOA?” asks Jupti Esther of Radio Kardopa. The Indonesian outlet has been a VOA affiliate for 20 years, relying on VOA for trustworthy and balanced news. #SaveVOA #PressFreedom #short

Help keep VOA alive by contacting your representatives in Congress. Ask them to #SaveVOA » VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://savevoa.com/ » LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: / savevoa » FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: / savevoa » FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://x.com/savevoanow » FOLLOW US ON THREADS: https://www.threads.com/@savevoa #voanews #voiceofamerica #voa

For decades, VOA’s Jakarta bureau partnered with hundreds of local media outlets to deliver news and stories from Washington to Indonesia—a vital U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific. When VOA was silenced in March 2025, this gap was filled by state-run propaganda outlets from China and Russia. #SaveVOA #PressFreedom