VOA's Propaganda Problem: It's Not Who You Think
📰 THE STORY: NPR reports that critics are concerned Kari Lake's praise for Donald Trump on the Voice of America (VOA) threatens to turn the U.S. Agency for Global Media's (USAGM) broadcast arm into a partisan propaganda channel, potentially violating its mission to provide objective news. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The Voice of America was founded in 1942 precisely as a
propaganda arm, literally broadcasting 'Psychological Warfare Branch' messages during WWII. During the Cold War, it funnelled anti-communist narratives into Eastern Bloc nations. In Venezuela, VOA's Spanish service amplified US-backed opposition figure Juan Guaidó in 2019, while simultaneously demonizing the elected government of Nicolás Maduro, leading to crushing sanctions that have caused
immense suffering for ordinary Venezuelans. Double Standard: Western media outlets like NPR decry the prospect of VOA becoming a 'propaganda channel' when a right-wing American politician uses it, yet remain largely silent when the same network actively promotes regime change narratives in countries like Iran or Venezuela. This 'concern' is about *whose* propaganda, not *if* it's propaganda. When
MEK terrorists, hosted in Albania and France, are given airtime on VOA Persian to call for the overthrow of the Iranian government, it's framed as 'supporting democracy,' not 'propaganda.' Follow the Money: The USAGM, which oversees VOA, receives over $800 million annually from the U.S. government. A significant portion of these funds are directed towards 'countering disinformation' in regions