PROPAGANDA – BBG and USAGM Watch

19 minute read

HISTORY Flora Wovschin — Codename ZORA — Was The Most Active Soviet Spy But Not The Most Valuable Agent of Influence at WWII Voice of America

November 9, 2022

USAGM Watch Commentary By Ted Lipien Following reports that due to multiple security violations the Office of Personnel…

6 minute read

Voice of America Acting Director Tweets ‘Iran Denies Link to Rushdie Stabbing’, But Why?

August 22, 2022

Acting Director of the Voice of America Yolanda López hopes to send a VOA correspondent to Afghanistan, has…

11 minute read

Voice of America and USAGM Need Rescue

July 9, 2022

Voice of America and USAGM need rescue and good leadership as the U.S. Senate contemplates the nomination of…

3 minute read

Sen. Menendez sets meeting to review USAGM CEO nomination of Amanda Bennett

June 20, 2022

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has scheduled a business meeting for Thursday, June 23, 2022, to review several…

Amanda Bennett being sworn as VOA Director by Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) CEO John Lansing, April 18, 2016. Kelu Chao, a longtime VOA senior executive and later acting CEO of USAGM (BBG's name since 2018) is also in the photo.

8 minute read

The Worst Is On The Horizon For USAGM

June 14, 2022

USAGM Commentary By The Federalist US Agency for Global Mayhem: The Worst Is On The Horizon The Biden…

Voice of America VOA propaganda video from Russia on reopening of a former McDonald's restaurant, June 12 2022.

5 minute read

Former Voice of America Reporters Shocked by VOA Propaganda Video from Russia

June 13, 2022

Some call it a VOA propaganda video from Russia. USAGM Watch Commentary Raw video footage from the reopening…

5 minute read

McCaul Calls for Additional Scrutiny of USAGM CEO Nominee Amanda Bennett

June 9, 2022

McCaul Calls for Additional Scrutiny of USAGM CEO Nominee Press Release 06.09.22 Media Contact 202-225-5021 Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs…

Amanda Bennett at the Senate Foreign Relations hearing, June 7, 2022, to discuss her nomination for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO position.

2 minute read

Senator Menendez Hints At Tough Questions for Amanda Bennett About USAGM Job

June 8, 2022

Amanda Bennett is likely to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the position of the CEO of…

VOA Director Amanda Bennett holding a USAGM umbrella for a publicity photo. In 2018, the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency in charge of VOA, changed its name to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). President Biden nominated Bennett to be USAGM CEO and she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 60-36 vote. She faces accusations of mismanagement and security lapses in her previous U.S. government position as the Voice of America (VOA) director.

6 minute read

Mismanagement Charges Against USAGM CEO Nominee Amanda Bennett

June 6, 2022

Former Voice of America director Amanda Bennett, a nominee for U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO position,…

12 minute read

Beware of Government Propaganda “Experts”

June 5, 2022

Disinformation governance by government propaganda experts can be dangerous, judging by the record of the early officials in…

2 minute read

Rep. Scott Perry: VOA Misallocates Funds and Suppresses Negative Stories About Iran

May 13, 2022

Voice of America – VOA misallocates funds, said Rep. Scott Perry (R., Pa.) who accused VOA and U.S.…

Sanford “Sandy” Ungar, a journalist, author, and educator, served as the 24th Director of the Voice of America. Prior to becoming VOA Director, Ungar served as Dean of the School of Communication at American University and had an extensive and varied career as an international journalist. He has worked at Foreign Policy magazine, The Washington Post, The Atlantic magazine, UPI, Newsweek magazine, and NPR. After leaving VOA, Ungar was president of Goucher College in Towson, Maryland from 2001 to 2014. In spring 2015 Ungar joined Georgetown University, where he is director of The Free Speech Project.

5 minute read

Asking About Voice of America’s Stalin Peace Prize Winner May Be McCarthyism or Merely Amusing, Former VOA Director Said

April 11, 2022

Former Voice of America (VOA) director Sanford J. Ungar, who served under President Clinton from 1999 to 2001,…

In 2013, the then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Congress that the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) was "practically defunct" in its capacity to tell America's message around the world. Since then, what is now the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and the Voice of America (VOA) have become even more dysfunctional and poorly managed.

2 minute read

U. S. Agency for Global Media USAGM and Ukraine

March 20, 2022

The U.S. Agency for Global Media still shows a press release about its poll in the Russian-occupied part…

1 minute read

Ukraine is the area of decision between Russia and the Free World

March 19, 2022

Ukraine is today “the area of decision between Russia and the Free World” and “the one big problem”…

3 minute read

USAGM Advisory Board Is Not Enough

March 14, 2022

The U.S. Agency for Global Media needs more than just a USAGM Advisory Board. It needs a board…

3 minute read

Immigrants Protest Against USAGM Voice of America News Disinformation

March 4, 2022

RUSSIA’s WAR ON UKRAINE NEWS ALERT and COMMENTARY Polish Americans and Slovak Americans have joined Iranian, Chinese, Cuban,…

5 minute read

Voice of America and Ukraine

March 3, 2022

Voice of America and Ukraine: As Putin Threatens, VOA Misses Opportunity to Carry Live Blinken Message to Russian…

2 minute read

Where are U.S.-funded global media in discussion of Russia’s war against Ukraine?, former Voice of America Reporter Dan Robinson Asks About USAGM

March 1, 2022

On Ukraine, former Voice of America reporter Dan Robinson writes, “Yet again, not a single mention of USAGM…

Photograph: New York, New York. A. Marcus Garveyite reading the OWI (Office of War Information) publication Negroes and the War, April 1943. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540, USA. OWI was the Executive Branch agency under the control of the White House. Its Overseas Division produced World War II shortwave radio broadcasts, which were later named the Voice of America (VOA).

2 minute read

Black history hero Homer Smith fought racism at home and Soviet propaganda abroad

February 28, 2022

Smith should be recognized for his principled refusal to contribute to the manipulation of the Western media by…

9 minute read

Russia’s War on Ukraine – BBG conducted a faulty poll in Russian-occupied Crimea – what will USAGM leadership do now?

February 24, 2022

Russia’s war on Ukraine U.S. government-funded reporting is now in the hands of the dysfunctional U.S. Agency for…

9 minute read

USAGM performance in Afghanistan – a threat to journalists in Ukraine

February 13, 2022

USAGM leadership’s approach to Ukraine is dangerous for U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists, including those from Voice…

16 minute read

80 Years of VOA: Different Names of the Voice of America

January 31, 2022

USAGM Watch Commentary 80 years ago today, on February 1, 1942, the first Voice of America (VOA) radio…

Howard Fast OWI Personnel Record Card Voice of America at 80

6 minute read

Voice of America at 80 – VOA’s Pro-Soviet Fellow Travelers and Lessons for Today

January 24, 2022

Voice of America at 80 – the hidden record of VOA’s pro-Soviet fellow travelers, Howard Fast and John…

2 minute read

Members of Congress Criticize USAGM Management Over Cuts for OCB Cuba Programs

January 6, 2022

Cuts for OCB Cuba programs, proposed by the senior management of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)…

In 2016 Voice of America (VOA) produced this graphic to illustrate reports on Fidel Castro’s death. It was used as the VOA Spanish Service Facebook Cover image.

2 minute read

Symbolic Justice for Stalin’s Victims, But Not Yet From Voice of America Management

December 25, 2021

Commentaries about Stalin’s victims, Voice of America By Ted Lipien (Tadeusz Lipień) In my Washington Examiner Christmas Day…

Afghanistan Image Brian Williamson VOA News Screen Shot 2021-08-20 at 4.59.56 PM

5 minute read

Deceptive USAGM Numbers

December 20, 2021

Deceptive USAGM numbers hide the lack of relevance and effectiveness of the $800 million federal U.S. Agency for…

8 minute read

More of the same for the USAGM

November 30, 2021

U.S. Agency for Global Media may get a new leader. Judging by her record as a former Voice of…

2 minute read

At Voice of America, history repeats itself

November 17, 2021

At Voice of America, history repeats itself because of poor USAGM leadership, partisan bias and violations of VOA…

2 minute read

The Death of Democracy at USAGM, says Michael Pack

November 15, 2021

The death of democracy at USAGM is claimed by former U.S. Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack.…

3 minute read

Voice of America Censors ‘Let’s Go Brandon’

November 15, 2021

Voice of America censors “Let’s go Brandon” phrase in an apparent effort to protect President Biden. No VOA…

19 minute read

Possible Biden Nomination of Amanda Bennett Would Offend Immigrant Voters, Risks More Scandals at USAGM

October 8, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary Politico report suggesting that President Biden may nominate former Voice of America (VOA) director Amanda…

6 minute read

Cut and Run and Chaos – The USAGM Contribution to the Afghan Failure

August 26, 2021

The USAGM contribution to the Afghan failure has been presided by U.S. Agency for Global Media and Voice…

7 minute read

As Terrorists Kill Family Member of DW Journalist, VOA Offers Optimistic Taliban-Focused News from Afghanistan – Example II

August 20, 2021

Voice of America – VOA offers largely optimistic Taliban-focused news from Afghanistan meant to reassure the Afghans, particularly…

7 minute read

As Taliban Kills Family Member of DW Journalist, VOA Offers Optimistic News from Afghanistan – Example I

August 20, 2021

Voice of America – VOA offers largely optimistic Taliban-focused news from Afghanistan meant to reassure the Afghans, particularly…

19 minute read

USAGM or US Agency for Global Mayhem

August 19, 2021

USAGM or US Agency for Global Mayhem: Cut, Run and Lost Credibility A Commentary By The Federalist “In…

29 minute read

Voice of America Polygraph.Info Posts Against Russia Fake News Have Near Zero Likes After 4 Years

August 14, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary Despite being sold to members of the U.S. Congress and U.S. media as one of…

3 minute read

How Zofia Korbońska, Voice of America refugee journalist, campaigned against communism, resisted German-Nazi fascism

August 10, 2021

Zofia Korbońska, a Voice of America refugee journalist, was a remarkable Polish-American woman who fought against two of…

11 minute read

Communists in Cuba Getting Soft Treatment from Voice of America

July 30, 2021

Communists in Cuba getting soft treatment from the Voice of America under past and current VOA and U.S.…

9 minute read

Longtime Execs at Low Employee Morale USAGM Against Former Short-Time CEO

July 21, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary USAGM Watch offers a selection of links to media articles and official U.S. government documents…

13 minute read

Cuban Refugee Journalist: Sloppy Voice of America Boosts Communist Propaganda

July 16, 2021

USAGM Watch Guest Commentary A Cuban refugee journalist in the United States has submitted to us an analysis…

3 minute read

Voice of America report favored Castro regime in Cuba protests – The Washington Examiner op-ed

July 14, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary An op-ed in The Washington Examiner analyzes an early Voice of America (VOA) central English…

3 minute read

Biased Voice of America VOA News report does not quote a single protester, gives Castro regime the last word, ignores criticism from Senator Rubio

July 12, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary The Voice of America VOA News English-language report, titled “Rare Protests Hit Cuba Amid Economic,…

Washingtonian Tegaru protesting in front of the VOA building in DC demanding they cover #TigrayGenocide. The photo was posted on Twitter on June 2, 2021 by Rahel Tigraweyti (ሃገረ ዓባይ ትግራይ) @RYifter.

5 minute read

Voice of America’s failure in Ethiopia needs Biden’s attention for stopping genocide and reforming VOA and USAGM

July 2, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary By Ted Lipien #TigrayGenocide President Biden must act quickly to reform the Voice of America…

2 minute read

Biden can combat foreign propaganda by reforming Voice of America

June 30, 2021

OPINION An op-ed in The Washington Examiner by a co-founder and supporter of USAGM Watch was written in…

4 minute read

Current and Former U.S. Agency for Global Media Executives Protected Controversial VOA Managers

May 28, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary by Former VOA English and VOA Foreign Language Reporters As we pointed out recently, problems…

3 minute read

Bad Management At Voice of America and USAGM Starts At The Very Top

May 26, 2021

Voice of America central English newsroom and VOA language services have in recent years been the focus of…

13 minute read

Rumors, Myths, Untruths and Half-Truths from U.S. Agency for Global Media

April 15, 2021

From USAGM Watch Citizen Journalists: We are pleased to see the return of The Federalist, our longtime contributor…

30 minute read

USAGM CEO Michael Pack, His Critics, Analyses by Former and Current VOA Journalists

December 8, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary Michael Pack, Trump-appointed and U.S. Senate confirmed CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media…

8 minute read

Voice of America Between A Firewall and Accountability

November 27, 2020

USAGM Watch OPINION and COMMENTARY By Ted Lipien What is more important: protecting Voice of America (VOA) U.S.…

11 minute read

Biden Ignored VOA and RFE/RL in His Article on Russian Propaganda, Needs to Reform USAGM

November 8, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary While President-Elect Joe Biden has been a strong longtime supporter of U.S. international broadcasting, especially…