BBG – 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…

3 minute read

Voice of America reports on detention of its freelance journalist accused of spying for Russia; VOA freelancer denies espionage charges

October 27, 2022

USAGM Watch Commentary The U.S. government-funded Voice of America (VOA) has a new report about the detention in…

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.

7 minute read

USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett and her top aides ran a loose ship at the Voice of America, an OIG report shows

October 14, 2022

Amanda Bennett, the current CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and a former Voice of…

6 minute read

Miracle Explanation of VOA’s Afghanistan Disaster

August 26, 2022

Voice of America (VOA) Acting Director Yolanda López‘s miracle explanation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s (USAGM)…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

3 minute read

Russia’s War on Ukraine and DC Public Media

February 26, 2022

COMMENTARY By Ted Lipien Privileged American public media executives, editors, and reporters may not realize how insensitive some…

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…

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…

6 minute read

Criticism of Amanda Bennett by Immigrants Ignored by Biden in Proposing Her for USAGM CEO

November 12, 2021

President Joe Biden ignored criticism of Amanda Bennett by immigrants in announcing his intent to nominate the former…

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…

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…

3 minute read

Assessing the Terrain: USAGM Watch Resumes Watchdog Role

April 14, 2021

Assessing the Terrain: USAGM Watch Resumes Watchdog Role USAGM Watch Commentary Four months into 2021, the former BBG…

4 minute read

Biden’s USAGM Transition Member Bruce Sherman Claimed Crimeans Wanted Annexation by Russia

November 18, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary Bruce Sherman, one of the members of the advisory transition team selected by President-elect Joe…

5 minute read

Lauded Adviser of Biden’s USAGM Transition Leader Richard Stengel Was Also Chief Aide of Ex BBG CEO Before Conviction for Theft

November 17, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary President Obama’s Under a Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel…

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.

6 minute read

Biden’s USAGM Transition Leader Richard Stengel Pushed Normalization with Castro’s Cuba for OCB and VOA EXCLUSIVE

November 16, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary According to two individuals who attended closed meetings of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)…

4 minute read

Former USAGM Management Ignored A Decade of Federal Security Agencies’ Warnings on Hiring Practices at VOA and Other USG Media Entities

July 25, 2020

USAGM Watch Commentary Speaking on background, U.S. federal government sources told USAGM Watch journalists that former senior officials…

3 minute read

Former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn Who Called BBG ‘Most Worthless’ Dead At 72

March 28, 2020

Tom Coburn, former Republican U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Oklahoma and a medical doctor who in a…

8 minute read

Boris Nemtsov Defended Radio Liberty Journalists

March 1, 2020

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary We can report with some satisfaction that Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty…

4 minute read

Trump Re-Nominates Michael Pack to be CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), formerly BBG

February 26, 2020

BBG – USAGM Watch According to a White House announcement on February 25, 2020, President Trump has re-nominated…

2 minute read

Broadcaster and former BBG Governor Blanquita Cullum interviews Trump’s USAGM nominee Michael Pack about Clarence Thomas movie

January 25, 2020

BBG Watch – USAGM Commentary Blanquita Cullum has interviewed for her radio program Hard Question on WCGO…

2 minute read

Former top advisor to former U.S. media agency head reports to prison

January 23, 2020

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary Haroon Ullah, former top official in the U.S. Agency for Global Media…

9 minute read

Voice of America tweeted false accusations against Covington students but failed to report on CNN settlement

January 21, 2020

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary The U.S. taxpayer-funded and U.S. government-managed Voice of America (VOA) English-language news website…

5 minute read

1 to 7 Likes on Facebook Posts from 912K VOA Extremism Followers — Only at USG Tax-Funded Voice of America

January 8, 2020

BBG – USAGM – Watch Commentary In January 2018 former U.S. Agency for Global Media…

2 minute read

Respected DC-based Iranian-born American journalist criticized Voice of America Director and VOA Persian coverage of Iran

December 14, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary On December 13, 2019, Mahtab Farid, an Iranian-born American journalist, well respected in…

11 minute read

The Great Numbers Game at U.S. Agency for Global Media

December 13, 2019

OPINION The Great Numbers Game at U.S. Agency for Global Media By The Federalist The U.S.…

4 minute read

Some USAGM executives recruited by man later convicted of felony theft still in charge of government broadcaster

December 13, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary Current Voice of America (VOA) journalists are making comments suggesting that staff morale…

7 minute read

EX-STATE DEPARTMENT, FEDERAL OFFICIAL TO SERVE 3 MONTHS IN JAIL FOR THEFT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS

November 22, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary Haroon Ullah, a former federal government official and counter-terrorism expert who worked with…

6 minute read

EX-USAGM TOP OFFICIAL DUE TO BE SENTENCED FOR THEFT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS, APPEALS FOR LENIENCY

November 21, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary Lawyers for a former top strategic advisor at the federal agency overseeing U.S.…

7 minute read

NPR chief’s former USAGM top aide to be sentenced for felony theft

November 20, 2019

BBG – USAGM Commentary Lax supervision by former government executive John F. Lansing, who now runs NPR, allowed…

5 minute read

Violations of VOA Charter — Firewall Breached Part III

November 5, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary FOR BACKGROUND SEE: NBC’s Andy Lack visited Ukraine as US official in charge…

8 minute read

Voice of America Ukraine Expert Called Joe Biden A ‘Good Man’

November 3, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary FOR BACKGROUND SEE: NBC’s Andy Lack visited Ukraine as US official in…

8 minute read

NBC’s Andy Lack visited Ukraine as US official in charge of Voice of America

October 31, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary NBC’s Andy Lack visited Ukraine as US official in charge of Voice…

8 minute read

False claim in Voice of America reporter’s tweet about a dead Kurdish girl

October 16, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary Experts critical of Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Tayyib Erdoğan have raised…

9 minute read

Trump speaks about VOA

October 4, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary A report posted online by the Voice of America (VOA) implied that President…

9 minute read

EXCLUSIVE Jeff Shell, former Democratic BBG Chair, resigned from USAGM Board of Governors

October 2, 2019

EXCLUSIVE BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary News BBG – USAGM Watch was able to confirm that Jeff Shell,…

2 minute read

HELLE DALE: Prospect of Reforming US Broadcasting Abroad

September 23, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Media Commentary Helle C. Dale, the Heritage Foundation’s senior fellow in public diplomacy, argues…

12 minute read

USAGM CEO nominee Michael Pack pledges to protect journalistic integrity

September 19, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Guest Commentary Michael Pack, President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Agency for Global…

8 minute read

US Agency for Global Media John Lansing Departs

September 10, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Guest Commentary OPINION U-SAG-M US Agency for Global Media John Lansing Departs By The…

2 minute read

Ilan Berman: Sorry state of affairs at Voice of America Persian Service

September 8, 2019

BBG – USAGM Commentary Ilan Berman, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC,…

3 minute read

Statement from the USAGM Board Chairman regarding CEO Lansing

September 5, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO John F. Lansing is leaving his…