Cuba – BBG and USAGM Watch

5 minute read

Estonian-American Leader, Estonian Politician Objects to Voice of America VOA News Report on Putin’s Russia

January 24, 2023

USAGM Watch Commentary Mari-Ann Kelam, a leader in the Estonian-American community, Estonian politician, former Estonian Foreign Ministry spokesperson,…

8 minute read

Extraordinary Leadership Dysfunction at USAGM Continues

October 4, 2022

The extraordinary leadership dysfunction at USAGM, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, continues under former Voice of America…

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.

7 minute read

Despite Scandals at Voice of America, Amanda Bennett Appears Cleared for Senate Confirmation as U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO

September 22, 2022

Despite a long record of unprecedented management scandals during her tenure as Voice of America (VOA) director and…

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Florida.

2 minute read

Diaz-Balart Condemns a Reduction in Force (RIF) at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB)

August 26, 2022

The following press release was issued by the office of Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R) representing Florida’s 25th Congressional…

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 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…

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…

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,…

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)…

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

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

WP Mentions USAGM Watch: a Possible Amanda Bennett Nomination May Offend Ethnic Voters

October 28, 2021

Possible Amanda Bennett nomination for USAGM could offend ethnic voters and face trouble in the Senate because of…

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…

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

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…

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…

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.

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.…

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,…

2 minute read

Cubans desperately need a strong Radio Television Martí, says former OCB director Jeffrey Scott Shapiro

May 11, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary Former director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) Jeffrey Scott Shapiro published an op-ed…

4 minute read

Russia’s RT Beat Voice of America on Biden Armenian Genocide Story

April 29, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary Russian state TV and web news channel RT was more than half an hour ahead…

4 minute read

Voice of America English Newsroom Failed to Notice Cuba Freedom Song ‘Patria y Vida’

April 23, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee whose parents…

4 minute read

Voice of America Not Posting Story on Senator Bob Menendez’s Criticism of USAGM CEO’s Choice for OCB Director

April 11, 2021

USAGM Watch Commentary UPDATE: Five days after Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) issued his statement on Wednesday April 7,…

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)…

9 minute read

Former BBG Governor Blanquita Cullum interviews Sen. Cruz on Venezuela and illegal immigration

May 4, 2019

BBG – USAGM Watch Commentary American radio host and former Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Blanquita Cullum…

2 minute read

Ex-political prisoner in Cuba offended by Voice of America report, VOA calling Fidel Castro an ‘Icon’

November 26, 2017

BBG Watch Commentary A former political prisoner in communist-ruled Cuba who now lives in exile in the United…

8 minute read

Voice of America English and Spanish texts ignore human rights abuses under Fidel Castro

November 25, 2017

BBG Watch Commentary In a major distortion of Voice of America’s well-balanced VOA News video report about Fidel…

7 minute read

Congress Seeks IG Probe of VOA China Interview – WASHINGTON FREE BEACON

June 18, 2017

BBG Watch Media As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, “Congress is preparing to ask the State Department…

8 minute read

Voice of America ignores Senator Rubio on Cuba

June 17, 2017

BBG Watch Commentary In its superficial and substandard coverage of President Trump’s major foreign policy speech on Cuba,…

2 minute read

Voice of America Spanish Fails to Show Trump Cuba Speech Live

June 16, 2017

BBG Watch EXCLUSIVE Commentary The Spanish Service of scandal-ridden, U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) failed to broadcast…

2 minute read

CUSIB voices support for Radio and TV Marti broadcasts to Cuba

February 5, 2017

BBG Watch Media A recent article in Radio World, “Post-Fidel, the Broadcast Hostility Remains,” focuses on the growing…

8 minute read

Voice of America failed to report Ben Rhodes represented Obama at Castro funeral

December 8, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary Practically defunct (Hillary Clinton’s words), U.S. taxpayer-funded ($224M FY 2017) Voice of America (VOA) failed…

1 minute read

Voice of America VOA English News about 10 hours late in posting to Facebook on Castro’s death

November 26, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary The Voice of America’s VOA English News was about ten (10) hours behind Russia’s RT,…

2 minute read

VOA, RT, BBC Facebook Castro posts compared: VOA 379; RT 11K; BBC 56K Likes

November 26, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary Voice of America’s (VOA) declining relevance as an international media outlet was once again illustrated…

3 minute read

Many Voice of America services late on Castro’s death, Trump calling him “brutal dictator,” VOA journalists complain

November 26, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary Journalists working for U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) are complaining that because of poor…

1 minute read

Op-Ed: Cuba jazz musician snubbed by White House and Voice of America

April 25, 2016

BBG Watch Media A controversy over the Obama White House treatment of Cuban jazz musician Paquito D’Rivera has…

4 minute read

What else Voice of America employees want new director to know?

April 21, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary What Else Voice of America Employees Want Amanda Bennett To Know? Current and Former VOA…

1 minute read

Op-Ed: Voice of America or Voice of Castro without any balance?

April 20, 2016

BBG Watch Media An

15 minute read

RFE/RL as Radio Free Kremlin, Not An April Fools Day Joke

April 1, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary This is not an April Fools Day Joke, as much as we wished it to…

4 minute read

Sloppy Voice of America on first name basis with President Obama

March 30, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary Sloppiness, lack of leadership and lack of editorial control have reached new levels at the…

1 minute read

A Plea to Future Voice of America Director

March 24, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary A comment sent to BBG Watch includes a plea to the next Voice of America…

3 minute read

Broadcasting Board of Governors fails to mention Radio and TV Marti journalists not getting Cuban visas

March 24, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary Radio and TV Marti, overseen by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), but not as…

4 minute read

Voice of America Russian reporter with Obama in Cuba found an admirer of Vladimir Putin

March 24, 2016

BBG Commentary A reporter with the U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) Russian Service who was in Cuba…

9 minute read

Travel journalism from VOA reporters in Cuba

March 23, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary With often shaky, poor quality video and mostly pedestrian observations, much of original reporting by…

7 minute read

Voice of America reporters upset over VOA’s treatment of Brussels terror story

March 22, 2016

BBG Watch Commentary A screenshot taken of the Voice of America mobile site at 11:33 AM on Tuesday,…

3 minute read

Did Voice of America go too far in calling Raul Castro Obama’s ‘Ally of New Era of US-Cuba Ties’

March 21, 2016

BBG Watch Just Asking Commentary Did U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) not only engaged in some unfortunate…