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#voa

72 posts58 participants1 post today

More on #IMLS shutdown:

On March 14, 2025,… #Trump …issued an #EO that called for the dismantling of 7 #FederalAgencies…. They ranged from the #USAGM, which oversees #VOA, to the #MBDA.

The Institute of #Museum & #Library Services was also on the list. #Congress created the IMLS in 1996 through the Museum & Library Services Act. The #law merged the Inst of Museum Services, which was established in 1976, w/the Library Prgms Office of the Dept of #Education.

#USpol
theconversation.com/trump-admi

The ConversationTrump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agencyThe consequences of shutting down the Institute of Museum and Library Services would be particularly dire for smaller museums and rural museums.

Example of why Trump is silencing the Voice of America. VOA article, April 2024:

"How Russia's disinformation campaign seeps into US views...

"The files exposed a Kremlin-linked campaign in which 'political strategists and trolls have written thousands of fabricated news articles, social media posts and comments that promote American isolationism, stir fear over the United States' border security and attempt to amplify U.S. economic and racial tensions'"
voanews.com/a/how-russia-s-dis

Voice of America (VOA News) · How Russia's disinformation campaign seeps into US viewsBy Tatiana Vorozhko

#VOA #LiamScott #PressFreedom
For the first time since its creation, in 1942, to combat Nazi propaganda, VOA has gone silent. Dozens of VOA staffers in Washington are on J-1 visas, and if they lose them, they may have to return to countries whose governments have a record of jailing critics.

The Last Days at Voice of America

"Covering the press freedom beat at VOA, I got a front-row seat to its demise."
cjr.org/first_person/last-days

Columbia Journalism ReviewThe Last Days at Voice of AmericaCovering the press freedom beat at VOA, I got a front-row seat to its demise.

It is not just #russia who in control of our failing #democracy - #Chinese Nationalists Praise Trump’s Cuts to Voice of America #voa #Beijing has long criticized the outlet, as well as Radio Free #Asia, for highlighting #HumanRights rights abuses in #China. Can you imagine up until 6 months ago running on a platform that championed serving the China's Communist Party that ruled for 75 years nytimes.com/2025/03/18/world/a #maga #fascism #doge #trum #gop #republicans #civilliberties

Voice of America’s ability to operate is in question after President Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the federal agency that oversees it.
The New York Times · Chinese Nationalists Praise Trump’s Cuts to Voice of AmericaBy Tiffany May

Trump's dismantling of #VOA will pave the way for America's adversaries to have greater influence abroad.

~1,300 employees, incl. Abramowitz: placed on admin. leave +500 contractors: terminated. He called #VOA "an incredibly impt. soft power tool" for the US -shuttering it: "self-inflicted blow" to #nationalsecurity -bc it helps combat CN, RU & IR disinfo.

Most journalists ignore Trump's goal of destruction, emulating & aligning with Putin, for #privatization.

#USPol cbsnews.com/news/voa-cuts-trum

The Convicted-Felon-in-Chief’s approval ratings hit a new high with totalitarians and dictatorships around the world. Chinese state media reacted gleefully to Republicans gutting funding for Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.
#USPolitics #FuckTrump #GOPFail
#VOA #China
theguardian.com/media/2025/mar

The Guardian · Chinese state media celebrates Trump’s cuts to Voice of America and Radio Free AsiaBy Kate Lamb

Donald Trump's dismantling of Voice of America could lead to dominance of anti-American propaganda, director says.

@CBSNews reports: "VOA reports news about the U.S. in nearly 50 languages — with much of its focus trained on countries that lack a free press."

flip.it/6vBCdo

Replied in thread

@w7voa Another short story when the CCP allowed their Chinese subjects to celebrate online:

"Let's jump back to autumn 2001 when the *republican* neo-con administration of George W. Bush launched the second Iraq War for which the USA is still paying heavy financial and *reputational* cost.

On the early Chinese forums people were delirious with joy. (i.e. "permitted speech" in the PRC)

Just a year earlier in 2000 the USA had agreed to allow #China to join the #WTO... and in 1994, only a few years after the #Tiananmen massacre, the USA had handed the CCP/PRC the coveted Most Favored Nation (MFN) status.

Yet for the Chinese regime it's not enough for them to win; the USA and all other non-submissive democracies must lose.

I was still rather dismayed back in 2001, but only until I understood the policy."

NB: This is part of a post I made on Nov 7, 2024 in response to the Chinese *celebrating* the result of the most recent US presidential elections...

infosec.exchange/deck/@demi7en

It's a little odd that the Chinese communist dictatorship never allows its subjects to celebrate when the United States or the Democratic Left succeeds in something... 🧐

Infosec Exchangedemi7en 🎗🇪🇺 (@demi7en@infosec.exchange)A "fun" anecdote: First now, 2024. (Note that in the #PRC messages that stay up for more than few minutes let alone go viral are de facto sanctioned by the #CCP dictatorship.) 👉️ On Chinese social media platform Weibo, one of the most liked comments is from a user saying: “There will be a lot of fun to watch over the next four years.” 👈️ (BBC running commentary on you-know-what) https://www.bbc.com/news/live/czxrnw5qrprt Now let's jump back to autumn 2001 when the *republican* neo-con administration of George W. Bush launched the second Iraq War for which the USA is still paying heavy financial and *reputational* cost. On the early Chinese forums people were delirious with joy. (i.e. "permitted speech" in the PRC) Just a year earlier in 2000 the USA had agreed to allow #China to join the #WTO... and in 1994, only a few years after the #Tiananmen massacre, the USA had handed the CCP/PRC the coveted Most Favored Nation (MFN) status. Yet for the Chinese regime it's not enough for them to win; the USA and all other non-submissive democracies must lose. I was still rather dismayed back in 2001, but only until I understood the policy.

"Requiem for the voice that carried a nation’s conscience."

​"Destroying VOA (+RFE/RL & Radio Free Asia) is a #NationalSecurity issue. ​T​hese entities, funded by the American ppl, have been ​among the most effective instruments of American soft power -a bridge to those who may never set foot on our soil, but understand our values bc they heard them in one of the dozens of languages in which we broadcast."

#Trump's propaganda #VOA video⬇️
#USPol
steveherman.press/p/requiem-fo
ir.voanews.com/a/8011941.html

The Newsguy -- Steve Herman · Requiem for the voice that carried a nation’s conscienceBy Steve Herman
Replied in thread

@w7voa Did anybody else initially read this as lamenting that *both* the #NewYorkTimes *and* #VOA were “flickering out”?

I wondered why by #Washington Post wasn’t included, but thought maybe Steve Herman was implying that flame of #liberty had already been extinguished.

On second reading, I understood and boosted the toot, since it was a gift article.

But sadly, my first take is what it seems like. 😞