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Mass layoffs have begun at Voice of America (VOA), the U.S.'s government-funded media network. The move came after Trump signed an executive order to effectively eliminate the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which supervises VOA, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and six other federal agencies. Here's more from Al Jazeera. At the second link, find a @CNN story about how the news of VOA's dismantling has been received in China.
LOLOL. Of course he does!!!!
Trump Praises Bezos’ Makeover of the Washington Post
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-praises-jeff-bezos-makeover-of-the-washington-post/
Bio:
I mainly (but not exclusively) post about #running. Currently training for marathon #3 and #4.
I am Associate Professor of #Journalism Studies at Roskilde University. I do the professional stuff over at Bluesky.
New book: https://www.routledge.com/The-Institutional-Development-of-Podcasting-From-Participatory-Projects-to-Platform-Content/Kammer-SpejlborgSejersen/p/book/9781032318417 - discount code: SMA20
The President of Radio Free Asia posted this statement on the RFA website, presumably before the staff were locked out
"The termination of RFA’s grant is a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space."
Some #Republicans have accused #VOA & other publicly-funded #media outlets of being biased against *conservatives* [liars, criminals & extremists]. Last month, billionaire #ElonMusk, who is spearheading #Trump's government *downsizing* [destruction] effort, called for VOA & #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty to be shut down in a post to social media.
The Paris-based #ReportersWithoutBorders also blasted the move, w/its director general, Thibaut Bruttin, saying that it "threatens press freedom worldwide & negates 80 years of American history in supporting a free flow of #information."
The president of the #NationalPressClub in Washington, Mike Balsamo, released a statement on social media objecting to the moves at #VOA.
"For decades, #VoiceOfAmerica has delivered fact-based, independent #journalism to audiences worldwide, often in places where press freedom does not exist," Balsamo said.
The decision, he said, "undermines America's commitment to a free & independent press."
On its website, #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty notes that it has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian govt & warns readers in #Russia & Russia-occupied #Ukraine that they could "face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us."
The #USAGM also terminated funding for #RadioFreeEurope / #RadioLiberty, which broadcasts to countries in #EasternEurope, including #Russia & #Ukraine, as well as for #RadioFreeAsia, which broadcasts to #China & #NorthKorea, acc/to letters seen by Reuters.
Multiple workers at #VoiceOfAmerica, an international #media broadcaster that operates in >40 languages, shared w/Reuters an email that placed them on administrative leave w/full pay & benefits "until otherwise notified."
The emails, sent by a HR executive at the #US Agency for Global Media, the #VOA's parent agency, instructed them not to enter their work premises or access internal systems.
Employees at #VoiceOfAmerica were placed on paid leave on Saturday & funding for 2 US #news services that broadcast to #authoritarian regimes was slashed, one day after #Trump signed an #ExecutiveOrder gutting the govt-funded #media outlets' parent & 6 other #FederalAgencies.
#VOA #FourthEstate #FreePress #journalism #censorship #propaganda #trumpaganda
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-signs-order-gut-voice-america-other-agencies-2025-03-15/
As good as journalism gets in America, well worth visiting, following, donating, and watch for jobs too.
Thread about rights.
9/n
One more thing about the right of the public to know what government is doing.
Independent news media is crucial during the times we're living in. If we don't know what is happening, how can we be responsible citizens?
Watch this space:
"Maddow: Trump's dismantling of independent news media is happening before our eyes"
Maddow looks at how Trump & allies are undermining news outlets...
I'm saving a ton of money over the last year. Here's my secret:
-Cancelled NYT subscription
-Cancelled WaPo subscription
-Cancelled Amazon Prime
-Cancelled Spotify
Turns out I'm saving money and also giving my more directly to smaller businesses, true journalists, and artists.
Really not that hard, people.
Happy Friday, technophiles! Please check out these federated Flipboard sources and Magazines. Follow them for product reviews, trends, exclusive interviews and opinion, and the latest in technology news.
Keep up with all the latest in crypto at Decrypt Media, https://flipboard.com/@decryptmedia/cryptocurrency-cu2q5hejz
Deciding what to watch on Netflix? BGR has you covered, https://flipboard.com/@bgr/latest-netflix-series-movies-to-watch-jo7ipkkvz
News, reviews and trends from Samsung and Android at Android Authority, https://flipboard.com/@androidauth/samsung-r15spj54z
The latest deals on Google products and services via 9to5Google, https://flipboard.com/@9to5google/google-product-deals-ljj5qt2ez
Can't get enough AI? Gizmodo has up-to-date coverage, https://flipboard.com/@gizmodo/artificial-intelligence-7bv07f1uz
Finally, our team had a wonderful time at #SXSW on Sunday and Monday, where Flipboard and @surf hosted the first #FediverseHouse. Our CEO @mike and the whole team are 100% #TeamFediverse, and were thrilled to meet and talk to so many other open social web advocates. Here’s a feature by @Markoff for @newyorktimes, where Mike, @Gargron and @reckless1280 discuss the rise of decentralized social media, and how it can help publishers and media companies survive and thrive.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/technology/mike-mccue-surf-browser-decentralized-internet.html
News continues to flow at breakneck speed and independent newsrooms continue to reveal and analyze what’s happening around the world. Highlights for us this week were @ProPublica's exposé on DOGE’s potential impact on social security, @KnowableMag's explainer on pregnancy at altitude, and a lovely interview by @thecontinent of the beloved Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed. Please check out these stories and all the others in this thread, comment, like, follow their accounts and give them your money.
Inside the Schools Alaska Ignored
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Two inches of raw sewage. Black mold. A bat infestation. Reporter Emily Schwing shares what she uncovered as she investigated dangerous conditions inside Alaska’s deteriorating public schools.
https://www.propublica.org/article/alaska-deterioriating-public-schools-reporting?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post