Voice of America to Resume Operations Following DOJ Approval

Voice of America (VOA) staff now have authorization from the Justice Department to begin office work and broadcast operations during the next week, thus completing a two-month suspension that started in March. The DOJ issued an email allowing VOA staff members to initiate a gradual office return while resuming their broadcast activities. VOA experiences a major transformation after staying suspended since spring, as the government allowed workers to resume broadcasts next week.

The shutdown took effect when President Trump issued an executive order that dissolved the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), leading to its oversight authority over the foreign broadcasting services, including VOA. The executive order introduced changes that affected VOA with additional impacts on several U.S. government-supported media outlets:

• Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
• Radio Free Asia
• Middle East Broadcasting Networks