China's state media praised President Trump's decision over the weekend and shut down government agencies that oversee the US voice.
“The so-called beacon of freedom, VOA is now dumped by its own government, like a dirty rag.” I wrote it in an editorial It was released this week and calls it “a frontline propaganda tool in the ideological conflict of the Cold War.”
“VOA has a terrible track record when it comes to reporting on China,” the outlet wrote. “Perhaps the US government also recognizes that continuing to waste substantial national funds on these outdated, ineffective systems is neither the meaningful nor the greatest benefit of the nation.”
Over the weekend, Trump signed an executive order calling for the reduction of several federal agencies, including the US Global Media Agency (USAGM), which hosts the VOA.
As a result, hundreds of VOA journalists were placed on administrative leave and told not to continue reporting.
The administration's move shocked the staff at outlets and sparked widespread criticism from press freedom organisations and others in the international community.
