Voice of America (VOA) is often seen as an American propaganda outlet. I personally observed its correspondents to provide news from an American perspective, particularly in Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. They reported on news without reflecting US superiority.
VOA’s reporting is factual, balanced, and serious, without the tone of intellectual or moral superiority. It may sound boring to some, especially for foreign audiences.
VOA reports are available online, but it’s prohibited to broadcast to American stations. Prohibited by US laws, VOA does not broadcast in the US, unlike some other international networks.
VOA’s reporting style is straightforward with minimal analysis or investigation, unlike legacy media. When I was at VOA in the 1960s and 1970s, I never saw any bias towards the US, and correspondents reported from Vietnam War and other conflicts with accuracy.
VOA’s credibility is undeniable, especially in cases like Tiananmen Square, where protesters relied on VOA and BBC for news, as they had no access to Chinese media. China has since blocked various media outlets, including Facebook and Gmail to maintain control.
VOA’s reporting looks to some like propaganda, but it’s more reliable than state-run broadcasters. Former VOA correspondents, like Kurt Achin, agree that VOA represents the entire US entity, not just one sector, and is committed to speaking truth.
VOA doesn’t have political perspectives, unlike other media. For example, former Chief National Correspondent Steve Herman, who was placed on vacation by Trump’s administration, cited loyalty as a major attribute over experience.
