In a sweeping move affecting the largest international broadcaster in the U.S., all full-time employees of Voice of America (VOA) have been placed on administrative leave, officials confirmed Saturday.
The decision was communicated via an email from Crystal G. Thomas, director of human resources at the U.S. Agency of Global Affairs Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and several other state-funded media outlets, including Radio Free Asia, according to CBS News.
A source within VOA told CBS News that the directive applied to all full-time employees, from reporters to senior managers, but contractual employees were not affected, as their contracts expire in June.
The move follows an executive order signed late Friday by President Donald Trump, aimed at cutting costs across several federal agencies, including USAGM, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
Michael Abramowitz, director of Voice of America, expressed deep concern over the development.
“I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” Abramowitz said in a statement Saturday. “I learned this morning that virtually the entire staff – more than 1,300 journalists, producers, and support staff – has been placed on administrative leave today. So have I.”
Founded in 1942, Voice of America broadcasts in 49 languages and reaches an estimated 361 million people worldwide, including underrepresented regions. Before Saturday’s action, it employed approximately 2,000 people and operated with an annual budget of $260 million.
