USAGM cancels part of satellite broadcast of Radio Free Europe's Russian-language programming
RFE/RL reaches nearly 50 million people in countries including Belarus, China, Iran and Russia, striving to present independent and impartial news and information in 23 countries and broadcasting in 27 languages.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has terminated contracts with two satellite systems that carry Russian-language content produced by Current Time, a network run by Radio Free Europe, amid a fight to shut down the operations of numerous U.S.-funded broadcasters.
Current Time announced on April 4 that it would no longer broadcast on the Astra and Eutelsat satellite systems, following a move by the US government agency that oversees RFE/RL and Voice of America, although Current Time continues to be broadcast on the Hotbird satellite system. USAGM did not provide an explanation for its decision.
Current Time, which has been designated an "undesirable organization" by the Russian Justice Ministry, said its audience could use other digital means to access its programming, which is still in production. It currently focuses on Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and other regions.
RFE/RL reaches nearly 50 million people in countries including Belarus, China, Iran and Russia, striving to present independent and impartial news and information in 23 countries where it broadcasts in 27 languages.
USAGM's move to terminate satellite contracts comes three weeks after an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump called for the reduction of seven agencies - including USAGM - to the "maximum extent consistent with applicable law".
Hours after the executive order was signed, USAGM announced that it had terminated funding for RSE allocated by Congress for the 2025 budget year, which ends on September 30.
RFE/RL called the move illegal and is currently pursuing a lawsuit against USAGM over the move.
On March 25, a US court granted RFE/RL's request for a temporary restraining order (TRO), ruling that USAGM had acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in cutting the grant earmarked for RFE/RL in its budget. The following day, USAGM wrote to RFE/RL, saying it was reversing the announcement but that it was "without prejudice to USAGM's authority to terminate the grant."
RSE, which was forced to place many of its staff on leave with reduced pay on April 1, said it is still awaiting official confirmation from USAGM that grant funding will continue.
Media rights advocates called the move to destroy USAGM "outrageous," saying it delivers a victory for authoritarian regimes around the world.
The Committee to Protect Journalists warned on April 1 that this also puts many journalists who worked for broadcasters such as RFE/RL at risk.
"Journalists affiliated with USAGM face serious threats, imprisonment and persecution in their own countries for reporting on politically sensitive topics," the letter, also signed by PEN America, Reporters Without Borders and others, said.
The letter calls on the US Congress to take "urgent action" to protect journalists who worked for publicly funded media outlets.
"Their protection... is a moral obligation and a vital stance for press freedom and democratic values," they wrote.
USAGM is an independent U.S. government agency that oversees the broadcasting of news and information in nearly 50 languages to approximately 361 million people each week.
The total budget request for USAGM for fiscal year 2025 was $950 million to fund all of its operations and capital investments.
This includes media outlets such as RFE/RL, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, the Cuban Broadcasting Office (Radio Marti), Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), and the Open Technology Fund.
( Radio Free Europe )