Boost USAGM's Editorial Independence: GAO to Congress
Consider changing appointment and removal procedures for U.S. Agency for Global Media’s grantee board members to better protect editorial independence, GAO recommended Wednesday. USAGM grantees include Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and the Open Technology Fund. “Network and USAGM…
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officials said that previous members of USAGM leadership took several actions that did not align with USAGM's firewall principles,” the audit said. Congressional Democrats and others criticized USAGM leadership during the Trump administration for purging staff and hurting content independence (see 2006240054). Giving the International Broadcasting Advisory Board a role in determining grantee directors “may help ensure the professional independence and integrity of USAGM's grantees,” GAO said. Consider legislation to define parameters of USAGM’s editorial “firewall” and “what is and is not permissible,” GAO recommended.