Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., said he is concerned about left-leaning and biased coverage by Voice of America and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, both of which are funded by taxpayer dollars.
Mast, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability, wrote a letter Thursday to Amanda Bennett, CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and other U.S. diplomatic news agencies.
Mast wrote of his "serious concern regarding recent instances that call into question the journalistic independence and editorial integrity at the U.S. Agency for Global Media [USAGM] and Voice of America [VOA]."
Mast cited what he called VOA's "skewed coverage of recent political events," including two articles on President Joe Biden's State of the Union address in which the president was described "in glowing, one-sided terms, while limiting Republican responses and comments to polarizing sound bites and pejorative characterizations."
He also mentioned an instance where Anita Powell, VOA's White House correspondent, asked press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a Feb. 1 briefing if the U.S. is a racist society. The question came on the same day as the funeral of Tyre Nichols, a Black man beaten to death by Memphis, Tennessee police. Mast wrote it was "a line of questioning reflecting the beliefs of many on the extreme left."
"Such questions are neither objective nor balanced, raising the potential violation of VOA's standards and principles," Mast wrote. "Theses examples raise serious questions of partisan bias that represents a 'single segment of American society,' not a 'balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions.'"
Mast wrote he is concerned VOA has lost sight of its intended mission and priorities by shutting down its traditional Chinese-language broadcasts, instead pouring money into English-language "cultural studies" of the U.S.
"VOA has an important role in providing accurate and timely information to those who often need it most, particularly individuals under oppressive global regimes, but it has failed to do so in recent years," Mast wrote.
He concluded the letter by expressing concern that VOA placed two journalists in its Russia bureau on leave following the disclosure of a letter signed by 15 staff members to management regarding the journalists' history of contributing to Russian propaganda supporting President Vladimir Putin's "war of aggression against Ukraine."
"As a publicly funded media organization, it is imperative that VOA follow its statutory mandate to provide nonpartisan and balanced news coverage," Mast wrote. "I hope this letter will serve as an important reminder of the standards and principles USAGM and VOA are statutorily required to uphold and that you will take the necessary steps to ensure their compliance."
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