More than 1,300 employees of the radio "Voice of America" were put on leave on Saturday, after a day earlier US President Donald Trump significantly reduced the activities of the US Agency for Global Media, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Michael Abramowitz, director of "Voice of America", said that almost his entire staff of about 1,300 journalists, producers and assistants has been put on administrative leave, which has led to a reduction in the work of the media, which broadcasts programs in nearly 50 languages.
"I am deeply saddened that for the first time in 83 years, the famous "Voice of America" "I learned this morning that almost the entire staff of the Voice of America - over 1,300 journalists, producers and support staff - has been placed on administrative leave. Me too," the radio director added.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order significantly reducing the activities of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). As a result, the agency responsible for the Voice of America also stopped providing grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts in Eastern European countries, including Russia and Ukraine, as well as to Radio Free Asia, which broadcasts in China and North Korea.