If they wanted to address costs, that's what a functioning Congress would be for, not a guy with a hacksaw.
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Kari Lake previews her plans for Voice of America in the next Administration.
- Thread starter Bill Betten
- Start date
The problem is that very, very few people have shortwave radios today. The available ones are specialty items you can get on Amazon; if you live in Honduras or Jamaica, though, it is probable that no store has such a device.
Sounds like you're describing AM & FM in this country. Other than standard equipment in the car, fewer people have access to broadcast.
But, with cars included, over 95% of Americans have access to AM and FM... or in a Tesla, just FM. On the other hand, if you look in stores in Ecuador (which my daughter did last year when this subject also came up) you will not find any radios and very few will still have the radios with short wave that were more common in the 50's and 60's.
As I often say about the AM in Cars law, having access doesn't mean actual usage. What we know is that actual usage of AM & FM is affected by the device, and that fewer homes actually have AM & FM radios in them. That's the argument you're making about shortwave.
I must be an old fuddy-duddy then. I actually have four radios in my bedroom, three of which are in good working order, and the fourth of which, the Panasonic RF-2800 I own, can, with new batteries and a little skill, be made to work. I have a funny feeling that one day soon, a lot of people will wake up, realize that their world has completely changed on them, and have no idea of what to do.
That "one day" will come sooner than you think, and it will affect a lot more than just the radios in your bedroom.
Kari Lake has a new job. She had been a "special advisor" to the USAGM. Prior to that, she was supposed to run the VOA. Now she's going to the State Department where she will have a more direct role in the future of USAGM:
The State Department oversees a lot of what USAGM does. As mentioned earlier, the president's pick to run USAGM, Brent Bozell, has been pulled, and he will instead become ambassador to South Africa.
Kari Lake to be detailed to State Department to dismantle VOA parent agency
Lake’s new role is aimed at shutting down the agency that oversees Voice of America, where she is a senior adviser.
www.detroitnews.com
The State Department oversees a lot of what USAGM does. As mentioned earlier, the president's pick to run USAGM, Brent Bozell, has been pulled, and he will instead become ambassador to South Africa.
Given the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions in cases unrelated to radio but related to this administration over the past two days, the prognosis for the Court cases made by former employees of VOA now looks pretty grim.Kari Lake has a new job. She had been a "special advisor" to the USAGM. Prior to that, she was supposed to run the VOA. Now she's going to the State Department where she will have a more direct role in the future of USAGM:
Kari Lake to be detailed to State Department to dismantle VOA parent agency
Lake’s new role is aimed at shutting down the agency that oversees Voice of America, where she is a senior adviser.www.detroitnews.com
The State Department oversees a lot of what USAGM does. As mentioned earlier, the president's pick to run USAGM, Brent Bozell, has been pulled, and he will instead become ambassador to South Africa.
The USAGM was set up to protect the various media outlets from government control. Project 2025 sought to remove that protection, and turn the outlets into mouthpieces of the administration, similar to Sputnik. That's what Kari Lake will do. So she may bring back some VOA staff, but their independence will be gone, and they'll report whatever the State Department tells them. I suspect her new job doesn't require senate confirmation.
Sputnik only beeped. I think you mean Pravda.
Nope. Radio Sputnik is the Russian government radio service that some US stations used to carry:
Sputnik News Radio | Listen to radio online streaming | Podcasts
Sputnik radio shows with on-air guests will outline and discuss all the major news about politics, economy, sports and lifestyle. Stay tuned for daily uodates.
sputnikglobe.com
Sputnik Radio is the result of the 2014 reorganization and revamp of what had been the Voice of Russia international service, which itself was a 1993 rebranding of the old Radio Moscow, which started shortwave broadcasts in 1929.
America's news TV channel for the Mideast fires its staff after funding cuts
The head of the U.S.-funded Al Hurra Arabic-language television and online news outlet has terminated most of his staff and curtailed TV programming.
apnews.com
Update the Al Hurra Network thats affiliated with the VOA is also facing cuts for the same reasons as the VOA itself.
I just love those totally unsubstantiated audience figures that VOA and its associated services claim. Al Hurra claims 30 million followers, yet there is no source data.
America's news TV channel for the Mideast fires its staff after funding cuts
The head of the U.S.-funded Al Hurra Arabic-language television and online news outlet has terminated most of his staff and curtailed TV programming.
Update the Al Hurra Network thats affiliated with the VOA is also facing cuts for the same reasons as the VOA itself.
USAGM
MBN is the non-profit news organization that operates Alhurra Television, Radio Sawa and MBN Digital reaching audiences in 22 countries across the Middle East and North Africa.
www.usagm.gov
If there is Nielsen Data or its equivalent for each country that gets a specific VOA affiliate then I can understand where you’re coming from. Middle East and North Africa is a broad category that needs data from individual countries to understand the context of importance.
Given the trouble the current President has caused himself (and us) with non-radio issues, I think that Mr. Jedman's decision was probably the best that could be hoped for.America's news TV channel for the Mideast fires its staff after funding cuts
The head of the U.S.-funded Al Hurra Arabic-language television and online news outlet has terminated most of his staff and curtailed TV programming.
Update the Al Hurra Network thats affiliated with the VOA is also facing cuts for the same reasons as the VOA itself.
Nielsen only operates in a relatively small number of countries. In many places in the world, there is a local ratings company. Canada has one owned by the radio industry. Mexico has two that have been there for 60 or 70 years (Arbitron tried to enter Mexico... even hired me as a consultant... and failed). Some nations have none.
In my decades of reviewing raw ratings data in quite a variety of countries, I never saw VOA mentioned once.
A federal judge has ruled that the president illegally shut down VOA:
apnews.com
The ruling says the VOA has to return to the air pending the result of the various employee lawsuits.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America
A federal judge has agreed to block the Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America, the 83-year-old international news service created by Congress. U.S.
apnews.com
The ruling says the VOA has to return to the air pending the result of the various employee lawsuits.