A plaque honoring Voice of America’s headquarters in Washington as a historic site in journalism was unveiled Thursday, with current and former newsroom leaders present to affirm the importance of the outlet’s editorial independence.
During the 2001 dispute involving the Mullah Omar interview, more than 100 journalists at VOA spoke out, signing a petition urging the agency to resist the pressure. VOA ended up airing segments from the interview and released a statement defending the coverage to its critics. “The people in Afghanistan are tuning into us because they trust us, and we tell the whole story,” the statement said in part
VOA Director Amanda Bennet urged journalists around the world to remain diligent in reporting the truth about the coronavirus, particularly in countries with constricted media space. Bennett issued the message to commemorate the 27th World Press Freedom Day, themed: Journalism without Fear or Favor
CPJ’s research shows that journalists for Voice of America often put themselves at risk by reporting in highly censored or dangerous countries. For example, they have been harassed and detained in China, charged with treason in Ethiopia, imprisoned in Eritrea and Vietnam, and killed on assignment in Somalia