Elez Biberaj: Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich visited the Voice of America
In June 2016, Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich visited the Voice of America to express her appreciation to its Russian Service for decades of courageous and impactful journalism – broadcasts that delivered reliable news, critical context, and the U.S. perspective to millions across Russia and the former Soviet republics. Tragically, that voice has gone silent since March 15, when the U.S. Agency for Global Media placed VOA journalists on administrative leave and suspended all broadcasts. The sweeping shutdown marked a stunning act of self-inflicted harm to U.S. national interests. No adversary could have struck a greater blow to America’s global credibility than the decision to silence its own VOICE.
The recent move by Kari Lake, senior advisor at USAGM, to reinstate dozens of VOA Persian Service journalists in the midst of the Iran-Israel crisis was a welcome and necessary acknowledgment of VOA’s vital role in moments of global urgency. But it must not remain an isolated gesture. Lake should move swiftly to restore VOA operations, at the minimum prioritizing services that cover regions of high strategic importance to the United States, including Russia, Ukraine, the Balkans, China, Korea, Afghanistan, and Africa. It would be regrettable if her legacy were defined by the dismantling of one of America’s most enduring instruments of soft power, rather than its renewal.
The Voice of America symbolizes journalism at its highest calling: delivering factual, independent reporting and setting a global standard for truth in the face of censorship, disinformation, and propaganda. Despite the damage done since March 15, including the loss of many journalists whose work exemplified the highest ideals of American journalism and democratic values, VOA can still be restored. Lawmakers across the political spectrum, many of whom have long supported its mission, should summon the resolve to ensure this vital institution endures.
America’s voice must not remain silent. Not now. Not ever.