Radio Free Asia (RFA) has announced the closure of its Tibetan and Uyghur language channels due to unclear funding prospects.
According to a report by Politico on May 1st, RFA announced that it will be forced to shut down its Tibetan and Uyghur language news services on May 9th primarily due to a lack of funding.
RFA spokesperson Rohit Mahajan explained the decision, stating, “The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was unable to guarantee timely or continued congressional funding for us. This has exacerbated our financial pressures.”
He added, “Regrettably, this has led us to implement furlough plans and shut down 50% of our multilingual news services in the coming weeks.”
On March 14th, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Continuing to Trim the Federal Bureaucracy,” directing eight agencies to minimize operations and staff, including the USAGM.
Following the order, funding for entities under USAGM like Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe (RFE), and RFA was immediately frozen. At VOA, over 1,300 employees were immediately placed on furlough, halting all operations.
Subsequently, VOA employees challenged the decision in court.
On April 23rd, Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the government must restore federal funding to these outlets pending a final judgment on the decision to close VOA and other international broadcasting institutions.
The ruling also stated that the significant funding cuts without legal basis necessitate the rehiring of all dismissed staff by U.S. government agencies. This court decision also applies to Radio Free Asia.
RFA welcomed the ruling, with RFA President Bay Fang urging USAGM to resume congressional funding for the outlet to operate normally.
She pointed out that after funding was halted, over three-quarters of in-country U.S. employees were placed on unpaid leave, and almost all contracts with overseas journalists were terminated. Without funding restoration, this situation could persist.
The U.S. Department of Justice has appealed Judge Lamberth’s ruling.
The Trump administration’s decision to shut down VOA and RFA immediately sparked attention and debate. Supporters of the move argue that VOA has become a left-wing media outlet serving partisan interests, failing to effectively promote authentic U.S. policies and values globally despite receiving significant annual funding.
Meanwhile, many long-time listeners of VOA and RFA expressed regret. Prominent Tibetan writer and poet Tsewang Yeshi’s comments on the issue are noteworthy.
In an article titled “Do Not Let the Voice of Tibetans Disappear: RFA and VOA Tibetan Services Should Not Be Shut Down” published on March 25th, she stated, “RFA and VOA Tibetan services have operated for decades, serving as a lifeline for Tibetans to break through information blockades and access external information. They not only provide a window to the truth about Tibet for Tibetans at home and abroad but also offer valuable insights to the international community.”
She further added, “Now faced with closure, the Tibetan issue may risk further marginalization in the international community, potentially leading to diminished global concerns for the plight of Tibetans.”
Voice of America first aired in 1942 with programs produced in German to counter Nazi propaganda and offer an alternative broadcast for the German public. Over time, the number of languages on the VOA channels rapidly expanded.
During the Cold War era, with a similar mission in mind, VOA established Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia in 1996.