How Trump's shutdown of Voice of America will impact underserved countries worldwide

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published August 1, 2025 at 12:02 PM EDT

When President Trump ordered Voice of America to shut down earlier this year, he ended 83 years of continuous broadcast news service to underserved countries worldwide.

Former VoA director Geoff Cowan argues the U.S. government-funded broadcaster provided vital information to hundreds of millions of listeners in nearly 50 languages. If Voice of America stays off the airwaves, he says China will inevitably fill the vacuum.

Here & Now’s Scott Tong speaks with Cowan about Voice of America’s long legacy and its uncertain future.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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