The acting CEO of the US Agency for Global Media appointed substitutes for top positions in three US government-funded media organizations on Sunday as part of a change in the agency prompted by President Biden’s inauguration.
An agency statement said Daisy Sindelar would take over as interim head of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, while Bay Fang would take over Radio Free Asia and Kelley Sullivan would take over Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).
The shake-up comes after Biden moved, just hours after taking office, to force the departure of the former head of the United States Agency for Global Media, Michael Pack, who was installed by President Trump
Donald TrumpNYT: Deputy Perry played a role in Trump’s alleged plan to expel AG Arizona GOP censors leading state Republicans McCain, Flake and Ducey Biden and the UK Prime Minister discuss NATO, multilateralism during call MORE last year, and accused of working to uncover journalists with negative views about the president of several news organizations under the agency’s supervision. The three nominations nominated Sunday will be all chief agencies recently targeted for leadership by Pack’s own nominees.
“I have great faith in these leaders to ensure the highest standards of independent, objective and professional journalism,” said Kelu Chao, acting CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media, who took over after Pack’s forced resignation.
Pack’s brief term at USAGM was marked by a difficult relationship with Congress after he refused to testify before a House panel about a series of his actions, including the resignations of several figures at agencies under his supervision.
US-funded media organizations under the USAGM were investigated by alleged targets of journalists with anti-Trump views under the Trump administration; earlier this month, a Voice of America reporter was temporarily transferred in an action that drew strong criticism after questioning the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Mike PompeoBiden must wait the weekend for the State Department to choose the State Department to review the Trump administrator’s decision to label Houthis as a terrorist organization VOA reinstates transferred White House reporter after questioning Pompeo MORE about his comments on the integrity of the 2020 election.