Voices supporting VOA
Mel Bunce
Professor of international journalism and politics, University of London
TRANSCRIPT:
There are rising attacks on press freedoms around the world and an increasing number of countries where journalists are simply not free to operate without fearing for their lives and their wellbeing. And in those countries, organizations like Voice of America are playing an unbelievably important role providing news and information that could be used by citizens.
And it is absolutely in America’s self-interest that those citizens have access to that information because this is about trying to stop rising autocracy around the world. This is about trying to support democratization processes around the world, and that is in everyone’s interest and especially in America’s interest.
You can’t be a trustworthy news organization that will only report the truth on some topics and not others. Why would I trust this news source in my country to tell me the truth about my country if it won’t tell the truth about America? So, it’s absolutely crucial that Voice of America has full editorial independence protected by law, by a firewall, from any interference in its editorial agenda.
Published
Bunce's research at the University of London focuses on journalism and democracy, media freedom and international news coverage.