Staff Reports
In a scathing email to employees, Amanda Bennett, CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), reminded staff members to stay in their lane as reporters and not become activists. She emphasized the importance of serving as journalists, rather than trying to shape the outcome of the news. Bennett, a Biden political appointee, highlighted that while activism can be a noble practice, it has no place within USAGM news networks. She encouraged confused employees to consult their editors, who are working diligently to uphold professional standards.
Biden's Global Media CEO warns VOA over activism in Israel coverage https://t.co/KhsjQMfW58
— Akhbarpoint (@akhbarpoint) November 23, 2023
Although Bennett did not reference a specific incident, her email comes amid divisions within Voice of America (VOA) and news organizations worldwide over the coverage of recent events involving Hamas and Israel. VOA sparked controversy by instructing employees not to label Hamas as “terrorists,” instead suggesting terms like “militants.” Reporters were even permitted to refer to Hamas’ indiscriminate slaughter of civilians as a “terrorist attack.” When asked about the motive behind Bennett’s email, USAGM responded by stating it addressed the present challenges faced by newsrooms globally.
As the CEO of USAGM, Bennett’s involvement in journalistic matters has caused confusion among critics like Daniel Robinson, a former VOA correspondent. He argues that while Bennett expresses discomfort with VOA policies criticized by congressional Republicans, she also endorses policy that supports labeling Hamas as a freedom fighting group. In her email, Bennett acknowledges the heightened emotions in newsrooms due to the ongoing events in Israel and Gaza. She aims to clarify the distinction between journalism and activism, emphasizing the duty to report news factually and honestly.
VOA has faced further scrutiny regarding its coverage of the conflict. A November 9 story with a headline suggesting that “Israeli strikes” hit Gaza’s largest hospital remained on the website even after Israeli officials denied involvement and attributed the blasts to Hamas rocket-propelled grenades. VOA only included the Israeli denial in a subsequent story on November 10, leaving the initial story uncorrected for several days. Robinson criticized VOA for maintaining pro-Hamas content online and for failing to label Hamas as terrorists, stating that there is no moral equivalency between Hamas and Israel.
