Jim Swift and Steve Herman discuss VOA’s challenges amid a government funding freeze. With 1,350 staff on indefinite leave since mid-March—550 contractors at risk, including vulnerable J-1 visa holders—they stress how vital VOA’s balanced reporting is for regions lacking free media. The interview reviews VOA’s historical impact from WWII to its modern role, warning that the current hiatus may let rival state-sponsored broadcasters fill the void.
