Is the U.S. Agency for Global Media Biased?

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is an independent federal agency that is responsible for overseeing public service media networks. According to their website, the USAGM provides “unbiased news and information in countries where the press is restricted”. This agency has an annual budget of about $850 Million and it’s funded with U.S. tax dollars. The USAGM is made up of 5 international broadcasters including the Voice of America (VOA) and it has an audience of 315 Million foreigners a week. It is broadcast in 70 languages

So, why was Michael Pack, the former CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media the very first person that the Biden administration fired? Pack explains to Sharyl Attkisson that the agency “had drifted way to the left with very biased, distorted programming”. Pack told Attkisson that his goal had been to move the agency “back to center” but his attempt “was perceived by many on the left to be a loss of their power and their influence”.

Watch as Pack gives Attkisson an example of biased programming that USAGM produced. It was supposed to be a piece targeted to Pakistan. Instead, it was “essentially, a repackaged Biden ad” that showcased a speech from Joe Biden’s 2020 Presidential campaign. Biden’s speech had targeted Arab speaking people in Michigan and was intended to flip votes to the Democrats. As Pack points out “there was no counterpoint from the Trump campaign. It was without a balancing viewpoint.”

Source: Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson, February 26, 2022

Lessons Learned

In her closing remarks, Attkisson’s asked Michael Pack if there was a lesson to be learned from his experience. Pack’s reply was:

“Well, Sharyl, I come away from this feeling it is very hard to reform agencies. This agency is small by government standards, 4,000 people. But they simply did not feel the need to follow what I said or what President Trump said. On the other hand, I believe you can have an impact on the media and news and culture in the free market. And I think I comeway believing that people who are right-of-center, as I am, need to step up their efforts in that area, or we will let the other side tell all the stories.”

Michael Packs (Former CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media under the Trump Administration