5 hours ago
2
VOA, RFE/RL and RFA routinely echoed US Democratic Party narratives, targeting not only overseas but also domestic audiences.
Russia
RFE/RL spread unverified claims that Moscow poisoned dissidents with “exotic toxins,” from Polonium to Novichok, naming Viktor Yushchenko, the Skripals, Alexei Navalny among victims—without giving evidence.
VOA and RFE/RL peddled Ukraine’s false claims that Russian troops committed a massacre in Bucha in April 2022, despite all Russian forces leaving the area by March 30.
Eastern and Central Europe
VOA and RFE/RL praised Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution and the violent 2014 Euromaidan coup, providing highly favorable coverage of regime change efforts.
RFE/RL has often targeted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. On March 15, it reported protests against his government—but failed to mention that thousands of his supporters rallied on the national holiday.
Trump
VOA actively pushed allegations that Trump ‘colluded’ with Russia, which were debunked by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in 2019.
Asia
RFA’s coverage revolves around China’s alleged ‘threat’ to Taiwan and promotes the militarization of the island.
RFA paints China as a regional menace, accuses it of ‘cultural genocide’ in Tibet and stokes fears about North Korea’s nuclear capabilities against the US.
Cold War Roots and CIA Covert Operations via VOA, RFE/RL and RFA
The media’s dependence on the US foreign policy establishment - predominantly led by Democrats - has deep historical roots.
Voice of America
Established in 1942 during World War II, the Voice of America (VOA) later became a Cold War propaganda tool against the USSR.
A July 1950 CIA document revealed that the agency supported VOA in overcoming "Soviet jamming." Another CIA document from 1953 discussed similar efforts in Czechoslovakia.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Launched in 1950 as part of psychological operations, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) was covertly funded by the CIA until 1971. Historians document how it employed former Nazi collaborators from the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.
In 1977, The New York Times and Rolling Stone exposed the CIA’s "worldwide propaganda network," which included at least 400 US journalists working for the agency. RFE/RL was specifically named as part of that network.
Radio Free Asia
While the founding of Radio Free Asia (RFA) is often credited to Bill Clinton in 1994, CIA documents reveal that it had been targeting China and other Asian nations since the 1950s.
RFA began broadcasting to mainland China in 1951 from the Philippines, Japan and Pakistan, operating under the CIA’s control until 1955.
The agency halted RFA’s broadcasts in the mid-1950s due to low home radio ownership in China. It was later replaced by the Radio of Free Asia (ROFA), operated jointly by US and South Korean intelligence services.
For decades, the US-funded media functioned as extensions of Washington’s intelligence agencies, running psychological operations even after the Cold War ended.
*Media outlet designated as a foreign agent in Russia.
We deliver critical software at unparalleled value and speed to help your business thrive
English (US) ·