Suspension of Satellite Broadcasting for Some Programs of the Russian-Language Network Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has canceled its contracts with two satellite systems that were broadcasting the Russian-language content of the "Current Time" network, which operates under Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. This action comes amid ongoing tensions regarding the reduction of activities of some media funded by the U.S. government. The "Current Time" network announced on April 4 that its broadcasts via Astra and Eutelsat satellites have been halted, while broadcasts via the Hotbird satellite system continue. The U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the operations of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, has not provided an explanation for this decision. Stephen Kipes, President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, stated that "we hope this decision will be reconsidered in the future." "Current Time," which has been designated as an "undesirable organization" by the Russian Ministry of Justice, announced that audiences can still access its content through other digital means. The network continues to produce content, focusing on news coverage related to Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and other regions. Civil and human rights organizations have warned about the dissolution of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts programs in 27 languages to 23 countries, reaching approximately 50 million audiences in countries such as Belarus, China, Iran, and Russia. The mission of this media outlet is to provide independent and impartial news. The cancellation of satellite contracts by the U.S. Agency for Global Media occurred three weeks after an executive order issued by Donald Trump, which called for reducing the activities of seven entities, including this media organization, "to the extent possible and within existing laws." In the hours following the issuance of the executive order, the U.S. Agency for Global Media announced that it had canceled the budget approved by Congress for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for the fiscal year 2025 (ending September 30). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has called this action "illegal" and has initiated legal action against the U.S. Agency for Global Media. On March 25, a court in the U.S. deemed the U.S. Agency for Global Media's decision to cut funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as "arbitrary and unconsidered" and halted it. The agency announced the next day that it would revoke its decision but still reserves its legal right to terminate this funding. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which had to send many of its employees on reduced-paid leave on April 1, has stated that it is still awaiting official confirmation from the U.S. Agency for Global Media to resume funding. Media rights advocates have called the decision to weaken the U.S. Agency for Global Media "disgraceful" and stated that this action benefits authoritarian regimes worldwide.