Kari Lake, the President-elect Donald Trump’s selection to head Voice of America (VOA), emphasizes her commitment to maintaining the organization’s neutrality and independence.
Kari Lake‘s Vision for Voice of America
Kari Lake, the President-elect Donald Trump’s selection to head the international broadcaster Voice of America (VOA), has emphasized her commitment to maintaining the organization’s neutrality and independence.
“I’m not there to make it Trump TV and MAGA TV,” she said in an interview with CBS News. “That’s not what this is about. That’s not what Voice of America is.” Lake, a former broadcast journalist who unsuccessfully ran for governor and for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona, wants to ensure that VOA staff have the resources to produce high-quality journalism.
Lake believes that VOA should focus on providing accurate and fair assessments of news events, rather than promoting any particular ideology or agenda. “I want to actually put more coverage out there, more product out there,” she said. “More broadcasting, and make sure that they’re doing really quality, top-notch broadcasting and focus on great journalism, asking questions, and making sure that the journalists know that they’re independent journalists.”
Lake acknowledged that she has been critical of non-conservative media outlets in the past, but emphasized that her goal is to promote a return to politically neutral journalism. “The fake news — the mainstream media — has just become obsolete,” she said during remarks at AmericaFest, a political gathering hosted by Turning Point USA.
However, Lake also acknowledged that she will need to work with the bipartisan board that oversees VOA to implement any changes. The current director of VOA, Mike Abramowitz, welcomed “a smooth transition of power” in an email to staff last week.
Lake’s appointment has raised concerns among some that she may politicize the news organization. However, she emphasized her commitment to maintaining the independence and neutrality of VOA. “I don’t care if the reporters are Democrats or Republicans,” she said. “But whether they can set aside their opinions and do a fair and accurate job is what matters.
