As Voice of America goes dark, music replaces broadcasts

For more than 80 years, Voice of America (VOA) transmitted the news into countries, many of them authoritarian, where reliable sources of information about the outside world were often hard to come by.

- David Enrich

WASHINGTON - For more than 80 years, Voice of America (VOA) transmitted the news into countries, many of them authoritarian, where reliable sources of information about the outside world were often hard to come by.

Now those broadcasts - long viewed as an important part of US efforts to promote democracy and transparency overseas - are flickering out.

Hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 14 calling for the dismantling of the federal agency that oversees VOA, hundreds of journalists, executives and other employees at the organisation's headquarters in Washington were informed that they were being put on paid leave.