Voice of America Persian News Network facts for kids
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Owner | U. S. federal government |
| Parent | Voice of America |
| Established | July 2003 |
| Launch date | 18 October 1994 (TV) 22 November 1979 (Radio) |
| Former names | VOA Persia Service |
| Budget | $23.78 million (FY2010) |
| Official website | Official website: https://ir.voanews.com/ |
| Language | Persian |
The Voice of America Persian News Network (VOA-PNN) was a special news service from the United States of America. It broadcasted news and programs in the Persian language. Its main office was in Washington D.C.. VOA-PNN started its TV shows on October 18, 1994, with one hour of programming. Its radio shows began earlier, on November 22, 1979, with 30 minutes each day.
VOA Persian TV stopped broadcasting on March 15, 2025. This happened because of an order from U.S. President Donald Trump. This order stopped money for several media groups, including Voice of America. About 1,300 VOA staff members were affected.
Leaders of VOA Persian
Many people led the VOA-PNN over the years. The first manager was Ahmadreza Baharloo. Other leaders included Kambiz Mohammadi, Shila Ganji, Behrouz Abbassi, Behrouz Souresrafil, James Glassman, Hida Fouladvand, and Ramin Asgard. The last manager of VOA-PNN was Setareh Derakhshesh.
Programs and Shows
By July 2007, VOA-PNN offered one hour of radio programs daily. It also had seven hours of new TV shows each day. They also ran a website with news and information.
Popular TV Series
- Parazit (2008–2012)
- OnTen (2012–2015)
Why VOA Persian Was Shut Down
The White House gave several reasons for ending the VOA Persian service. These reasons focused on how the network reported news and managed its staff.
- In July 2020, Voice of America was criticized for stories that seemed to favor Joe Biden. He was a candidate for president at the time.
- In October 2020, VOA reported on a story about Hunter Biden's laptop. This story involved emails that suggested ties to the Biden family. The Trump administration believed VOA's report made the laptop story seem less believable.
- Voice of America management reportedly asked staff not to call members of Hamas "terrorists." They were told to use the term only when quoting official statements.
- In 2019, a story about transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States appeared in the media.
- The White House also pointed to a 2019 report from another news outlet. This report said some VOA reporters posted anti-Trump messages on their work Twitter accounts.
- A 2022 lawsuit was also mentioned. It claimed that VOA had people with anti-American views working there. It also suggested that content was changed to help certain groups in Iran.
- In September 2019, a report said VOA had hired a Russian person who spread anti-American ideas.
- Congressman Scott Perry wrote in a 2022 letter that VOA had become "extremely partisan." A 2016 report also found that VOA Persian staff felt pressure to push certain political goals.
- Another argument against VOA was an article titled "Voice of America Misallocates Funds, Hides Negative Stories About Iran." This article called for an investigation.
- The Trump administration also noted that in May 2019, VOA fired journalists. This happened after they canceled a live broadcast due to pressure from the Chinese government.
- Finally, a VOA article titled "What is 'white privilege' and who does it help?" was mentioned. The White House said this term is often used in discussions about racial profiling.
