Facing a funding freeze, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian service says it’s cutting back on staff and broadcasts
Due to funding restrictions, the Ukrainian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has been forced to furlough some of its staff and scale back broadcasts. On Friday, the outlet announced the final episode of the morning livestream Svoboda Utro. The morning program had aired for more than two years on Radio Svoboda’s YouTube channel and on the Espreso television network, where it was one of the highest-rated shows.
Starting April 14, the newsroom will also place some staff in Kyiv and Lviv on furlough.
“This is a necessary step as Radio Svoboda continues to fight in U.S. courts for the right to receive congressional funding. Earlier, on April 1, some staff members in Prague from various language services were placed on partially paid leave,” said Mariana Drach, head of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian service.
Like Voice of America, RFE/RL relies on funding from the U.S. Congress through a grant administered by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). On March 14, President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing cuts across seven federal agencies, including USAGM. Following the order, Voice of America announced a suspension of operations, while RFE/RL challenged the decision in court and secured a temporary injunction. However, USAGM has yet to resume funding despite the court order.
