WASHINGTON – Radio Free Asia marked its 29th anniversary today, when audiences in Beijing first accessed its inaugural Mandarin programming on Sept. 29, 1996. RFA President and CEO Bay Fang renewed the call for RFA’s work, as the governments of China and other authoritarian countries crack down on independent voices and a free press.
“Despite challenges and uncertainty besetting our organization this year, one thing remains clear: RFA is committed to its Congressionally mandated mission and work,” Fang said. “RFA’s incisive brand of journalism, shining a light into the darkest corners of the world, is needed more than ever as the Chinese Communist Party and other autocrats race to cement the global narrative to suit their own ends.
“It is RFA’s job to rise above obstacles, exposing propaganda and lies, in pursuit of freedom and courage in reporting.”
In the months since the U.S. Agency for Global Media terminated its Congressionally appropriated grant to RFA, and despite layoffs and furloughs that diminished editorial staff by more than 90%, RFA has continued to fulfill its Congressional mandate of providing accurate, timely news to people living in some of the most closed media environments in Asia. It has also won several awards, including two national Edward R. Murrow awards in August, and a Gracie Award in March. While many services, including RFA Uyghur and Tibetan, have gone dark, some continue, including Burmese, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Vietnamese.
New content, formats drive growth
Although USAGM ended radio broadcasts, RFA continues to reach millions online: on the web, through mobile apps, and on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X. Even some shuttered language services continue to see millions of views of archived content. Meanwhile new kinds of programming have been added to utilize resources and talent on hand. Some highlights include:
RFA Perspectives | With limited staffing, RFA editors have focused on bringing RFA’s decades of expertise to video-first content like explainers that unpack a news event and interviews with experts to provide analysis and chart where a story might go next. China’s crackdown on dissent | A human rights lawyer imprisoned for seven years for criticizing the government. A Xinjiang history buff who was tortured for speaking out on a livestream. These men told RFA Mandarin their stories this summer, adding to our essential reporting on Beijing’s brutality.The Thailand/Cambodia border clash | Long-simmering tensions catalyzed into armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia over a disputed border in July, killing dozens and displacing more than 300,000. RFA had reporters on both sides, with stories in Khmer for locals and in English for the world.The deadly Myanmar earthquake | In March, a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit civil-war-torn Myanmar, an impoverished country of rickety structures. More than 3,300 people died; millions are food insecure. RFA’s on-site coverage told citizens’ stories, showcasing where aid was needed.Remaking Vietnam’s government | Vietnamese leader To Lam is reinforcing his power: consolidating 63 provinces to 34, appointing relatives to key posts, and crafting policies to benefit select private firms. Local media faces state censorship. RFA’s unvarnished reports provide an unobstructed view.
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