United States Agency for Global Media

USAGM budget request supports modernization and strategic priorities

March 18, 2019

Washington, D.C. — The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) today released its detailed Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, seeking $628 million to support key U.S. foreign policy goals, maximize impact and continue modernization initiatives while accommodating current spending constraints.

“Through unprecedented collaboration between the five USAGM networks and a strategic focus on language-based programming rather than national boundaries, we successfully meet the demand for accurate, compelling journalism that impacts lives and communicates America’s democratic values to our growing global audience,” said USAGM CEO and Director John F. Lansing, adding, “Our work is more important than ever.”

USAGM is in the midst of a significant multi-year transformation effort designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency and to increase its impact on the audiences it serves worldwide. This undertaking aligns with the Administration’s National Security Strategy and the President’s management priorities of effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability, and advances USAGM’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.

The agency’s portion of the President’s FY 2020 Budget request will build on recent strategic investments, including:

• Continuing to build VOA365, the new 24/7 Persian-language global network led by Voice of America (VOA) in cooperation with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Radio Farda;
• Creating a global Mandarin-language digital network, with collaboration between VOA and Radio Free Asia (RFA);
• Expanding Russian-language content through Current Time;
• Reaching critical audiences in Central and South America, particularly Venezuela;
• Developing refugee-focused programming and broadcasts; and
• Continuing the dynamic transformation and modernization of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Television and Radio Martí) and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).

In FY 2018, USAGM reached a record weekly audience of 345 million across radio, television and the internet—a 24 percent increase from the FY 2017 audience of 278 million. This growth continues the agency’s upward trend in audience reach in recent years, reflecting both the quality of USAGM content and its duty as a trusted source of news and information in a complex global media environment.

Additional information regarding USAGM’s budget submission can be found in the Fiscal Year 2020 Congressional Budget Request.