USAGM CEO Bennett condemns the banning of VOA journalist by Russian government

March 14, 2024

Washington, D.C. — USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett issued the following statement after Russian authorities banned Voice of America National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin from entering Russia.

“The Russian government’s decision to ban VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin from its country echoes a growing wave of threats to press freedom by authoritarian regimes.

We unequivocally stand by VOA’s mandate to provide accurate, objective news and information to every part of the world, and support their steadfast service to their audiences in Russia.”

Voice of America’s statement can be found here.

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Amanda Bennett

Chief Executive Officer

Amanda Bennett is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, investigative journalist and editor. She was named Director of Voice of America in March 2016, serving until June 2020. Previously she was Executive Editor of Bloomberg News, where she created and ran a global team of investigative reporters and editors; Editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer; Editor of the Herald-Leader in Lexington, Kentucky; and a managing editor at The Oregonian in Portland, Oregon. Bennett served as a Wall Street Journal reporter for 23 years, including stints in Toronto and Beijing. She has also been a contributing columnist for The Washington Post.

United States Agency for Global Media