The newly confirmed CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees taxpayer-funded international broadcasting outlets, told employees he is fully committed to carrying out the agency’s mission of independent journalism, Fox News reports.
Michael Pack penned a memo to employees on Thursday stating he plans to honor the directive of the Voice of America, signed by former President Gerald Ford, that the outlet “be accurate objective and comprehensive" and "represent America, not any single segment of American society."
"I am fully committed to honoring VOA’s charter, the missions of the grantees, and the independence of our heroic journalists around the world," Pack said.
His introductory letter was distributed soon after he fired three of the agency’s network heads. In addition, the director and the deputy director of VOA submitted their resignations this week.
Pack, a Trump appointee, was slammed by Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., for the departure of the five employees.
Engel said VOA and its associated outlets, like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, could become a "mouthpiece" for the Trump administration, according to Fox News. Menendez called the employee dismissals an "egregious breach” on Thursday.
Pack’s letter outlined his plans for the agency, which include boosting employee morale, increasing the overall efficiency of the agency and examining "some of the problems that have surfaced in the media in recent years."
He said he wants to make sure his team members have “no issues getting in the way of your ability to report the news."
"I am pleased and excited to be joining all of you here at the U.S. Agency for Global Media as Chief Executive Officer," he wrote. "I think we all agree the agency has an important mission, and we are being called on to perform it at an historically important time."
Pack said he is “committed to maintaining the agency’s independence and adhering to VOA’s charter and the principles guiding all the grantees. Until then, I want you to know how proud I am to be joining USAGM and working with you on our joint mission."
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