Did the Chinese Government

Influence Voice of America?

Sruti Ahmed
Voice of America (VOA)

 U.S. government-funded
largest international radio
broadcast source
 Founded in 1942
 Available in more than 40
languages
 Encourage freedom of the
press beyond U.S. borders
VOA’s Mandarin service

 Provide uncensored and fact-based news

 First mainstream Western media outlet to offer Chinese
Billionaire a platform
 Live broadcast was abruptly cut off
 It was reported that Beijing warned VOA's representatives not
to interview Guo for his "unsubstantiated allegations".
VOA’s interview with Guo
Wengui

 Guo, an outspoken critic of

the Communist Party
 Guo's allegations is that Wang
Qishan, leader of Beijing's
anti-corruption efforts, is
himself tainted by
corruption.
 Some of his claims have been
easily debunked and others
were accurate
Chinese real estate tycoon Guo Wengui

 Involved with Chinese government and business affairs

 Accused several VOA staffers of having “complicated
relations with Beijing’s security, intelligence and
diplomatic departments
 Claimed that pressure from Beijing forced VOA to halt the
interview
 Currently being sought by Interpol
A dispute over the event

 Media all over East Asia ran with the story without
delay.
 Sparked intense speculation on social media
 Critic of Beijing - whether Chinese leadership
influenced the U.S. broadcaster
 U.S. Congress requested to investigate this
interruption
Voice of America (VOA) to China
 The views expressed by Guo Wengui did not
represent the view of the VOA, or the United
States government.

 “The statements made on the show by Guo

Wengui were his, and his alone. They should
not be understood to be the opinion of VOA,
nor understood to have been endorsed or
verified by VOA.”
According to the journalists

 Chinese Govt. Began to voice displeasure in the days

prior to the interview
 VOA asked the journalist to cancel the interview, or
at least to shorten it
 Abruptly pulled the plug on the live conversation
 Threatened to revoke visas for Voice of
America journalists stationed in Beijing.

Voice of America, however, disputes the journalist’s

version.
According to VOA

 The decisions were based on the journalistic principles

of verification, balance and fairness
 No input from the US government
 No pressure from the Chinese government
 Confirmed to put those journalists on administrative
leave
 The journalist’s allegations could not be verified.
The Broadcasting Board of Governers'
 Appointed James McGregor- chairman of greater China
 Investigate any influence from Beijing
Also, a law firm is conducting separate investigation

Two things seem clear

 Voice of America did not follow proper management
procedure
 The vulnerability to pressure by foreign governments is
a problem for all U.S. media operating in foreign
countries, and Voice of America is no exception.
Thank you