The Arabic-language news channel Alhurra is using its air waves to draw attention to the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s (USAGM) decision to rescind funding for its operations.
The 24-hour news channel has replaced its programming with a still image that accuses USAGM of improperly withholding funds from its parent organization, the Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN), which is used to support Alhurra’s editorial operations in a number of countries.
“Due to USAGM’s illegal withholding of Congressionally-approved funding for MBN, Alhurra is temporarily suspending its television broadcast,” the graphic read, according to a live television broadcast viewed by The Desk this week and a translation of the message from Arabic to English.
While Alhurra is no longer broadcasting on over-the-air or satellite TV, the outlet says it continues to provide updates through its social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads and YouTube, among other places.
Alhurra is one of several international broadcasters that received federal funding for its operations until two months ago, when President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that directed USAGM and six unrelated federal agencies to claw back funding and fire workers.
Alhurra and MBN are among the private organizations and broadcast outlets that were specifically designated by Congress to receive grants from USAGM.
The channel began broadcasting in 2004 after U.S. government officials grew frustrated with perceived anti-American bias on Arabic-language news outlets during its ongoing conflict in Iraq.
While MBN and Alhurra are backed with Congressionally-approved funds, its oversight by USAGM was intended to ensure its editorial operations were free from government interference, with the agency acting as a middle man between the two.
That changed in March when Trump and one of his senior advisors, former TV news anchor Kari Lake, began exerting more control over USAGM’s operations. In addition to funding cuts that deprived MBN and other organizations of much-needed cash, Lake moved to cancel contracts with newswire services like the Associated Press and Reuters, opting instead for a content-sharing arrangement with One America News, a right-of-center cable channel.
By her own admission, Lake cannot force any of the broadcast outlets supervised by USAGM to air One America News packages. So far, none have.
Instead, outlets like the Voice of America have opted to run short, promotional videos touting their relaunch as an outlet that will promote the views and agenda of the United States government. Independent broadcasters, including Alhurra, have taken a different approach, choosing instead to suspend their TV operations until legal challenges to USAGM’s funding cuts are resolved.
