Dr. Elez Biberaj/
Today marks the 83rd anniversary of VOA’s first Albanian language broadcast on May 13, 1943 – a small service with an outsized reach and impact, a steady companion to Albanians through war, dictatorship, isolation, the fragile early years of pluralism, and the consolidation of a democratic order. Its legacy is a reminder of what VOA, at its best, made possible: providing reliable news and information to societies denied it, offering a connection to the outside world when other channels were closed, promoting America’s foreign policy interests, and upholding a standard of journalism that earned trust through accuracy, balance, and editorial independence.
But the real story is not about any particular VOA language service. It is about what the United States has chosen to relinquish. The dismantling of VOA in March 2025 – shuttering 47 language services and subsequently resuming only limited programming in six – represents a profound retreat from the global information landscape. An institution that once served as America’s trusted explainer, presenting the country, warts and all, with accuracy, balance, and independence, played a role few others could: it promoted America’s democratic values, provided a lifeline for information deprived societies, and served as a strategic asset that advanced U.S. interests precisely because it was trusted.
At a time when America’s adversaries are expanding their global media footprint and amplifying anti American narratives, the United States cannot afford to silence its most credible voice or cede the narrative to others. Restoring VOA is essential if America intends to stay engaged in the global information arena and to shape the conversation rather than be shaped by it.