Voice of America Staff Ordered Not to Call Hamas Terrorists

Voice of America’s management has told staff of the U.S.-government-funded but editorially independent global news outlet not to call Hamas and its members terrorists, except when quoting statements, National Review has learned. VOA’s guidance also prompted some pushback from a reporter who urged a more extensive explanation of Hamas’s motives in the October 7 terrorist attacks.

In an email sent on Friday to the news service’s employees, VOA associate editor for news standards Carol Guensburg relayed the outlet’s policy for covering the October 7 terrorist attacks and the ensuing Israeli campaign against Hamas targets. She emphasized that VOA needs to maintain neutrality in its coverage and that its reporters should “be especially careful with word choice in dealing with a conflict.”

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Jimmy Quinn

Jimmy Quinn is the former national security correspondent for National Review.

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Voice of America’s management has told staff of the U.S.-government-funded but editorially independent global news outlet not to call Hamas and its members terrorists, except when quoting statements, National Review has learned. VOA’s guidance also prompted some pushback from a reporter who urged a more extensive explanation of Hamas’s motives in the October 7 terrorist attacks.

In an email sent on Friday to the news service’s employees, VOA associate editor for news standards Carol Guensburg relayed the outlet’s policy for covering the October 7 terrorist attacks and the ensuing Israeli campaign against Hamas targets. She emphasized that VOA needs to maintain neutrality in its coverage and that its reporters should “be especially careful with word choice in dealing with a conflict.”