New Conservative Media Chief Dismisses Heads of US-Funded News Outlets

Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker who recently took over a United States global media agency, removed the chiefs of four news organizations under its purview (Bay Fang of Radio Free Asia; Jamie Fly of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Alberto M. Fernandez of Middle East Broadcasting Networks; Emilio Vazquez of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting), according to people with knowledge of the decision, in an action that raises questions about their editorial independence. He also dismissed the head of a technology group (Libby Liu of the Open Technology Fund) and disbanded the bipartisan board that helps oversee and advise those five organizations. He replaced its members largely with Trump administration political appointees, including himself as chairman. One board member works for a conservative advocacy organization, Liberty Counsel Action.