In March this year, the Trump administration issued an executive order dismantling the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the federal body that oversaw outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. The move reflects a troubling global trend: governments slashing funds for public media, leaving critical news organizations weaker just as authoritarian states pour billions into their own international media strategies.

So what does this funding retreat mean for the future of journalism worldwide? What happens when U.S.-backed outlets vanish from the airwaves, only to be replaced by Chinese or Russian state media? And what are the risks for the journalists left behind in hostile environments?

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Harry Lock, Head of Content and Engagement at the Public Media Alliance, as he explaines why defunding international public media could be catastrophic for press freedom and the global information landscape.