Radio Free Asia to suspend news operations amid government shutdown

By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Radio Free Asia said on Wednesday it was suspending its editorial operations amid "funding uncertainty" as the U.S. federal government shutdown edges toward its one-month mark.

The broadcaster, which is funded by the U.S. government, said it would halt all production of news content on Friday due to the shutdown and a delay in receiving funding for its new fiscal year.

"In an effort to conserve limited resources on hand and preserve the possibility of restarting operations should consistent funding become available, RFA is taking further steps to responsibly shrink its already reduced footprint," RFA CEO Bay Fang said, adding that was the first time in nearly 30 years the outlet was taking such steps.

Fang said Radio Free Asia would also close down overseas bureaus, formally lay off furloughed staff and pay severance to those staff members.

Hundreds of RFA employees were put on unpaid leave earlier this year after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the termination of funding for the outlet and its sister broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Europe in a broader drive to shrink government.

In April a federal judge blocked the administration from terminating funding for government-funded broadcasters.

Radio Free Asia has broadcast across Asia since 1996. Rights activists say its multilingual reporters provide reliable news in authoritarian countries, raising awareness about the plight of oppressed minorities such as China's Uyghur Muslims.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; editing by Donna Bryson; Editing by Stephen Coates)

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