00:00Senator Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before I get to my questions, I'd just like for the record to show that the U.S. AGM reported to Congress that that so-called swanky building that you just saw pictures of would actually save the taxpayers $150 million. So let's be sure we get our facts straight as we try to grandstand with pictures. Can I respond to that? No, I have some other questions for you. Thank you.
00:26Ms. Lake, do you agree that the U.S. Agency for Global Media should be a reliable and authoritative news source?
00:34Yes, and unfortunately it hasn't been.
00:37Well, I'm glad you say that because it's really not a matter of opinion. It's a matter of law. The law requires the agency to provide news which is consistently reliable and authoritative, accurate, objective, and comprehensive.
00:50Now, you criticize the agency as not doing that, but others think that the agency was doing that up until the time that Donald Trump took office.
00:59We broadcast news to hundreds of millions of people around the world and provided a crucial counterweight to the propaganda that was coming from our adversaries.
01:08Then President Trump decided to dismantle it, USAGM, with your help and all its networks.
01:15But in my view, the most ludicrous and concerning thing that has been done was to direct the agency to engage One America News to provide content for Voice of America and your other broadcasters.
01:29So I'd like to ask you, do you think UAN, One America News, is a reliable and authoritarian news source, as the law requires?
01:38Yeah, I think they do a better job than most news outlets. They cover America.
01:42Well, let's look at some of the things that they've said and tell me that you, if you really think...
01:47And by the way, it was not my idea to do that.
01:49It was under your direction and from your president, who you have said is so wonderful.
01:54I'm surprised you're not wearing a MAGA hat here today.
01:56But nonetheless, I'm taking my time back.
01:57The Office of Cuba Broadcasting requested that we bring that in.
02:00I've been talking over you forever, but let's look at some of the things that the OAN did, which was given the contract, and they're doing it, whether it's from you or from the president, that you'd admire so.
02:12They said, the leadership there told its reporters to, and I'm quoting, minimize coverage of Russian aggression.
02:20Now, do you think that's reliable and authoritative and better than other news agencies to minimize coverage of Russian aggression?
02:28I don't, I'm not making up, I'm not making the rundown of what airs on One America's Voice, but they have to cover, or One America News, rather.
02:39They have to cover what is of interest to them and to their viewers.
02:42But they're the ones who now have the contract to put out the news to all their, these different agencies that are under your direction.
02:49Shouldn't you be aware of what kind of news they're putting out?
02:52I don't tell them what to put on the air at Voice of America because of an editorial firewall.
02:58Apparently, the CCP has more say in what goes over the air.
03:02Oh, I think that's being a little ridiculous.
03:04I don't think China's over here telling OAN what to, what they can cover.
03:09I don't think China told them to minimize their coverage of Russian aggression.
03:13Talk to some of the whistleblowers.
03:14Let me ask you if you think this is a good coverage.
03:16Their programming for the agency, they were told also minimize coverage of the Pope because he has been making comments about climate change and advocating action.
03:29You think that's good coverage not to cover the Pope?
03:33You think that's reliable and authoritative?
03:35I, I, it's, it's not my, my decision on what is airing at OAN.
03:40Well, you're in charge, you're in charge.
03:42I'm not in charge of OAN.
03:43You got a contract with these people, so it seems like it's your decision.
03:47Here's something else.
03:48They, the reports say that OAN instructed its employees to report only on good polls for Donald Trump.
03:56Only on good polls.
03:57And they perpetuated the lie that Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
04:01That's the news that we're putting out to the rest of the world under your leadership.
04:05They were one of the only outlets that had the courage to cover elections.
04:08Oh, please, please.
04:11You're going to say we're going to only cover good polls for Trump and, and still continue to say that the 2020 election was rigged.
04:19And that's the news we're putting out to the rest of the world.
04:22And that's the ones who have the contract.
04:23Let me see if I can pull the phone number for the person who runs OAN and you can have a conversation about the content.
04:28Well, I would hope you have the phone number.
04:29You're the one who's entered into the contracts with them.
04:30I'm worried about the content on Voice of America.
04:32If you're worried about the content, then why aren't you worried about what these people are saying?
04:36They're supposed to be, under the law, authoritative and reliable.
04:41And, and, and now suddenly after knowing all these details about the number of spies and what the Chinese are doing,
04:48you don't know what OAN is doing and that's the ones you have the contract with.
04:52I find that either.
04:54We don't have a contract with them.
04:55We have an agreement if we want to, if we want to air their agreement.
04:58And I, I can't believe that.
05:00I can't believe, you know, everything about all these other agreements,
05:03but not about the one that's doing the news for us.
05:07That's supposed to be reliable and can't cover the Pope, can't cover Russian aggression,
05:12which would mean Ukraine, can't cover that the election was legitimate,
05:16can't cover any negative polls for the president.
