Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ)
The President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2025 was sent to Congress on March 11, 2024, with $950 million requested for the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
This request marks a 7.4 percent increase over FY 2023, and outlines new investments and initiatives to support two federal networks: Voice of America (VOA) and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB); five non-federal entities: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), Open Technology Fund (OTF); and a newly created non-federal entity which will incubate, test, and propagate new operating strategies to improve the agency’s service delivery, including a forthcoming Global News Service to launch in Mandarin, English and eventually more languages.
The FY 2025 budget request reflects growing attention to USAGM’s mission. Over the past decade, the total measured audience of USAGM’s five networks has more than doubled, with the Agency currently reaching 420 million people weekly in 63 languages and over 100 countries – often in some of the world’s most restrictive media environments. Amid rising global pressures, the USAGM networks’ combined measured audience is the largest of any publicly-funded international news organization in the world, and its networks’ credibility with audiences remains significantly higher than that of state-sponsored media competitors.
USAGM’s FY 2025 Congressional Budget Justification provides greater detail about initiatives USAGM will undertake in the next fiscal year, including priority efforts to increase network reach, counter malign influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, Iran, and others, bolster journalist safety and achieve cost efficiencies – all while positioning the agency to withstand challenges ahead.
Agency Financial Report
USAGM follows the guidance published in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Circular No. A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements, as amended, when preparing and submitting audited financial statements to OMB.
Agencies may choose to produce a consolidated Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) or an alternate approach to produce a separate Agency Financial Report (AFR). Beginning with FY 2023, USAGM has chosen to participate in this alternate approach.
USAGM’s FY 2023 AFR provides an overview of the financial and performance data to help Congress, the President, and the public assess our stewardship over the resources entrusted to us. The AFR provides financial and performance information for the fiscal year beginning October 1 and ending on September 30, with comparative prior year data, where appropriate. It demonstrates the agency’s commitment to its mission and accountability to Congress and the American people, and summarizes USAGM’s operations, accomplishments, and challenges.
USAGM’s financial accountability reporting for prior years, included in its Performance and Accountability Reports, can be accessed here.