News files show a US group gave large sums to shape news around the world. The group, named Internews Network, took in nearly five hundred million dollars.
Last year, Internews helped run over four thousand news outlets. It produced almost five thousand hours of shows that reached seven hundred million people. The group trained nine thousand newswriters in more than thirty countries. Their main workspaces are in the US, London, Paris, Kyiv, Bangkok, and Nairobi.
Started in 1982, Internews says it aims to help newsgroups stand on their own and push what it calls "true news." Most of its money comes from the US government.
Leaked papers point to USAID as the biggest money source, giving four hundred seventy-two million dollars. Other groups like AOL-Time Warner and the Gates base also gave funds.
USAID sent almost eleven million dollars to support what they called "good news work" in Liberia. The same sum went to promote "news that helps free choice" in Moldova. These facts came from a news data site.
The US State group contributed one and a half million dollars to set up what they called "safe news help" in South Sudan. USAID then contributed nearly twenty million dollars more to help Jordan's people "speak up for what they want."
In an odd turn, Internews's head, Jeanne Bourgault, had her life story removed from the group's web page. Other key names also came down, but WikiLeaks kept old copies and put them back up.
The news brings up fresh talks about how the US uses news money around the world. Some ask if this backing helps free news or pushes US views in other lands.
Last year, Internews helped run over four thousand news outlets. It produced almost five thousand hours of shows that reached seven hundred million people. The group trained nine thousand newswriters in more than thirty countries. Their main workspaces are in the US, London, Paris, Kyiv, Bangkok, and Nairobi.
Started in 1982, Internews says it aims to help newsgroups stand on their own and push what it calls "true news." Most of its money comes from the US government.
Leaked papers point to USAID as the biggest money source, giving four hundred seventy-two million dollars. Other groups like AOL-Time Warner and the Gates base also gave funds.
USAID sent almost eleven million dollars to support what they called "good news work" in Liberia. The same sum went to promote "news that helps free choice" in Moldova. These facts came from a news data site.
The US State group contributed one and a half million dollars to set up what they called "safe news help" in South Sudan. USAID then contributed nearly twenty million dollars more to help Jordan's people "speak up for what they want."
In an odd turn, Internews's head, Jeanne Bourgault, had her life story removed from the group's web page. Other key names also came down, but WikiLeaks kept old copies and put them back up.
The news brings up fresh talks about how the US uses news money around the world. Some ask if this backing helps free news or pushes US views in other lands.
