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Government-Funded Radio Free Asia Sells Equipment at Fraction of Cost Amid Funding Dispute
A nonprofit news organization fully funded by the U.S. government has begun liquidating expensive broadcast equipment at dramatically reduced prices, sparking outrage among lawmakers and federal officials.
Radio Free Asia (RFA), which receives approximately $60 million annually from American taxpayers to produce news in Asia, has listed over a thousand pieces of professional equipment on Rasmus Auctions at what critics describe as “fire sale” prices.
The online auction includes high-definition cameras selling for under a dollar, teleprompters for 90 cents, professional lenses for less than a dollar, and office refrigerators listed for as little as 20 cents. Most items appear to be selling for pennies on the dollar compared to their market value.
The organization had previously announced it was suspending operations due to a lapse in funding during the government shutdown. While RFA’s website went dark, Fox News discovered the organization had quietly begun selling off significant portions of its broadcast gear.
California Congressman Darrell Issa, who had been working to restore RFA’s funding, expressed outrage at the auction. “I’ve never seen such belligerence by an organization that gets a hundred percent of its money from the U.S. government,” Issa said. “Lenses you’d pay thousands of dollars for are being sold for pennies. It’s clear they’re liquidating assets out of spite.”
When reached for comment, an RFA spokesperson attributed the liquidation to earlier budget cuts under the Trump administration and the recent government shutdown.
“The Administration’s unlawful termination and disruption of RFA’s timely funding, followed by an extended government shutdown, has forced the company to drastically reduce operational costs to set up for long-term success,” the statement read. “Shedding equipment we can no longer use, while retaining key personnel and assets, responsibly positions RFA to continue editorial operations that hold the Chinese Communist Party and other authoritarian governments to account.”
The organization added that its plan is to “build back once Congress and the Administration resolve our funding issues.”
However, Kari Lake, Deputy Executive at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFA, strongly disputed these claims. “Everything they said was not true,” Lake countered. “We are funding them. We’ve given them every single penny appropriated to them. Eighty cents for an HD camera? That’s a slap in the face to taxpayers.”
The dispute highlights growing tensions between RFA and its oversight body. In a letter sent Thursday to RFA, Lake wrote: “The insanity ends now. Be prepared to open your doors next week for our team of auditors to find out what on earth is going on at RFA, as permitted under the grant agreement and applicable regulations.”
RFA has maintained that it hopes to restart its news operations if Congress ensures continued funding, and claims it still possesses sufficient equipment to resume operations if funding is restored.
The situation raises significant questions about the management of taxpayer-funded assets and the broader future of U.S. government-supported international media operations. RFA’s mission focuses on providing uncensored news to audiences in Asian countries where press freedom is restricted, particularly targeting regions under authoritarian rule.
Media experts note that this dispute comes amid broader debates about the role and funding of U.S. government-supported media entities. These organizations have faced increased scrutiny in recent years regarding their editorial independence, effectiveness, and financial management.
As the audit proceeds, lawmakers are likely to examine not only the legitimacy of the equipment sales but also the overall financial governance of RFA and similar entities that rely on taxpayer funding to pursue diplomatic and informational objectives abroad.
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10 Comments
The details around Radio Free Asia’s liquidation of broadcast equipment at steep discounts are intriguing. I’m curious to understand the full context and rationale behind this move, as it seems quite unusual for a government-funded media organization.
This situation seems to highlight some underlying issues or tensions at play. It will be interesting to see if more information emerges about the factors driving these equipment sales.
This news about the U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia liquidating its equipment raises a lot of questions. The huge discounts are quite surprising and concerning. I hope more information comes to light about the reasons behind this.
Definitely an unusual situation that warrants closer scrutiny. The involvement of lawmakers suggests there may be political dynamics at play here as well.
The details here about the steep discounts on broadcast equipment from Radio Free Asia are quite striking. Curious to learn if this was a strategic decision or a sign of deeper issues at the organization.
Selling off thousands of dollars worth of gear for pennies on the dollar seems like an unusual move. I wonder what the rationale was behind it.
Interesting story about the U.S. government-funded broadcaster selling off equipment at steep discounts. Curious to learn more about the funding dispute and what led to this liquidation effort.
I wonder if this is a sign of larger financial troubles or organizational changes at Radio Free Asia. The low prices seem concerning.
This is an intriguing development in the world of government-funded media. I’d be interested to understand the reasoning behind the decision to sell off the equipment at such low prices. Raises questions about the broadcaster’s long-term viability.
Lawmakers’ outrage over this suggests there may be more to the story than just a funding lapse. Worth keeping an eye on this situation.