Oregonian Former Managing Editor Named To Head USAGM By Biden

PORTLAND, OR — Amanda Bennett has an understanding of the United States' place on the international stage, particularly how actions that are taken here can affect how we're perceived overseas. She will definitely need to draw on that if she gets the job that she's up for.

On Friday, President Biden named her to be the new head of the United States Agency for Global Media, the department that oversees the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and other similar outlets.

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"I am honored by this animation," Bennet told the Voice of America, where was once the director. "If confirmed, I will be so proud to work with all the dedicated journalists at USAGM who are doing the critical and difficult work around the world of upholding and demonstrating the value of a free press."

Bennett's understanding of the way that the United States can take actions at home that affects perception.

In 2000, Amanda Bennett was managing editor for investigations at The Oregonian. In that role, she oversaw a team of four reporters that dug into how the Immigration and Naturalization Service treated foreign nationals.

Their articles won the coveted Public Service Pultizer for their "unflinching examination of systematic problems within the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, including harsh treatment of foreign national and other widespread abuses."

The articles resulted in reforms at the agency.

After The Oregonian, she went on to work in management roles at Bloomberg News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Herald-Leader in Lexington.

She led the Voice of America for four years before leaving as the man who held the job she's been nominated for, Michael Pack, was allegedly crossing the line of editorial independence that is supposed to be kept between the news organizations and management and the administration.

She still has to go through a hearing and be confirmed by the Senate.