Kari Lake said it is not her intention to turn the government-funded Voice of America news channel into “MAGA TV,” but that she wants to see a return of politically neutral journalism.
“I’m sure they’re already doing great things. I’ve been looking a little bit here and there,” Lake said in an interview with CBS News on Saturday. “I’m not there to do Trump TV and MAGA TV. That’s not what it’s about. That’s not what Voice of America is.”
Lake, a former broadcast journalist who ran unsuccessfully for governor and United States Senate seat in Arizonait’s President-elect Donald Trump selection to lead the international station.
VOA, part of the US Global Media Agency, broadcasts news internationally in 49 languages on radio, television and online to an estimated audience of 354 million people per week, according to its website. It is managed by an independent federal agency.
Lake on Saturday was heavily critical of the non-conservative media during remarks on stage at AmericaFest, a political gathering in Phoenix organized by the far-right group Turning Point USA, saying that “fake news, the media of communication, have just become obsolete.”
“They’re good for one thing,” he told the crowd. “They’re like a barometer. If you see fake news attacking someone, what you should do is say, I have to support that person.”
In an interview later Saturday, he told CBS News that he would like to make sure VOA staff have the resources to “be the incredible journalists they need to be.”
Asked about his plans for newsroom changes, Lake said, “Well, I’ve got to get in there and see what’s going on.” He then indicated that he wants to expand his coverage.
“We are speaking to the world through the voice of America,” he said. “And actually, I want to provide more coverage, more products, if you will, more broadcasts and make sure they’re doing great, high-quality broadcasts and focusing on great journalism, asking questions and making sure reporters know who are independent journalists”.
Lake responded to concerns from some that it could politicize the news organization by saying he doesn’t care whether reporters are Democrats or Republicans, but whether they can put their opinions aside.
“I’ve never met anyone, they may say they’re neutral, but I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t formed beliefs,” Lake said. “It’s natural. It’s normal. Can you check that as a reporter while covering the story? To make a fair and accurate assessment. And that’s why I’m going to press.”
Lake revealed that he believes people will realize that he is not the person the “corporate media” have portrayed him to be.
“Sometimes I feel like I have to go, when I’m meeting people, to show that I’m not getting horns out of my head, because the corporate media has made such a dishonest figure out of me,” he said. “And that’s something I can really relate to with President Trump. They’ve said the worst things about us.”
Lake also acknowledged that Trump can’t unilaterally appoint her to the post — that decision rests with one bipartisan board that he should remove the current director and approve a new one.
VOA reported last week that its current director, Mike Abramowitz, said in an email to staff that he welcomed “a smooth transition of power.”