Podcasts about Radio Free Asia

How are naval shipbuilding, commercial shipbuilding, and commercial shipping linked together to create a healthy and effective national seapower ecosystem?What did the 1990s “Last Supper” get wrong, and what can be done to correct the error?Our guest this week is Hunter Stires, founder and CEO of The Maritime Strategy Group, returning to Midrats to discuss this and more.We will be using as a starting point for our discussion the recent article that he co-wrote with Steve Brock at CIMSEC, Maritime Statecraft and its Future.SummaryIn this conversation with Sal and Mark, Hunter Stires discusses the interconnectedness of naval shipbuilding, commercial shipping, and the broader maritime strategy of the United States. He emphasizes the historical context of U.S. maritime power, the importance of bipartisan support for revitalizing the shipbuilding industry, and the role of allies like South Korea in enhancing U.S. capabilities. The discussion also touches on workforce challenges, the need for competition in the shipbuilding sector, and the strategic imperative of maintaining a robust maritime ecosystem.ShowlinksMaritime Statecraft and its Future, by Steve Brock and Hunter StiresThe Neptune Factor: Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Concept of Sea Power, by Nicholas A. LambertThe Influence of Sea Power Upon History, by Alfred Thayer MahanShipbuilding, Shareholders, and National Asynchronization, by CDR SalamanderShareholder Interests Are at Odds with Navy Needs, by Martin BollingerEpisode 736: Anduril and the Promise of Autonomous Systems - with Chris Brose, by CDR Salamander & Mark TempestTakeawaysThe U.S. maritime ecosystem is interconnected and requires a holistic approach.Bipartisan support is crucial for revitalizing the shipbuilding industry.Historical lessons from figures like Mahan are relevant today.South Korea's investment in U.S. shipbuilding symbolizes a strong partnership.Workforce challenges in shipbuilding can be addressed through better pay and training.Outsourcing shipbuilding undermines U.S. strategic interests.Competition in the shipbuilding sector leads to innovation and efficiency.The U.S. must leverage its allies for technological advancements in shipbuilding.A maritime revival is possible with the right political will and strategy.Investment in shipbuilding is essential for national security.Chapters00:00: Introduction to Maritime Strategy and Ecosystem02:05: The Interconnection of Naval and Commercial Shipbuilding07:06: Historical Context: Lessons from Mahan and the Past14:40: Bipartisan Support for Maritime Revival18:16: The Role of South Korea in U.S. Shipbuilding31:00: Challenges in U.S. Shipbuilding and Workforce41:50: Future Directions and Strategic PartnershipsHunter Stires served as the Maritime Strategist to the 78th Secretary of the Navy, completing his term in June 2025. He has been recognized for his work as one of the principal architects of the Maritime Statecraft strategy put into action by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to rebuild America's comprehensive maritime power, both commercial and naval. Mr. Stires serves as a Non-Resident Fellow with the Navy League's Center for Maritime Strategy and as the Project Director of the U.S. Naval Institute's Maritime Counterinsurgency Project. A graduate of Columbia University, Mr. Stires previously served in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and in several positions on the Navy Staff, including in OPNAV N96 Surface Warfare Directorate, OPNAV N95 Expeditionary Warfare Directorate, and OPNAV N522 Navy Irregular Warfare Group. Since departing government, Mr. Stires founded and now serves as CEO of The Maritime Strategy Group.Mr. Stires has been recognized twice with the U.S. Naval Institute's General Prize, the premier writing award of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, judged in the blind by active duty Sea Service professionals each year since its inception in 1879. He was awarded 1st Prize for “The South China Sea Needs a ‘COIN' Toss,” published in Proceedings in May 2019; he was awarded 2nd Prize for “Win Without Fighting,” published in June 2020. His article in the Summer 2019 issue of the Naval War College Review, “‘They Were Playing Chicken:' The U.S. Asiatic Fleet's Gray-Zone Deterrence Campaign against Japan, 1937-40,” was selected for inclusion in the Newport Papers monograph Deterrence. Mr. Stires's published work has been cited in a wide range of outlets, including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, War on the Rocks, The National Interest, 19FortyFive, the Liberty Times, Rappler, and the South China Morning Post —as well as the Chinese language edition of the Global Times.

Radio Free Asia v. United States

This month, the director of Voice of America is being forced out in the latest of many moves to dismantle the state broadcasting service. On this week's On the Media, a history of the Voice of America, and how it's been politicized. Plus, hear why propagandists in Russia, China, and Iran are celebrating cuts to U.S.-funded foreign reporting.[01:00]  Episode 1 of The Divided Dial, Season 2: Fishing in the Night. You know AM and FM radio. But did you know that there is a whole other world of radio surrounding us at all times? It's called shortwave — and, thanks to a quirk of science that lets broadcasters bounce radio waves off of the ionosphere, it can reach thousands of miles, penetrating rough terrain and geopolitical boundaries. Reporter Katie Thornton on how this instantaneous, global, mass communication tool — a sort of internet-before-the-internet — transformed from a utopian experiment in international connection to a hardened tool of information warfare and propaganda.[34:14] Host Micah Loewinger sits down with Alsu Kurmasheva, press freedom advocate and veteran journalist of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Tatar-Bashkir service, on what the network provides in countries lacking a free press and her own nine month detention in Russia. Plus, Bay Fang, president of Radio Free Asia, or RFA, on why authoritarians are celebrating Trump's shutdown and how RFA's closure will further diminish press freedom in Asia.  On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and James Carouso interview Indonesian international law scholar Aristyo Darmawan about President Prabowo Subianto's transformative foreign policy during his first six months in office. The discussion reveals a dramatic shift in Indonesia's strategic positioning as the nation balances between major powers while pursuing ambitious economic goals.Darmawan highlights Indonesia's controversial decision to join BRICS, making it the first Southeast Asian nation to become a full member. This move reflects Prabowo's pragmatic approach to achieving his ambitious 8% economic growth target and funding expensive social programs like free nutritious meals for schoolchildren. The conversation explores Indonesia's surprising recognition of "overlapping claims" with China in the South China Sea through a joint development agreement - a decision that shocked foreign ministry officials and potentially signals implicit recognition of Beijing's nine-dash line claims.The episode examines Indonesia's delicate balancing act between U.S. and Chinese interests, including the recent tariff negotiations with the Trump administration that reduced tariffs from 32% to 19%. However, this deal came with significant concessions, including commitments to purchase American aircraft and remove trade barriers. The discussion reveals how public sentiment, particularly regarding the Palestinian conflict, influences Indonesian perceptions of the United States and benefits China's regional standing.Darmawan emphasizes Prabowo's highly personalized, top-down foreign policy approach, which has bypassed traditional bureaucratic channels and created uncertainty about Indonesia's strategic objectives. This "merry-go-round diplomacy" shows high activity but unclear goals, contrasting with previous administrations' more structured approaches.The conversation also addresses Indonesia's evolving role within ASEAN, its cautious stance on security groupings like AUKUS, and the challenges in its relationship with Australia. Aristyo, Ray, and Jim also discuss how Chinese propaganda efforts and the reduction of U.S. information initiatives like Radio Free Asia have shifted regional narratives.

In 1948, as the Cold War was taking shape, the United States passed the Smith–Mundt Act, officially known as the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act. Its purpose was simple but profound: empower the U.S. government to produce and distribute information and cultural programming abroad to promote American values, while explicitly forbidding the use of those same propaganda tools on the American public. This legal firewall reflected a deep suspicion of government-run information campaigns at home, rooted in lessons from World War II.During the war, the U.S. and its allies had learned firsthand how powerful propaganda could be. Britain's BBC World Service provided trusted broadcasts into occupied Europe. Japan's “Tokyo Rose” and Germany's “Lord Haw-Haw” used radio to weaken enemy morale. The U.S. Office of War Information produced posters, films, and broadcasts for both domestic and foreign audiences. By 1948, lawmakers wanted America to compete in the global battle for hearts and minds—but without turning those tools inward.Under Smith–Mundt, outlets like Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe could beam uncensored news into the Eastern Bloc, Africa, and Asia. U.S. embassies could distribute pamphlets promoting democracy abroad. But none of this material could legally be disseminated to Americans at home. The separation was strict: VOA could broadcast to Cuba or the USSR—but not to Kansas. This was about trust. Citizens needed to believe their news media was independent of government influence.For decades, the system held. Propaganda was for “export only.” Domestic audiences got their information from private media, foreign audiences from U.S. state-sponsored broadcasters. But the digital revolution eroded these boundaries. By the early 2000s, a radio segment for Afghan listeners could be uploaded to YouTube and viewed in Cleveland the same day. Social media made it impossible to stop foreign-directed content from “boomeranging” back home.In 2013, the Smith–Mundt Modernization Act took effect, removing the ban on domestic access to foreign-targeted U.S. content. The State Department and U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) could now make VOA, Radio Free Asia, and other materials available in the United States. Supporters argued the change was about transparency—acknowledging the internet had already made the old firewall meaningless. Critics saw a dangerous precedent: legalizing domestic exposure to state-crafted narratives.The stakes are high because propaganda is not just a relic of the past—it's a core pillar of modern statecraft. Political scientist Joseph Nye's concept of “soft power” captures the idea: nations shape outcomes through attraction and persuasion, not just coercion. During the Cold War, the U.S. invested heavily in cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges like Fulbright, and media operations like Radio Liberty. Other nations played the same game: Britain's BBC World Service, Russia's Radio Moscow and later RT, China's CGTN, and even North Korea's border loudspeakers aimed at the South.Today, the boundaries have vanished. U.S. government content streams online alongside private news and foreign state media. Russian social media campaigns, Chinese video platforms, and American-funded broadcasters all compete for attention in the same feeds. In 2025, North Korea dismantled its last propaganda loudspeaker—but the global information war has only grown louder in digital form.The Smith–Mundt firewall was designed for a world of clear borders and controlled media channels. That world is gone. The 2013 rollback aligned the law with technological reality, but it also erased the formal assurance that Americans would be free from their own government's influence campaigns. In the 21st century, the battle for hearts and minds has no borders—every message is now for everyone, everywhere, all at once.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

Đài Á Châu Tự Do hiện cung cấp Podcast những chương trình phát thanh hàng ngày. Quý vị có thể tải vào máy vi tính hoặc máy nghe nhạc MP3. Xin hãy trở lại thường xuyên vì chúng tôi sẽ có thêm những chương trình mới nhằm phục vụ quý thính giả.

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

RFA Korean daily show, 자유아시아방송 한국어

The Trump administration has cut funding for Voice of America, the 80-year-old state media network. On this week's On the Media, how pulling federal funds from VOA's parent organization will imperil press freedom abroad. Plus, a Radio Free Europe journalist describes being detained for nine months in Russia until she was released alongside Evan Gershkovich.[01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Nicole Hemmer, political historian and co-host of the podcast “This Day.” They discuss the complicated history of Voice of America, which was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda. Plus, what the funding cuts to VOA and its parent organization tell us about how the Trump administration wants the U.S. to be perceived.[15:57] Host Micah Loewinger sits down with Alsu Kurmasheva, press freedom advocate and veteran journalist of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Tatar-Bashkir service, on what the network provides in countries lacking a free press and her own nine month detention in Russia. Plus, Bay Fang, president of Radio Free Asia, or RFA, on why authoritarians are celebrating Trump's shutdown and how RFA's closure will further diminish press freedom in Asia. [33:35] Host Brooke Gladstone chats with Dorian Lynskey, cultural journalist and author of the recent book, Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World, to examine our centuries-long obsession with telling end-of-the-world stories and what they reveal about our shifting fears through history. Plus, the evolution of the apocalyptic story, from the Book of Revelation to On the Beach to Station Eleven. Further reading:Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World, by Dorian Lynksey On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.