OAN to take over Radio Martí, Office of Cuba Broadcasting

Radio Martí, a Miami station federally funded to broadcast content in Cuba, will now operate under the auspices of One America News Network (OAN).

Kari Lake, senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, announced a partnership with the right-wing media outlet to take over some foreign media outlets long managed by the government agency. In a social media post, Lake said the idea was generated from within the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), which oversees Radio Marti.

She announced that OAN will take over the office, Radio Martí and the Voice of America programming around the globe.

“This idea came about after OCB suggested we explore OAN as a newsfeed option for the Miami-based, U.S. Government-funded news operation broadcasting to Cuba. At their suggestion, I reached out to OAN, and they offered to provide their newsfeed and video service free-of-charge,” Lake posted on X.

“This is an enormous benefit to the American taxpayer, who is the sole-source of funding for USAGM’s news outlets, which broadcast only to international audiences.”

President Donald Trump in December had tapped Lake, a former broadcaster and Arizona politician, to lead the Agency for Global Media, only for the administration to announce in March its dismantling. That included closing Radio Martí as a federal operation.

Launched under Republican President Ronald Reagan, Radio Martí has pushed back on statewide media under Cuba’s communist leadership, first under military dictator Fidel Castro and continuing into the current communist regime of President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. The closing drew concern among Cuban American Republicans within Florida’s congressional delegation.

Lake, while initially critical of programming produced by the agency, said she feels confident about content integrity as it comes under the control of OAN.

“In my current role as Senior Advisor to USAGM, I don’t have editorial control over the content of VOA and OCB programming, but I can ensure our outlets have reliable and credible options as they work to craft their reporting and news programs,” she posted.

“And every day I look for ways to save American taxpayers money. Bringing in OAN as a video/news source does both. OAN is one of the few family-owned American media networks left in the United States. We are grateful for their generosity.”

But OAN doesn’t enjoy a great reputation in all media circles. Ad Fontes Media, which grades outlets based on bias and accuracy, rated OAN as a “strong right” biased outlet with “mixed” reliability.