Additional Context: La Silla Vacía, a news site founded in Colombia by award-winning journalist Juanita León in 2009 lost significant budget due to funding cuts from USAID (around 9%) and a further amount from Meta’s fact-checking program (around 30%). The outlet has been around for 15 years, has won several important awards, and is one of the most influential newspapers in Colombia. Since its launch, it has received grants from organizations such as OSF, the Ford Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, the British government and the World Bank. The founder fears for the future of its work.

The USAID cuts have impacted hundreds of outlets in places where public interest journalism is chronically underfunded and often under attack. The US government previously supported independent journalism in more than 30 countries. Most of this funding was channelled through USAID.

Source: Reuters Institute