Press Freedom Reception

Jessica Jerreat is an award-winning American journalist with nearly 25 years’ experience in media organizations in London, New York, and Washington, D.C. From 2020 to March 2025, Jerreat led VOA's press freedom coverage, directing what is believed to be the only news team reporting full-time on the attacks, threats, and harassment of journalists globally. In 2021 the Association for International Broadcasters and National Press Club recognized Jerreat and her colleagues for coverage including efforts by a president-appointed CEO to interfere in the editorial independence of VOA.

Jerreat is a named plaintiff in Widakuswara et al v Lake, Morales and the United States Agency for Global Media, a case centered on restoring VOA’s broadcasts and protecting its journalists’ First Amendment rights

Patsy Widakuswara is a veteran political journalist with a career spanning three decades and three countries. From 2021 to March 2025, Widakuswara directed coverage of the U.S. administration as the Voice of America's White House Bureau Chief. 

Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Widakuswara grew up under the authoritarian Suharto regime and fought back against government propaganda by co-founding the nation's first collegiate debating society at her alma mater, Universitas Indonesia. She was active in the 1998 student-led movement that ended Suharto's 32-year rule and used her platform as host of the top radio program in Jakarta at the time to mobilize support for the protests. She was subsequently banned from the air but continued to follow her passion for journalism and press freedom.

Widakuswara is lead plaintiff in the Widakuswara et. al v Lake, Morales and the United States Agency for Global Media, where she and other journalists are fighting to restore lawful operations at VOA in accordance with the agency's Charter that protects their journalistic independence and integrity.