President Trump has accused Voice of America of being biased against him. In March, he issued an executive order to dismantle the agency that finances the international news outlet.
Voice of America, which for eight decades brought news to corners of the globe where reliable journalism was scarce, went dark in March after the Trump administration cut its funding and put its workers on leave.
But next week, journalists for the organization, a U.S.-funded international news broadcaster, are set to return to work, its director said, after it won a court victory last month restoring its funding.
The director, Mike Abramowitz, said in an email to his staff on Friday that the Justice Department had alerted Voice of America that the broadcaster’s access to its computer systems was being restored. The email was obtained by The New York Times.
“I am seeking further details, and I will share them as soon as possible,” Mr. Abramowitz wrote. “But on the face of it, this news is a positive development.”
Voice of America, founded in 1942 to combat Nazi propaganda, was broadcasting in 49 languages to an estimated 360 million people around the world before President Trump moved to mute its airwaves.
The broadcaster had long been seen as a vital tool in America’s efforts to promote democracy globally, and it transmitted news into countries such as Russia and Iran, where press freedoms were limited.