Voice of America (VOA) began broadcasting in 1942 as a wartime propaganda operation. During WWII, US government officials running VOA used it to deceive both foreign and domestic audiences. The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act was passed specifically to ban VOA from broadcasting domestically — acknowledging its propaganda nature. The Columbia Journalism Review stated plainly: 'VOA and similar media do not do, and have not done, journalism for journalism's sake. They are and always have been funded by taxpayers to support a larger agenda.' Despite legal reforms, VOA remains federally funded and has been accused of bias by administrations of both parties.