AP journalist Tom Kent appointed Radio Free Europe president

WASHINGTON – Veteran Associated Press journalist Tom Kent has been appointed president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Kent worked for the AP for more than four decades, serving as Moscow bureau chief, international editor, deputy managing editor and most recently as standards editor.

In announcing the appointment on Friday, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty board chairman Jeff Shell praised Kent’s “track record in digital news expansion and his collaborative leadership style.”

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is one of the five U.S.-funded broadcasters under the Broadcasting Board of Governors, whose mission is to support democracy and free speech around the world. Funded by the U.S. Congress, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts in 26 languages to 23 countries where the media faces government restrictions or is not fully developed. Those countries include Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet states, as well as Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and others.

During the Cold War, the broadcaster was key in reaching audiences in the Soviet Union and its satellite states, and presenting them with an alternative point of view. It says its mission is still relevant today, with media freedoms declining around the world. In recent years, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has expanded into digital and video formats.

Kent will be based in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty headquarters in Prague. “I look forward to joining its highly skilled team as we create great journalism across languages and geographies,” Kent said in a statement.