Tag: laws & regulations

to prevent targeting of Americans with propaganda

Congress exposes repeated violations of Smith-Mundt Act in USAGM agency’s Facebook ads targeting Americans

BBG Watch Commentary The review by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and his committee staff found that insufficient management and devolved operating structures for digital advertising at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA) in the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), previously called the…
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Voice of America to target Americans despite ban on funding domestic news distribution, critics say

SMITH-MUNDT NEWS COMMENTARY While “Information intended for foreign audiences” (such as Voice of America – VOA programs) “may, upon request and reimbursement of the reasonable costs incurred in fulfilling such a request, be made available, in the United States,” Section 1078 of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013 (U.S. Public Law 112-239)…
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Federal employees identify U.S. stations for government-paid news

Federal employees at the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) were told to identify U.S. stations but not to make offers of government-funded news to domestic media.   Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) internal document, July 2013. FAQs for VOA and OCB for Domestic Program Requests   Can I identify U.S. stations that would be interested…
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Section 1078 of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239)

“Information intended for foreign audiences may, upon request and reimbursement of the reasonable costs incurred in fulfilling such a request, be made available, in the United States.” Link to National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239). SEC. 1078. DISSEMINATION ABROAD OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES. (a) United States Information…
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Facts About Smith-Mundt Modernization from Broadcasting Board of Governors, July 28, 2013

“There has been no change to the BBG’s enabling statute, the U.S. International Broadcasting Act of 1994, which authorizes the agency to create programs for foreign audiences.” – Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) But will BBG officials divert tax dollars to expand placement of programs in the United States? This document was downloaded from the…
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What does Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012 say about “government propaganda”?

“No funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall be used to influence public opinion in the United States.” The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) and the Department of State are not authorized to use taxpayers’ money to influence public opinion in the United States or…
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Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 did not prohibit access to government news by American media

It was always legal for Americans and American media to use U.S. government-funded news programs in the United States and rebroadcast such programs if they had obtained access to them on their own. In other words, there were no legal prohibitions on using such programs by American citizens, residents of the United States or American…
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