U.S anti-propaganda law dropped, Government made news here we come?

[Ducimus]

I just caught wind of this.


U.S. repeals propaganda ban, spreads government-made news to Americans - Chicago Tribune

WASHINGTON — For decades, a so-called anti-propaganda law prevented the U.S. government's mammoth broadcasting arm from delivering programming to American audiences. But this month, that came silently to an end with the implementation of a reform passed in January. The result: an unleashing of thousands of hours per week of government-funded radio and TV programs for domestic U.S. consumption in a reform initially criticized as a green light for U.S. domestic propaganda efforts. So what just happened?

Voice of America could air in the US as anti-propaganda law is dropped - The verge.

The United States government operates an entire network of broadcasters that distribute news in languages from English to Uzbek, but an "anti-propaganda" law has prevented their news from being aired domestically — until now. Earlier this month a legal change went into effect that many are worried will enable government-run organizations like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe — all arms of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) — to distribute their federally-funded radio and TV shows to the unsuspecting public. But even with the change, major advocacy groups don't think that the government is planning to flood the airwaves with propaganda.

Youtube:


Just bringing it up, because it sounds like something that could be important when you consider all the other shennanigans our government has been doing. I have no opinion yet other then i find this somewhat disconcerting. You can research it further and make your own opinion if your so inclined.

[AVGWarhawk]

The question is, why was it banned to begin with? The era? I do not see a mad amount of news broadcast forthcoming.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

The question is, why was it banned to begin with? The era? I do not see a mad amount of news broadcast forthcoming.

From the chicago tribune article:

The restriction of these broadcasts was due to the Smith-Mundt Act, a long-standing piece of legislation that has been amended numerous times over the years, perhaps most consequentially by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright, D. In the 70s, Fulbright was no friend of VOA and Radio Free Europe, and moved to restrict them from domestic distribution, saying they "should be given the opportunity to take their rightful place in the graveyard of Cold War relics." Fulbright's amendment to Smith-Mundt was bolstered in 1985 by Nebraska Senator Edward Zorinsky, D, who argued that such "propaganda" should be kept out of America as to distinguish the U.S. "from the Soviet Union where domestic propaganda is a principal government activity."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith%E2%80%93Mundt_Act

I didn't get far into the wiki page, and stopped reading here:

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 amended the Smith–Mundt Act and the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1987, allowing for materials produced by the State Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to be released within U.S. borders and striking down a long-time ban on the dissemination of such material in the United States

NDAA... again? Joy. I'll read the rest for myself later when I find i have more patience to do so.

[Dowly]

[TLAM Strike]

Oh noes we are going to have Government funded TV and Radio broadcasts in America!


Oh wait...

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Dowly

NICE!

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Oh noes we are going to have Government funded TV and Radio broadcasts in America!


Oh wait...

I don't think that's quite the same thing. State, is quite different then Federal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBS

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a non-profit public broadcasting television network in the United States, with 354 member television stations which hold collective ownership.[2]
...
PBS stations are commonly operated by non-profit organizations, state agencies, local authorities (e.g., municipal boards of education), or universities in their city of license. In some U.S. states, PBS stations throughout the entire state may be organized into a single regional "subnetwork" called a state network (e.g., Alabama Public Television). Unlike public broadcasters in most other countries, PBS does not own any of the stations that broadcast its programming (i.e., there are no PBS owned-and-operated stations (O&O) anywhere in the country). This is partly due to the origins of the PBS stations themselves, and partly due to historical broadcast license issues.

[AVGWarhawk]

PBS is certainly not propaganda driven. More informative on nature, history. A few kids programs.

[August]

This must somehow be Bush and Cheneys fault. It couldn't be the liberty loving Democrats...

[Rockstar]

The United States government operates an entire network of broadcasters that distribute news in languages from English to Uzbek, but an "anti-propaganda" law has prevented their news from being aired domestically

I reckon whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

[Bubblehead1980]

Already have this, it's called MSNBC.

[Wolferz]

There's nothing to suggest that any of us have to, by law, watch any of it.

The federal government has produced news stories for decades and fed them to main stream media for broadcast. Usually with no acknowledgement of the source.

The federal government has produced news stories for decades and fed them to main stream media for broadcast. Usually with no acknowledgement of the source.

One complaint that is often heard on this forum is that the government and media are one vast global conspiracy anyway.
So surely in that case this change changes nothing.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

One complaint that is often heard on this forum is that the government and media are one vast global conspiracy anyway.
So surely in that case this change changes nothing.

True dat. The Fed figured this out during WW II when television was in its infancy.
As long as they don't start the subliminal brainwashing again, I don't care what they broadcast because I won't be watching their propaganda feeds anyhoo.

Welcome to 1984 on steroids.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

I don't think that's quite the same thing. State, is quite different then Federal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBS

PBS receives funding from the CPB (The Center for Public Broadcasting) just under a quarter of the CPB's funds are Federal.

Interestingly the the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 prevents the members of the CPB's board (there are nine who are appointed by the President) from having more than five from on party and requires it to provide balance on controversial topics.

[soopaman2]

Did I miss the Fox News, MSNBC, CNN logos?

I certainly saw PBS attacked.

Are you a government shill sir?

(government has been trying to defund them since the late 60s)