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In reply to the discussion: The Mighty Wurlitzer: How the CIA Played America [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)26. It used to be against the law, directing propaganda against the American people.
Smith-Mundt Act. History.
U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News to Americans
BY JOHN HUDSON
Foreign Policy - The Cable, JULY 14, 2013
For decades, a so-called anti-propaganda law prevented the U.S. governments mammoth broadcasting arm from delivering programming to American audiences. But on July 2, that came silently to an end with the implementation of a new 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?
SNIP...
A former U.S. government source with knowledge of the BBG says the organization is no Pravda, but it does advance U.S. interests in more subtle ways. In Somalia, for instance, VOA serves as counterprogramming to outlets peddling anti-American or jihadist sentiment. "Somalis have three options for news," the source said, "word of mouth, al-Shabab, or VOA Somalia."
This partially explains the push to allow BBG broadcasts on local radio stations in the United States. The agency wants to reach diaspora communities, such as St. Paul, Minnesotas significant Somali expat community. "Those people can get al-Shabab, they can get Russia Today, but they couldnt get access to their taxpayer-funded news sources like VOA Somalia," the source said. "It was silly."
Lynne added that the reform has a transparency benefit as well. "Now Americans will be able to know more about what they are paying for with their tax dollars greater transparency is a win-win for all involved," she said. And so with that we have the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012, which passed as part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, and went into effect this month.
But if anyone needed a reminder of the dangers of domestic propaganda efforts, the past 12 months provided ample reasons. Last year, two USA Today journalists were ensnared in a propaganda campaign after reporting about millions of dollars in back taxes owed by the Pentagons top propaganda contractor in Afghanistan. Eventually, one of the co-owners of the firm confessed to creating phony websites and Twitter accounts to smear the journalists anonymously. Additionally, just this month, the Washington Post exposed a counter-propaganda program by the Pentagon that recommended posting comments on a U.S. website run by a Somali expat with readers opposing al-Shabab. "Today, the military is more focused on manipulating news and commentary on the Internet, especially social media, by posting material and images without necessarily claiming ownership," reported the Post.
But for BBG officials, the references to Pentagon propaganda efforts are nauseating, particularly because the Smith-Mundt Act never had anything to do with regulating the Pentagon, a fact that was misunderstood in media reports in the run-up to the passage of new Smith-Mundt reforms in January.
CONTINUED...
http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/07/14/u-s-repeals-propaganda-ban-spreads-government-made-news-to-americans/
PS: Thank you for the kind words, CrawlingChaos! Your Friendship means the world to me.
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Perhaps that article also points to why some so strongly de-emphasize the "U" in "DU" as well....
villager
Aug 2015
#1
It's beyond a Wurlitzer-it's a heavenly choir thanks to NASA (Dulles's PAPERCLIP pals) et.al. K&R
bobthedrummer
Aug 2015
#9
I'm pretty sure you mean this thread, for those who may have somehow missed it
Electric Monk
Aug 2015
#14
Kick and an invitation to join in on a discussion of "information operations" aka Psy-Ops for those
bobthedrummer
Aug 2015
#20
It used to be against the law, directing propaganda against the American people.
Octafish
Sep 2015
#26
Freedom is for those who can afford it. Poor kids rot unknown in jail for five years and die...
Octafish
Sep 2015
#29
Wait; is that, could that possibly be, and involving all sorts of people, a.....govt CONSPIRACY??
WinkyDink
Sep 2015
#30