U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban

[quade 4]

Quote

U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News To Americans

For decades, a so-called anti-propaganda law prevented the U.S. government's 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?

Full Story: http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/12/us_backs_off_propaganda_ban_spreads_government_made_news_to_americans

I am not concerned about the propaganda of today anywhere nearly as much as its potential in the future.

The ban on propaganda needs to be reinstated immediately.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[wmw999 2,588]

Yep. Propaganda = advertising, and frankly I think that both are overrated.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Andy9o8 2]

I'd love to read the article, but it wants to force me to register to read it, so to hell with that.

But before the article greyed-out, I saw that it deals with the Smith-Mundt Act, which, generally speaking, bans the US Government from engaging in certain forms of propaganda if aimed at a domestic audience. Long story short, I've always had serious doubts as to the Constitutionality of the Act because, put simply, the US Government is no less lawfully entitled than any other entity to the protections of the applicable part of the First Amendment, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..."

[ryoder 1,590]

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If those quit working, go here to get more: http://www.bugmenot.com/view/foreignpolicy.com

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Fast 0]

Or just stop the page load after the article comes up but before it greys out. Silly how easy that can make those pop-up things go away.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Andy9o8 2]

Fast

Or just stop the page load after the article comes up but before it greys out.

Oh, I tried that. The browser just laughed at me.

[lawrocket 3]

This is far less cut-and-dry. The original Smith-Mundt Act precluded propaganda because of the abuses of the Wilson and FDR Admins.

But technology and events have overtaken the Act and, in a sense, has left it as a vestige. It makes sure that government policy pronouncement is like the fat zit on your back that everybody else can see but you can't.

Hence, there is no ban on state Department propaganda. The rest of the world can hear it on the "Voice of America." I like BBC because it gives me a better sense of the world. We don't hear the US side of it (I'm interested to hear what the rest of the world is hearing about the Snowden affair from VOA). Repealing that allows the US to simply get the information from the gubment more freely and easily.

It's not like we don't get propaganda. I was NASA TV regularly. I hear Jay Carney. Let's hear the propaganda. Maybe we'll have a better understanding of why the world looks at us the way it does. I want to know what my tax dollars are going toward.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[quade 4]

I see. As long as they're innocent, we have nothing to worry about.

People go fucking nuts that Big Bird teaches kids the ABCs, but somehow enabling actual propaganda for use within the state is okay?

Sure, it only has a history (as you've admitted), but since it was banned nothing has happened so let's just make it possible again. Just like abolishing laws againts the abuse of voting rights.

You guys crack me up.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jakee 1,595]

lawrocket

This is far less cut-and-dry. The original Smith-Mundt Act precluded propaganda because of the abuses of the Wilson and FDR Admins.

Woah, woah, woah people! Will Smith was in Enemy Of The State, a film about abuse of power. A character in that film was called Fiedler, an homage to The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, a book about morally questionable government activity, where Fiedler was a Stasi agent who's colleague / key rival was Mundt.

Smith-Mundt? This goes deeper than you know...

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[lawrocket 3]

Actually, Paul, I'd kinda like to see the propoganda out in the open versus the latent stuff we see. I'd rather have it in our faces than have is subtle. Like Sesame street - let's not discuss whether Bert and Ernie are gay. Let's see Elmo experiment (Elmo's been around since the 80s).

Let's lhave Voice of America available on our car radios. NPR quotes BBC all the time. Why not quote VOA? There's no way is could be more partisan than MSNBC or Fox News.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Andy9o8 2]

I frankly don't think Smith-Mundt is, or ever was, (when viewed with "perfect" intellectual honesty) constitutional.

You?

[lawrocket 3]

Andy9o8

I frankly don't think Smith-Mundt is, or ever was, (when viewed with "perfect" intellectual honesty) constitutional.

You?

A gray area. The Constitution protects the People from the government. What about the government from the government?

Additionally, we see all kinds of things that ban communications. Think about it - the Espionage Act suts people up.

My wife is hotter than your wife.