FCC to Probe Defense Department's 'Propaganda' Program

[Purveyor]

Source: Editor & Publisher

October 07, 2008 3:37 PM ET

NEW YORK The Federal Communications Commission has announced that it will investigate a Department of Defense propaganda program to determine whether news networks or military analysts violated the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC rules.

Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that a Department of Defense program had ex-military officers presenting the Bush administration’s position on the War on Terror as objective analysis on major television news programs and 24-hour cable news networks. Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro and Congressman John Dingell wrote to the FCC to investigate allegations that the news networks and the analysts failed to disclose the ex-military officers’ ties to the Pentagon -- and if that violated sponsorship identification requirements in the Communications Act.

“Given the revelations in the article, had the FCC not heeded our request for an investigation, it would have raised serious questions about their oversight capabilities. I am pleased with today's news, but will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the FCC fully investigates the networks in addition to the analysts,” DeLauro said in a
statement Tuesday.

According to the Times report, Department of Defense documents described the analysts as “message force multipliers” instructed to deliver “administration themes and messages” to the public “in the form of their own opinions.” The report found that these analysts -- who The Times called “a media Trojan horse” for the administration -- were encouraged to convey specific Defense Department talking points to the public, even when they suspected the information could be exaggerated or false.


Read more: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003871393

[fascisthunter]

1. Ooops... there goes Fox News

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

2. FCC should come down on them bastards

a long time ago.

[Upfront]

5. L ou Dobbs

He is guilty of this big time. He had some Bush suck ass general on most every night, probably still at it. I quit watching long ago.

[fascisthunter]

8. I Stopped watching that Brownshirt a While Ago

the guy was that "objective" in my opinion... a brownshirt

[Phred42]

3. Anyone REALY think the Bush FCC will come down on the Cheney Pentagon?

:shrug:

[AlphaCentauri]

10. Not me, but it would be good propaganda to see them acting like they are doing something

[spelldmilk]

4. Woo Hoo! Took them long enough…

[Nambe]

6. Quick response unit! During the Nam war you had to read Chinese..

to get an alternative body count and split the difference.

[Robb]

7. Start the process now

...and nail them to the wall during the Obama administration. :)

[Mnemosyne]

9. I hope there is time. KnR. n/t

[Supersedeas]

11. The Most Trusted Name in 'News" -- Fair and Balanced -- Your Place for Politics??

[Crowman1979]

12. It's time for those retired officers to be re-activated!

This is your second chance assholes! Show em' how victorious you can be. Oh, theirs a catch! Your all going to be leading ground combat units. So put your money where your mouth is.