The Smith Mundt Act first passed in 1948. A quick internet search and you will find: The Act was developed to regulate broadcasting of programs for foreign audiences produced under the guidance by the State Department, and it prohibited domestic dissemination of materials produced by such programs as one of its provisions. The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act, which was introduced in 2010 and made part of a larger piece of legislation in 2012 will let people across America see and hear the valuable news reported by the Agency’s accomplished journalists. It takes into account modern content platforms that are not restricted by national boundaries, such as the Internet, mobile delivery and satellite broadcasting.
Leading up to its passing. Congress harbored significant reservations about empowering the State Department to propagate informational and ideological materials to the American public. in February 1946, committee Chairman Eugene Cox (D-GA) informed Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs William B. Benton that ten of the twelve committee members were against anything the State Department favored because of its “Communist infiltration and pro-Russian policy”. Other comments were similarly tough. The ranking minority member of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Rep. John Taber (R-NY), called for a “house-cleaning” of “some folks” in the State Department to “keep only those people whose first loyalty is to the United States”. Congress, in recommending passage of the bill, declared that “truth can be a powerful weapon”. Congress further declared six principles were required for the legislation to be successful in action: tell the truth; explain the motives of the United States; bolster morale and extend hope; give a true and convincing picture of American life, methods, and ideals; combat misrepresentation and distortion; and aggressively interpret and support American foreign policy. As a Cold War measure, it was intended to compete with propaganda from the Soviet Union and communist organizations primarily in Europe. The principal purpose of the legislation was to engage in a global struggle for minds and wills, a phrase used by Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
That being said propaganda has been used for ages. The Trojan Horse is the first thing that comes to my mind. The Greeks lay siege to Troy for 10 years with no avail. They built a wooden horse as a trophy for the Trojans as a departing gift. The Greeks hid inside the horse and opened the gates to Troy after the horse was pulled inside the city. The Greeks decimated the city.
Propaganda during World War II. Used for the war effort to keep morale high, promote war bonds and let people know how they could contribute. The State Department collaborated with Hollywood to make films that fit what they wanted to public to see. Leaflets and radio overseas were used to let the Axis powers know how to surrender where bombs were to be dropped. Leaflets also dropped had counterfeit ration books, stamps and money. Don’t think for a second the U.S. government is the only government to use propaganda, they all do. It depends on the agenda needing to be achieved.
So our updated Smith Mundt act in 2012 signed into law by Obama, the modernization of Smith-Mundt will facilitate global connectivity and audience engagement and will provide greater transparency into publicly-funded broadcasting. Our journalists must abide by legally mandated broadcasting standards and principles to present accurate and objective news and information. The U.S. Agency for Global Media responsible for the updated act states: USAGM networks are legally mandated to present accurate and objective news and information. All of the networks are considered vital, objective news sources and are frequently cited by major media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, and CNN, for their high-quality reporting.
Here is my take. The fact the State Department has it’s dirty hands in this is my first flag. Although they can’t by law put out American propaganda in the United States, who is to say the propaganda laid out overseas isn’t picked up by the said media outlets listed in the previous paragraph and disseminated inside the United States. Can you say work around. Obviously all of these bureaucratic agencies have learned lessons over the years that benefit them. What to put out, how to frame it. Look no further than the Steele dossier paid for by Hillary Clinton to try and take down President Trump. Completely fake, made up and shoved down our throats by the media that is supposed to be unbiased, fair and don’t forget legally mandated to present accurate and objective news. Tucker Carlson going to Russia again proved our media is being manipulated. I am not even talking about the Putin interview. His trip to a Russian supermarket again showed the media lied. We were told by the media the sanctions against Russia were working, the shelves were empty and the Russian people were ready to take Putin out. Ukraine winning the war is our only objective. Sound a little familiar? Remember we were told, by the media, there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. How many were found? Remember we were told, by the media, who perpetrated 9/11. Osama Bin Laden the mastermind and like 8 dudes with box cutters. The media lies, period!! You must find your own truth in every story. How do you do that, research outside the bounds of the regular media.