Several days ago I posted a
diary which got promoted to the front page (woo-hoo, my first!) about a bill pending in the Senate called the
Truth in Broadcasting Act, S.967.
I wanted to remind everyone to contact their Senators prior to the Finance Committee Hearing, which is scheduled for 10:00 A.M. Thursday 5/12. It will be Webcast for those who are interested.
So you have a day. Let's get on it!
Folks who need to pay special attention live in the following states:
States with Repub Senators on the Finance Committee: AK, AZ, LA, ME, MT, MI, NH, NV, OR, TX, VA, SC
States with Non-cosponsoring Dem Senators on the Finance Committee: AR, FL, Hawaii, NE, WA, WV
Details below includng contact numbers and bill text.
(apologies for lack of any analysis, snazzy formatting, or snark - please feel free to add yours in the comments)
Update:
Covert propaganda in news, diary by gimbal, has many good links about this issue.
Repub Committee Members:
Ted Stevens - Alaska - Hart 522 202-224-3004
John McCain - Arizona - Russell 241 202-224-2235
Conrad Burns - Montana - Dirksen 187 202-224-2644
Trent Lott - Mississippi- Russell 487 202-224-6253
Kay Bailey Hutchison - Texas - Russell 284 202-224-5922
Olympia Snowe - Maine - Russell 154 202-224-5344
Gordon Smith - Oregon - Russell 404 202-224-3753
John Ensign - Nevada - Russell 364 202-224-6244
George Allen - Virginia - Russell 204 202-224-4024
John Sununu - New Hampshire - Russell 111 202-224-2841
Jim DeMint - South Carolina - Hart 825 202-224-6121
David Vitter - Louisiana - Hart 825A 202-224-4623
Dem Committee Members Who are not yet listed as Co-Soponsors of the Bill:
Daniel K. Inouye - Hawaii - Hart 722 202-224-3934
John D. Rockefeller IV - West Virginia - Hart 531 202-224-6472
Bill Nelson - Florida - Hart 716 202-224-5274
Maria Cantwell - Washington - Hart 717 202-224-3441
E. Benjamin Nelson - Nebraska - Hart 720 202-224-6551
Mark Pryor - Arkansas - Russell 217 202-224-2353
Dem Committee Members Who Have Co-sponsored (according to Thomas as of today):
Frank Lautenberg (Sponsor)
John Kerry (Named Co-sponsor)
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
Sen Dayton, Mark [MN]
Sen Dorgan, Byron L. [ND]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA]
Text of S.967:
Truth in Broadcasting Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate)
S 967 IS
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 967
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that prepackaged news stories contain announcements that inform viewers that the information within was provided by the United States Government, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 28, 2005
Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Mr. KERRY, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. DORGAN, Mrs. BOXER, and Mr. DAYTON) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that prepackaged news stories contain announcements that inform viewers that the information within was provided by the United States Government, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Truth in Broadcasting Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. TRUTH IN BROADCASTING OF PREPACKAGED NEWS STORIES.
Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 342. ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL AGENCY SPONSORSHIP OF PREPACKAGED NEWS STORY.
`(a) DISCLAIMER REQUIRED- Any prepackaged news story produced by or on behalf of a Federal agency that is broadcast or distributed by a network organization, broadcast licensee or permittee, or multichannel video programming distributor in the United States shall contain an announcement supplied by the Federal agency within the prepackaged news story that conspicuously identifies the United States Government as the source for the prepackaged news story.
`(b) PRESENTATION- The announcement required under subsection (a) shall be broadcast or distributed so as--
`(1) to promote consistency with the announcement requirements required under sections 317 and 507;
`(2) in the case of television and other video programming--
`(A) to be visible for the entire duration of the prepackaged news story; and
`(B) to include the conspicuous display of the statement `PRODUCED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'; and
`(3) in the case of radio and other audio programming, to audibly inform the audience of the source of the prepackaged news story.
`(c) REMOVAL OF DISCLAIMER PROHIBITED- It is unlawful for any person to remove an announcement required by this section.
`(d) FCC TO DETERMINE NATURE OF DISCLAIMERS- The Commission shall determine the exact design, presentation, and additional language, if any, required for the announcements described in subsection (a).
`(e) DEFINITIONS- In this section:
`(1) AGENCY- The term `agency' has the same meaning given such term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, and includes the Executive Office of the President.
`(2) MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING DISTRIBUTOR- The term `multichannel video programming distributor' has the meaning given that term in section 602.
`(3) NETWORK ORGANIZATION-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The Commission shall define the term `network organization' for purposes of this section.
`(B) INCLUSION- In defining `network organization', the Commission shall include all entities that may provide a prepackaged news story to a broadcast licensee.
`(4) PREPACKAGED NEWS STORY- The term `prepackaged news story' means a complete, ready-to-use audio or video news segment designed to be indistinguishable from a news segment produced by an independent news organization.'.