US State Department considers countering state-sponsored propaganda coming out of Russia, Iran and China an additional priority, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said
"About a year and a half ago or so, an additional priority was added to the Global Engagement Center, and that is countering state-sponsored propaganda. So that is something that’s still getting ramped up. Part of my job here will be to really focus on this. I see that as a very important issue. When we look at the propaganda that we see coming out of governments, including Russia, including Iran, including China," she said.
Nauert also thanked Congress for allocating $40 million from the Department of Defense for the Global Engagement Center.
On March 20, Congressmen Seth Moulton and Elise Stefanik presented a bipartisan bill that would oblige foreign media companies to provide more information, particularly on their ownership and government ties, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
According to the measure, US-based foreign media outlets would be required to submit semiannual reports to the FCC. The FCC will in its turn have to make such reports public on its website no later than 30 days after an outlet’s report submission or the date it is submitted to the Congress. The legislation would also require to include statements in the programming, and it will have to be done hourly during video programming longer than 60 minutes, according to the document.
