Hill Wants FCC to Investigate DOD 'Experts' Program

House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and Rep Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations, want to know whether news networks bear any culpability related to a Department of Defense program to recruit ex-military officers to talk up Iraq and other policies on TV, online and elsewhere. Following a story in the New York Times about the program, they have asked FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to investigate whether the program may have violated requirements of sponsorship identification. “While we deem the DoD’s policy unethical and perhaps illegal, we also question whether the analysts and the networks are potentially equally culpable pursuant to the sponsorship identification requirements in the Communications Act of 1934 and the rules of the Federal Communications Commission,” the pair wrote Martin. “When seemingly objective television commentators are in fact highly motivated to promote the agenda of a government agency, a gross violation of the public trust occurs," they said. "The American people should never be subject to a covert propaganda campaign but rather should be clearly notified of who is sponsoring what they are watching." The analysts also have ties to lobbying groups that are not disclosed to viewers, the Times story said. Reps Dingell and DeLauro called for an immediate investigation. At least one FCC commissioner, Democrat Michael Copps, supports the move.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6558164.html?rssid=193

DeLauro press release
http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2008/May/DeLauro_Dingell_5_6_08.html

FCC asked to probe TV 'surrogates'
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985191.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2562