Pentagon propagandists

CQ Politics is reporting this morning that the FCC is investigating the Pentagon propaganda program that embedded retired generals on television networks:

The Federal Communications Commission confirmed it has launched a probe to address congressional questions about a Pentagon program viewed by some lawmakers as propaganda.

The FCC is looking into whether TV networks and certain on-air analysts broke the law by failing to disclose to viewers that the apparently independent analysts were in fact part of a Pentagon-funded information campaign, a spokesman for the commission said.

It’s amazing how much this story has faded from memory since being broken by the New York Times in April. How did this particular investigation get started? Again, we can thank Congressman John Dingell:

The chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, John D. Dingell , D-Mich., and Rosa DeLauro , D-Conn., wrote FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin in May suggesting that a probe of these activities was appropriate. Dingell and DeLauro asked Martin to ascertain whether the TV networks or the analysts violated the law and the commissions rules regarding the proper identification of paid advocates on news shows.

“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 wrote.

Thank you again, Congressman Dingell, for being one of the few in Congress who actually take your oversight roles seriously.