[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 967 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 352
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 967
[Report No. 109-210]
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, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Akaka, and Mr.
Corzine) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
December 20, 2005
Reported by Mr. Stevens, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Broadcasting Act
of 2005''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. TRUTH IN BROADCASTING OF PREPACKAGED NEWS
STORIES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> 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:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``SEC. 342. ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL AGENCY SPONSORSHIP OF
PREPACKAGED NEWS STORY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) Presentation.--The announcement required under
subsection (a) shall be broadcast or distributed so as--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) to promote consistency with the announcement
requirements required under sections 317 and 507;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) in the case of television and other video
programming--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) to be visible for the entire
duration of the prepackaged news story; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) to include the conspicuous display
of the statement `PRODUCED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT';
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) in the case of radio and other audio
programming, to audibly inform the audience of the source of
the prepackaged news story.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Removal of Disclaimer Prohibited.--It is unlawful
for any person to remove an announcement required by this
section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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).</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Multichannel video programming
distributor.--The term `multichannel video programming
distributor' has the meaning given that term in section
602.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Network organization.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) In general.--The Commission shall
define the term `network organization' for purposes of
this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Inclusion.--In defining `network
organization', the Commission shall include all
entities that may provide a prepackaged news story to a
broadcast licensee.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Prepackaged News Story Announcement
Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. PREPACKAGED NEWS STORY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
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 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP OF A
PREPACKAGED NEWS STORY.
``(a) Disclaimer Required.--Any prepackaged news story produced by
or on behalf of a Federal agency and intended for broadcast over the
air or distribution by a multichannel video programming distributor
within the United States shall contain a clear notification within the
text or audio of the prepackaged news story that the prepackaged news
story was prepared or funded by the `United States Government'.
``(b) Removal of Disclaimer.--The Commission shall promulgate rules
governing the circumstances under which broadcasters or multichannel
video programming distributors may remove or modify the notification
required under subsection (a).
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) 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.
``(2) Multichannel video programming distributor.--The term
`multichannel video programming distributor' has the meaning
given that term by section 602(13).
``(d) Intelligence Activities.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to apply to any lawful and authorized intelligence activity
of the United States government.''.
Calendar No. 352
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 967
[Report No. 109-210]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 20, 2005
Reported with an amendment