{"id":36573,"date":"2019-03-13T06:57:47","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T10:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=36573"},"modified":"2019-03-13T06:57:47","modified_gmt":"2019-03-13T10:57:47","slug":"doj-wants-rm-broadcasting-to-register-as-a-foreign-agent-for-broadcasting-sputnik-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/doj-wants-rm-broadcasting-to-register-as-a-foreign-agent-for-broadcasting-sputnik-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ wants RM Broadcasting to register as a foreign agent for broadcasting Sputnik Radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(Source: Washington Post<\/a> via Mike Hansgen)<\/p>\n

Sputnik radio, a media organization funded by the Russian government with offices around the world, broadcasts from a studio in downtown Washington blocks from the White House. It airs talk shows hosted by, among others, Lee Stranahan, a former Breitbart News reporter, and Brian Becker of the far-left ANSWER Coalition. Its website recently featured a discussion of Russia’s “Great Society” and a chat titled “Is Doing Business in Russia Really That Difficult?” The Weekly Standard once likened the experience of listening to Sputnik to “being immersed in some menacing alternate history timeline: It’s like ‘The Man in the High Castle,’ but for Cold War kids and with real-world implications.” And it has caught the ear of federal authorities.<\/p>\n

Since U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, the Department of Justice has tried to compel Sputnik\u2019s associates to register as foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA. So far, those efforts have mostly been successful: Rossiya Segodnya, the Russian news agency that funds Sputnik, has registered under FARA, as has the managing member of the company that owns 105.5 FM, one of two frequencies that Sputnik broadcasts on in Washington. (Before Sputnik, 105.5 FM played bluegrass.)<\/p>\n

There is one holdout: Arnold Ferolito, owner of RM Broadcasting, which leases airtime to Sputnik on 1390 AM in Washington.Not only has he refused to register his company as a foreign agent, the semiretired 76-year-old Florida man is suing the Justice Department over the request. \u201cI\u2019m not being caught up in somebody\u2019s agenda. I\u2019m a business guy,\u201d he told me. \u201cNo one gave me anything unless I fought for it. There\u2019s a principle here. In the United States, a person should be able to do business without government interference. … It\u2019s nuts that you have to do something like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his complaint, filed last fall in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Ferolito contends RM Broadcasting doesn\u2019t have \u201cany kind of joint-venture relationship whatsoever with Rossiya Segodnya,\u201d and that the two entities are simply engaged in \u201can arms-length commercial business transaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Justice Department isn\u2019t buying that. In its countersuit, it alleged that Ferolito broadcasts Sputnik news under \u201cthe direction and control of Rossiya Segodnya\u201d and is an \u201cinformation-service employee.\u201d[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to read full story.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: Washington Post via Mike Hansgen) Sputnik radio, a media organization funded by the Russian government with offices around the world, broadcasts from a studio in downtown Washington blocks from the White House. It airs talk shows hosted by, among others, Lee Stranahan, a former Breitbart News reporter, and Brian Becker of the far-left ANSWER […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,3],"tags":[7666,4288,3401],"class_list":["post-36573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-news","tag-rm-broadcasting","tag-sputnik","tag-sputnik-news-agency-and-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-9vT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26833,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/sputnik-radio-moves-to-the-dc-fm-radio-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":0},"title":"Sputnik Radio moves to the DC FM radio market","author":"Thomas","date":"July 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Sputnik News via Sheldon Harvey) \"Sputnik Radio begins broadcasting in Washington DC on the FM bandwidth, bringing its programming to FM listeners across the metropolitan area for the very first time. Sputnik Radio broadcasts, ranging from news programs to talk shows and financial analysis, are now available on 105.5\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Sputnik_logo.svg_-300x282.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":37467,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/court-finds-rm-broadcasting-must-register-as-a-foreign-agent\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":1},"title":"Court Finds RM Broadcasting Must Register as a Foreign Agent","author":"Thomas","date":"May 15, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who shares this update regarding RM Broadcasting: (Source:\u00a0Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, May 13, 2019 Court Finds RM Broadcasting Must Register as a Foreign Agent U.S. District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg has ruled that a Florida-based\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Sputnik_logo.svg_-300x282.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":52088,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/nab-calls-on-us-am-fm-stations-to-cease-russian-programming\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":2},"title":"NAB calls on US AM\/FM stations to cease Russian programming","author":"Thomas","date":"March 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Zack Schindler, who shares the following stories all focused on US broadcasters receiving pressure from the NAB and their communities to halt broadcasts of Russian state-sponsored media like Russia Today and Sputnik: NAB Calls On Broadcasters To Cease Russian Programming (Radio and Television Business\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AM-Dial-Digital-Grundig-Mediumwave-MW.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11362,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/11\/while-ofcom-threatens-rt-voice-of-russia-launches-as-sputnik\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":3},"title":"While Ofcom threatens RT, Voice of Russia launches as “Sputnik”","author":"Thomas","date":"November 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"As some attentive\u00a0SWLing Post readers have noted,\u00a0the Voice of Russia has found a new identity\u2013Sputnik News Agency and Radio\u2013with\u00a0a new website\/news portal\u00a0to match.\u00a0Here's the message the (former)\u00a0Voice of Russia\u00a0posted on their website today: \"Dear readers, we are excited to announce that the Voice of Russia is changing its name and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sputnik","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sputnik.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sputnik.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sputnik.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15047,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/anniversary-of-sputnik-i-launch-radio-moscow\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":4},"title":"Anniversary of Sputnik I Launch & Radio Moscow","author":"Thomas","date":"October 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who writes: Yesterday, 4 October, was the anniversary of the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik I, the first artificial Earth satellite. The launch heralded the beginning of the space age. Sputnik I's Doppler-shifted radio transmissions on 20.005 and 40.002 MHz led to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Boat Anchors"","block_context":{"text":"Boat Anchors","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/boat-anchors-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"radio_moscow_sputnik_card_side1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/radio_moscow_sputnik_card_side1-726x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/radio_moscow_sputnik_card_side1-726x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/radio_moscow_sputnik_card_side1-726x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52332,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/radio-waves-shortwave-secret-weapon-russian-propaganda-in-kansas-city-crisis-radio-and-tape-measure-antenna\/","url_meta":{"origin":36573,"position":5},"title":"Radio Waves: Shortwave Secret Weapon, Russian Propaganda in Kansas City, Crisis Radio, and Tape Measure Antenna,","author":"Thomas","date":"April 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0readers.\u00a0 To that end:\u00a0Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-50-of-170.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36573\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}