{"id":37467,"date":"2019-05-15T17:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T21:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=37467"},"modified":"2019-05-15T07:11:44","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T11:11:44","slug":"court-finds-rm-broadcasting-must-register-as-a-foreign-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/court-finds-rm-broadcasting-must-register-as-a-foreign-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"Court Finds RM Broadcasting Must Register as a Foreign Agent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Ed, who shares this update regarding RM Broadcasting:<\/p>\n

(Source:\u00a0Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong>
\nMonday, May 13, 2019<\/p>\n

Court Finds RM Broadcasting Must Register as a Foreign Agent<\/p>\n

U.S. District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg has ruled that a Florida-based company, RM Broadcasting LLC (RM Broadcasting), was acting as an agent of a foreign principal and must register as such under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA).<\/p>\n

The Department of Justice contended in a civil counterclaim that RM Broadcasting has been acting as an agent of the the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency (Rossiya Segodnya), a Russian state-owned media enterprise created by Vladimir Putin to advance Russian interests abroad. The litigation marked the first FARA civil enforcement action since 1991. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe American people have a right to know if a foreign flag waves behind speech broadcast in the United States,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Demers. \u201cOur concern is not the content of the speech but providing transparency about the true identity of the speaker. This case shows that the Department can and will utilize all of its tools to bring transparency to efforts by foreign entities to influence the American public and our government, and demonstrates our renewed effort to enforce FARA rigorously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the right to free speech remains paramount to our democracy,\u201d U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan said. \u201cFARA ensures that the American public is fully cognizant of the true source of the messages broadcast in the United States. Armed with full information, Americans may properly evaluate the value of the speech they hear. As such, FARA is a fundamental tool in our continuing efforts to defend our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

In November 2017, RM Broadcasting and Rossiya Segodnya entered into a services agreement pursuant to which RM Broadcasting would provide for the broadcast of Rossiya Segodnya\u2019s \u201cSputnik\u201d radio programs on AM radio channel 1390 WZHF in the Washington, D.C. region. Under this agreement, RM Broadcasting could not alter Rossiya Segodnya\u2019s radio programs in any way. As the services agreement established Rossiya Segodnya\u2019s direction and control over RM Broadcasting, the FARA Unit of the National Security Division informed RM Broadcasting that it was acting as a publicity agent and an information-service employee of Rossiya Segodnya and was required to register as an agent of a foreign principal.<\/p>\n

RM Broadcasting initiated the proceeding in the Southern District of Florida seeking a declaratory judgment that it did not have to register as an agent of a foreign principal. The Department responded by filing a counterclaim seeking an injunction to require RM Broadcasting to register. Earlier this week, the court granted the Department\u2019s motion for judgment on the pleadings. A final judgment directing RM Broadcasting to register under FARA is expected.<\/p>\n

This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of the National Security Division\u2019s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.<\/p>\n

About FARA<\/p>\n

The purpose of FARA is to protect the national defense, internal security, and foreign relations of the United States by requiring public disclosure by persons engaging in political activities and other activities for or on behalf of foreign governments, foreign political parties and other foreign principals so that the Government and the people of the United States may be informed of the identity of such persons and may apprise their statements and actions in the light of their associations and activities.
\nComponent(s):
\nNational Security Division (NSD)
\nUSAO – Florida, Southern
\nPress Release Number:
\n19-519<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 company, RM Broadcasting LLC (RM […]<\/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-37467","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-9Kj","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36573,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/doj-wants-rm-broadcasting-to-register-as-a-foreign-agent-for-broadcasting-sputnik-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":37467,"position":0},"title":"DOJ wants RM Broadcasting to register as a foreign agent for broadcasting Sputnik Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"March 13, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(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\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_-1024x963.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Sputnik_logo.svg_-1024x963.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Sputnik_logo.svg_-1024x963.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52088,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/nab-calls-on-us-am-fm-stations-to-cease-russian-programming\/","url_meta":{"origin":37467,"position":1},"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":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":37467,"position":2},"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 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Circumventing Censorship, and Old-School Radio Sense","author":"Thomas","date":"March 9, 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 "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Russia-Moscow-Kremlin.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Russia-Moscow-Kremlin.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Bush House, with its grand marble entrance in central London,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Radio-Dial-Blurred-Dark","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Radio-Dial-Blurred-Dark.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Radio-Dial-Blurred-Dark.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Radio-Dial-Blurred-Dark.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57166,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/shortwave-modernization-coalition-public-comment-period-on-new-proposal\/","url_meta":{"origin":37467,"position":5},"title":"Shortwave Modernization Coalition: Public comment period on new proposal","author":"Thomas","date":"July 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Benn Kobb, who shares the following announcement: The FCC has opened for public comment the Petition for Rulemaking of the Shortwave Modernization Coalition. The proposal would bring new private, non-broadcast digital stations to the high-frequency spectrum. As covered in Experimental Radio News, the Coalition\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-76-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-76-of-170.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/VOA-Site-B-76-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-76-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\/37467","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=37467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37467\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}