§624 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires United States-based foreign media outlets to file reports with the Commission that give the outlet’s name and explain its relationship with its foreign principal, including the legal setup and any money received. The first report is due within 60 days after August 13, 2018, and then at least every 6 months. The Commission must send Congress a summary of those reports within 90 days after August 13, 2018 and then at least every 6 months. The Commission must post each outlet’s report online no later than the earlier of 30 days after the outlet files it or when the Commission sends the 6-month summary to Congress. Definitions: “Foreign principal” — as defined in section 1(b)(1) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. “United States-based foreign media outlet” — an entity that produces or distributes video programming for a multichannel video programming distributor to U.S. consumers and that would be an agent of a foreign principal under FARA except for section 1(d).

Title 47, §624

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 60 days after August 13, 2018, and not less frequently than every 6 months thereafter, a United States-based foreign media outlet shall submit to the Commission a report that contains the following information:

(1)The name of such outlet.

(2)A description of the relationship of such outlet to the foreign principal of such outlet, including a description of the legal structure of such relationship and any funding that such outlet receives from such principal.

(b)Not later than 90 days after August 13, 2018, and not less frequently than every 6 months thereafter, the Commission shall transmit to Congress a report that summarizes the contents of the reports submitted by United States-based foreign media outlets under subsection (a) during the preceding 6-month period.

(c)The Commission shall make publicly available on the internet website of the Commission each report submitted by a United States-based foreign media outlet under subsection (a) not later than the earlier of—

(1)the date that is 30 days after the outlet submits the report to the Commission; or

(2)the date on which the Commission transmits to Congress under subsection (b) the report covering the 6-month period during which the report of the outlet was submitted to the Commission under subsection (a).

(d)In this section:

(1)The term “foreign principal” has the meaning given such term in section 1(b)(1) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611(b)(1)).

(2)The term “United States-based foreign media outlet” means an entity that—

(A)produces or distributes video programming (as defined in section 522 of this title) that is transmitted, or intended for transmission, by a multichannel video programming distributor (as defined in such section) to consumers in the United States; and

(B)would be an agent of a foreign principal (as defined in paragraph (1)) for purposes of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.) but for section 1(d) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 611(d)).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(B), is act June 8, 1938, ch. 327, 52 Stat. 631, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 611 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 611 of Title 22 and Tables.

§624 Disclosure requirements for United States-based foreign media outlets