Countering Foreign Propaganda Act of 2018

Countering Foreign Propaganda Act of 2018

This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require a U.S.-based foreign media outlet to submit to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a report every six months that contains: (1) the name of the outlet, and (2) a description of the outlet's relationship with its foreign principal, including the legal relationship and funding the outlet receives from the principal. The FCC must transmit a summary of such reports to Congress and make them publicly available.

The bill requires a U.S.-based foreign media outlet that produces or distributes any video programming for a foreign principal that is or intended to be transmitted by a multichannel video programming distributor (such as cable operators and direct satellite services) to U.S. consumers to include a conspicuous statement that the programming is produced or distributed by the outlet on behalf of its foreign principal. The FCC may define by rule what constitutes a "conspicuous statement."