The White House Doesn’t Do Propaganda…
… the federal agencies have to do it on their own. We all remember Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher. Now there’s Dave Smith, doing public relations disguised as journalism for the Agriculture Department. Is this really propaganda? Judge for yourself. The situation is different from either of the other two cases. The key facts, as ...
... the federal agencies have to do it on their own. We all remember Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher. Now there's Dave Smith, doing public relations disguised as journalism for the Agriculture Department. Is this really propaganda? Judge for yourself. The situation is different from either of the other two cases. The key facts, as reported by the WP:
… the federal agencies have to do it on their own. We all remember Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher. Now there’s Dave Smith, doing public relations disguised as journalism for the Agriculture Department. Is this really propaganda? Judge for yourself. The situation is different from either of the other two cases. The key facts, as reported by the WP:
“From NRCS’s standpoint, it all reflected . . . very positively on the agency and what they were doing,” Smith said. “It was just another method of getting their success stories out in the mass media.” Smith said he told magazine editors of his government contract, and he received no fee from the publications. One of the Outdoor Oklahoma articles was accompanied by a note identifying Smith as a freelance writer who works as a biologist for the agency. None of the articles appear to disclose his federal contract. Gagner said the agency’s intention was not to hide its role. And while the agency would consider such an arrangement again, “we would make sure there was somewhere in the article that says . . . that that writing was done by, for” the agency, he said.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
More from Foreign Policy
Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?
The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.
Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World
It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.
It’s a New Great Game. Again.
Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing
The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
