22 U.S.C. § 1431: Congressional declaration of objectives

an information service to disseminate abroad information about the United States, its people, and policies promulgated by the Congress, the President, the Secretary of State and other responsible officials of Government having to do with matters affecting foreign affairs; Repealed. Pub. L. 87–256, § 111(a)(2) , Sept. 21, 1961 , 75 Stat. 538 . Although the United States has demonstrated and promoted its values in defending Muslims against tyrants and criminals in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, this message is neither convincingly presented nor widely understood. If the United States does not act to vigorously define its message in countries with predominantly Muslim populations, the image of the United States will be defined by Islamic extremists who seek to demonize the United States. Recognizing that many Muslim audiences rely on satellite television and radio, the United States Government has launched promising initiatives in television and radio broadcasting to the Islamic world, including Iran and Afghanistan. the United States must do more to defend and promote its values and ideals to the broadest possible audience in countries with predominantly Muslim populations; United States efforts to defend and promote these values and ideals are beginning to ensure that accurate expressions of these values reach large Muslim audiences and should be robustly supported; the United States Government could and should do more to engage Muslim audiences in the struggle of ideas; and the United States Government should more intensively employ existing broadcast media in the Islamic world as part of this engagement. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fundamental human rights. The United States has a national interest in promoting these freedoms by supporting free media abroad, which is essential to the development of free and democratic societies consistent with our own. Free media is undermined, endangered, or nonexistent in many repressive and transitional societies around the world, including in Eurasia, Africa, and the Middle East. Individuals lacking access to a plurality of free media are vulnerable to misinformation and propaganda and are potentially more likely to adopt anti-United States views. Foreign governments have a responsibility to actively and publicly discourage and rebut unprofessional and unethical media while respecting journalistic integrity and editorial independence. ensure that the promotion of freedom of the press and freedom of media worldwide is a priority of United States foreign policy and an integral component of United States public diplomacy; respect the journalistic integrity and editorial independence of free media worldwide; and ensure that widely accepted standards for professional and ethical journalistic and editorial practices are employed when assessing international media. The Secretary of State shall, utilizing amounts authorized to be appropriated by subsection (e)(2) [(d)(2)], make grants to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) under the National Endowment for Democracy Act ( 22 U.S.C. 4411 et seq.) for utilization by the Endowment to provide funding to a private sector group to establish and manage a free and independent media network as specified in paragraph (2). fund a clearinghouse to collect and share information concerning international media development and training; improve research in the field of media assistance and program evaluation to better inform decisions regarding funding and program design for government and private donors; explore the most appropriate use of existing means to more effectively encourage the involvement of the private sector in the field of media assistance; and identify effective methods for the development of a free and independent media in societies in transition. There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2005 and 2006, unless otherwise authorized by Congress, such sums as may be necessary to carry out United States Government broadcasting activities consistent with this section under the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 ( 22 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 ( 22 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.), and the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), and to carry out other activities under this section consistent with the purposes of such Acts, unless otherwise authorized by Congress. In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2005 and 2006, unless otherwise authorized by Congress, such sums as may be necessary for grants under subsection (c)(1) for the establishment of the media network described in subsection (c)(2).”