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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Can US media accept advertisements from foreign state-affiliated entities?

By Esther Tsvayg
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YES

Federal law allows foreign-government entities to advertise in U.S. media, provided that they avoid ads or endorsements related to U.S. elections. They must register as foreign agents with the Department of Justice, and disclose relationships and receipts. As agents, they must have "conspicuous" disclosure labels on any "informational materials."

The Justice Department has stepped up enforcement efforts against China- and Russia-run state media outlets in recent years to be sure they register if they "target an audience here for purposes of perception management or to influence U.S. policy."

China Daily, an English-language newspaper owned by the Chinese Communist Party's public relations department, is registered as a purchaser of advertising campaigns in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and Foreign Policy.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Department of Justice: Foreign Agents Registration Act—FAQs
Congressional Research Service: Foreign Agents Registration Act—Background and issues for Congress
Capdale: DOJ's push to register state-run media under FARA
FARA Records: China Daily Distribution Corp.
Federal Election Commission: Foreign nationals
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.