A Just-in-Time Lesson on Government Messaging
Can you tell the difference between a government PSA and propaganda?
MediaEd Lesson Plan · High School & College
PSA or Propaganda?
The U.S. government is charged with informing Americans. Is it also persuading them?
In the weeks before the 2026 midterms, TV ads featuring President Trump began airing during NFL games and on cable news. Each one ends with the words “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” The White House calls them public service announcements. Critics in both parties call them taxpayer-funded propaganda. Who’s right?
A Just-in-Time Learning Opportunity
Government Messaging: Is It a PSA or Propaganda?
We’re partnering with Semblen to offer this interactive game that helps learners notice the rhetorical techniques of persuasion and propaganda in how government messages are constructed. Read a recent post or press release from the White House, members of Congress, and federal government agencies, and then decide for yourself: is it a PSA or propaganda? See how Semblen analyzes a government message and get more perspective and insight on government messaging.
Download the free lesson that helps students analyze government-funded ads, after reading a short history of Americans’ worries about government persuasion. Students learn the difference between laws that regulate people and laws that regulate money, and they apply the tests the Government Accountability Office has used to judge government messaging for decades.
How to use the lesson
Start by watching the two ads, then choose the format that fits your schedule.
Option A · 30 minutes
Read & Discuss
Watch the ads, read the history and law, and discuss.
Option B · 50–75 minutes
Role Play the Debate
Students take on the roles of White House counsel, members of Congress, ethics watchdogs, broadcasters, and swing-district voters, and argue their cases before a mock GAO review panel.
Everything is ready to use: readings, stakeholder perspectives, role cards, a scoring sheet, discussion questions, and an exit ticket. It’s timely, nonpartisan, and designed to build a skill today’s media environment demands most: understanding how persuasion, propaganda, and power work in the digital age.