§ 173.3 - Availability of program material.

§ 173.3 Availability of program material.

(a) The Department makes Program Material available to Requesters electronically through Department Web sites and/or various third-party platforms, where such material has been disseminated to audiences abroad. Once Program Material is published, it remains available in digital format until removed or archived by the Department at its discretion (see paragraph (c) of this section). For access to such Program Material, Requesters may visit www.state.gov/r.

(b) As a general matter, Program Material published both electronically and in hard copy will be made available electronically through Department Web sites and/or various third-party platforms, although the Department reserves the right to make Program Material available in hard copy at its sole discretion. To the extent a Requester seeks Program Material that is not made available online through Department Web sites or third-party platforms, such material must be requested under the FOIA pursuant to the procedures outlined at 22 CFR part 171, subpart B.

(c) The Department will remove Program Material from Department and third-party Web sites when it deems such material no longer relevant to the Department's public diplomacy mission. The Department will also remove Program Material when required by licensing agreements with third-party copyright holders. To the extent a Requester seeks Program Material that has been removed for whatever reason, such material must be requested under the FOIA pursuant to the procedures outlined at 22 CFR part 171, Subpart B.

(d) Once Program Material has been removed from the Department's Web site or third-party platforms, a determination will be made as to whether it is a permanent Department record under the Department's applicable Records Disposition Schedule (“RDS”). Permanent records will be transferred in their entirety to the National Archives and Records Administration (“NARA”) according to the RDS; see 36 CFR 1256.98 for information about how to request Department Program Material that has been transferred to NARA. Material designated as “temporary” under the applicable RDS will be destroyed once it has been removed from the Department or third-party sites.