Reports Indicate FCC Chairman Carr Plans To Reopen Complaints Against Broadcasters, Jeopardizing Press Freedom
Reports Indicate FCC Chairman Carr Plans To Reopen Complaints Against Broadcasters, Jeopardizing Press Freedom
Reports Indicate FCC Chairman Carr Plans To Reopen Complaints Against Broadcasters, Jeopardizing Press Freedom

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    Reports indicate that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr plans to reinstate three broadcast complaints previously dismissed by former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The complaints, filed by The Center for American Rights, concern ABC’s presidential debate coverage, CBS’s “60 Minutes” interview editing, and NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” programming during the recent presidential campaign, and allege “news distortion” and violations of the equal time rule. 

    The following can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Legal Director at Public Knowledge:

    “When former Chairwoman Rosenworcel dismissed a number of complaints concerning broadcasters in the final days of her term, she stated that ‘the FCC should not be the president’s speech police’ and that ‘the FCC should not be journalism’s censor-in-chief.’ This is a far cry from Chairman Carr’s reported actions. In reinstating just those complaints that suit his partisan agenda, Chairman Carr has made it plain he intends to weaponize the FCC to threaten political speech and news coverage he disagrees with.”

    Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.