Movies

FCC commissioner sounds alarms about free speech ‘chilling effect’ under Trump

BBG News

This week, Federal Communications Commissioner Anna M. Gomez journeyed to Los Angeles to issue a warning about potential assaults on the media by President Trump and his associates, which she fears may weaken the protections afforded by the First Amendment.

On Wednesday, Gomez visited Cal State L.A. with the aim of gathering community opinions about how the media landscape has shifted since President Trump regained office. For instance, he first barred Associated Press journalists from the White House, and later signed an order to reduce funding for PBS and NPR stations.

As a cinephile putting it in my own words, if that change goes through, the Pasadena-based radio station LAist would be looking at a significant financial hit – close to $1.7 million, or around 4% of their yearly budget. This is according to Alejandra Santamaria, the CEO of Southern California Public Radio, its parent organization.

Gomez explained to the gathered group, ‘The purpose behind these actions is to suppress free speech.’ We should all be aware of what’s going on and encourage others to voice their opinions and resist.

In the 1930s, Congress established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to be a self-governing entity, not one subject to the control of the President.

However, during the final days of the last presidential election campaign, Trump took legal action against CBS and “60 Minutes” over changes made to an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris at that time. He claimed the producers manipulated the broadcast to boost her chances in the election. CBS has disputed these claims, stating that they were not truthful, and the original footage demonstrated that Harris’ words were accurately represented.

Upon assuming his role as FCC Chairman in January, Brendan Carr – appointed by Trump – rekindled three grievances of perceived bias against ABC, NBC, and CBS, one of which accused “60 Minutes” of breaching rules against news manipulation due to edited footage. He requested that CBS publicly disclose the uncensored footage.

The ongoing FCC assessment of Skydance Media’s proposed acquisition of Paramount Global (CBS’ parent company) is facing scrutiny due to the ongoing $20-billion lawsuit filed by the president against CBS. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the president turned down Paramount’s proposal for a settlement worth $15 million, with Trump pushing for a higher sum instead.

Two high-level CBS News executives involved in “60 Minutes” were forced out this spring.

In an interview, Gomez chose not to delve into the FCC’s examination of the Skydance-Paramount deal further, stating instead that connecting the complaint against a ’60 Minutes’ segment with a transaction review would be unsuitable. She clarified that examining changes to a nationwide news broadcast doesn’t form part of the public interest assessment the commission carries out when assessing mergers and acquisitions.

Hollywood Inc.

For Subscribers

Trump, ‘60 Minutes’ and corruption allegations put Paramount on edge with sale less certain

Three Democratic Senators cautioned that making payments to Trump in exchange for preferential treatment from regulators might breach federal anti-bribery statutes. They stated that the business transactions between Paramount and Trump spark profound concerns about potential corruption and unethical behavior.

For several months now, Gomez has stood alone as the voice of opposition within the FCC. In the coming month, she will serve as the solitary Democratic representative on the committee.

The attorney who’s been working in communications for a long time, named by President Biden in 2023, has publicly disagreed with her fellow commission member Carr and his policies that follow Trump’s guidance. She argues that some of Carr’s initiatives, like launching probes into diversity and inclusion practices at Walt Disney Co. and Comcast, exceed the FCC’s jurisdiction as it mainly focuses on regulating radio, TV stations, and entities utilizing public airwaves.

The pressure campaign is working, Gomez said.

When corporations that own news sources instruct their broadcasters to soften their criticisms of the current government, or dismiss key personnel like the executive producer of ’60 Minutes’ or heads of networks such as CBS News due to fears of repercussions from the administration because of business deals – this is a form of intimidation,” Gomez explained.

On Wednesday, a gathering hosted by the nonprofit group Free Press featured calls for aid from educators, reporters, and community activists against Trump’s assaults. One reporter shared her experience of losing her position at Voice of America this spring following Trump’s criticism, an organization that was established over 80 years ago during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda.

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’ve just learned that there’s a possibility I might receive a reduction-in-force notice from the team at Voice of America later this week, based on reports from Politico.

In simpler terms, Latino news reporters discussed the challenges they face when reporting certain stories, as fear generated by the government’s tough immigration policies has caused many people to remain silent.

Hollywood Inc.

Under Carr’s leadership as chairman, there have been renewed concerns about news bias and investigations into diversity policies at both Comcast and Disney. This month, he publicly criticized NBC’s handling of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia controversy.

Currently, journalists can generally accomplish their tasks, as stated by Gabriel Lerner, former editor of La Opinión (Spanish-language newspaper).

But he added a warning.

Lerner stated that some people believe America is so unique that it’s unnecessary to take precautions against fascism because it could never occur here. This reminds me of the passengers on the Titanic who thought the ship was unsinkable and continued dancing, unaware of the impending disaster.

The White House pushed back on such narratives:

Anna Kelly, a spokesperson, stated that President Trump’s administration is renowned for its transparency. He frequently interacts with the media, shares information directly with the public, and on his return to office, he immediately signed an Executive Order aimed at safeguarding free speech. The president intends to persistently combat censorship while scrutinizing federal spending meticulously to detect and eliminate unnecessary expenses, waste, fraud, and corruption.

Historically, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been structured with a five-member panel, ensuring ideological equilibrium by having three commissioners affiliated with the ruling party and two from the opposition. However, senior Democrat Geoffrey Starks has announced his resignation for next month, leaving only three commissioners: Gomez, Carr, and another Republican, Nathan Simington.

Trump put forth another GOP candidate, Olivia Trusty, for confirmation, yet the Senate hasn’t endorsed her nomination as of now.

Trump has not named a Democrat to replace Starks.

On Wednesday, some people voiced worries that Gomez’s five-year term on the commission might be abruptly ended. Historically, Trump has dismissed Democratic members from other autonomous entities, such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Gomez stated that she’d step down only if it were due to fulfilling her duties, which primarily involve upholding the Constitution.

Hollywood Inc.

The alterations in anchors are causing a significant upheaval in one of the final consistent behaviors associated with conventional television watching. In fact, two out of the three network primetime news programs are undergoing substantial transformations.

Representative Raul Ruiz (D-Indio) commended Representative Gomez for her endeavors and mentioned that he has always valued collaborating with her on everyday Federal Communications Commission issues, like expanding the availability of broader internet connections.

“But now the fight is the survival of the free press,” Ruiz said.

As a dedicated cinephile, I’ve observed an intriguing trend: these days, countless folks are gleaning news not from traditional journalists, but from various other sources. This shift has unfortunately given rise to a surge in misinformation and uncertainty.

Ruiz asked, “What’s the real deal?” He pondered, “How can we initiate a discussion? How can we establish policies on issues if we can’t even concur about the facts of our situation?

Read More

2025-05-29 22:32

Previous post Gayle King stirs the pot between Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone after Broadway diva’s brutal ‘not a friend’ swipe
Next post Tom Daley is supported by Celebrity Traitors co-star Clare Balding as they share a hug at his 1.6 Seconds documentary screening in London