Lone Battle of Anna Gomez
In the heart of Washington D.C., Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is currently on a First Amendment tour, expressing concerns about the administration's handling of media regulation. Born in Orlando and raised in Bogotá and New Jersey, Gomez, at fifty-eight, brings a unique perspective to the commission.
Gomez's tour comes amidst a series of contentious issues. She has voiced her disappointment with the FCC's independence seemingly ceding to the administration. One such instance is the approval of the Verizon-Frontier Communications purchase, which bypassed a commission vote, making it challenging to shape FCC outcomes.
Gomez has been particularly vocal about the administration's approach to public media. She has declared that Congress's vote to defund public media and the FCC's baseless attacks on public broadcast stations are dangerous games. Gomez recently traveled to rural Kentucky, expressing concern about the potential loss of public broadcasters.
The FCC has paid special attention to CBS News, accusing it of unfairly editing a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Harris. Gomez described this move as a "backroom deal," expressing her concern about the administration's weaponization of the FCC licensing authority to bully news outlets into moderating their reporting.
In a move that raised eyebrows, the FCC approved the merger between Paramount and Skydance, worth eight billion dollars, after securing a pledge from Skydance to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and to bring more "diverse viewpoints" to news broadcasts. Gomez voted against the merger, calling it a case of "capitulation over courage."
Kim Zarkin, a professor at Utah's Westminster University who researches the FCC, believes Gomez is doing what is within her power, but fears it may not be enough. Zarkin's concerns are shared by many in the media industry, who are alarmed about the potential impact of these investigations on the freedom of the press.
Recently, Gomez opened an investigation into KCBS, a San Francisco-area radio station, for its reporting on ICE raids, announced by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Fox News. This move has sparked fears among local station managers, with one expressing fear of being investigated by the FCC at a First Amendment-focused event in Florida.
Gomez has resisted these actions, stating that the CBS inquiry is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations. She intends to continue making noise, stating that she won't be fired for refusing to do her job, but for insisting on doing it.
The administrator who appointed Gomez to the FCC in 2023 under President Biden is Jessica Rosenworcel. The FCC, under Chairman Carr, has also launched investigations into whether NPR and PBS inappropriately accepted advertisements. The FCC has also reopened complaints against ABC News and NBC.
Paramount agreed to pay sixteen million dollars to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over a CBS News interview. This settlement has further fueled Gomez's concerns about the administration's approach to media regulation. As the tour continues, Gomez's voice is a beacon of hope for those who value freedom of the press.
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