FCC actions or policy announcements

Outgoing FCC Chair Dismisses Complaints Against TV Stations Over First Amendment Concerns

Jan 16, 2025, 02:27 PM

Outgoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has dismissed four high-profile complaints and petitions against local TV stations, asserting they represent politically motivated efforts to undermine the First Amendment. The dismissed cases include a petition against a Fox-owned station in Philadelphia, filed by former Fox executive Preston Padden, which sought to revoke its license over alleged promotion of falsehoods related to the 2020 election by Fox News Channel, controlled by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch. Three other complaints were filed by the conservative Center for American Rights. These complaints targeted ABC News for alleged favoritism towards Vice President Kamala Harris during a presidential debate, CBS News for 'news distortion' in editing an interview with Harris on '60 Minutes,' and NBC for a 'Saturday Night Live' episode featuring Harris without offering equal airtime to President-elect Donald Trump. Rosenworcel emphasized that the FCC should not act as the 'President's speech police' or as 'journalism's censor-in-chief,' highlighting the importance of maintaining the agency's independence as Trump prepares to take office. Trump has previously threatened to revoke licenses of networks over content he dislikes, and his incoming FCC chair, Brendan Carr, has echoed some of these sentiments.