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Jessica Rosenworcel, the chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has reassured two senators of standards for broadcasting licenses.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has reassured two senators that the FCC will not weaponize broadcast licenses on behalf of political candidates.
Last week, Rosenworcel responded to a letter sent by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) that addressed comments by former President Donald Trump, made the day following his presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The senators took issue with Trump’s comments on Fox & Friends, made on Sept. 11.
“They ought to take away their license for the way they did that,” Trump said, referring to ABC News’ and the presidential debate.
The letter from Markey and Wyden called Trump’s remarks “especially concerning considering his history of attempting to use the federal government’s authority to retaliate against news organizations.”
The letter demanded that the FCC voice a commitment to objective licensing determinations.
Rosenworcel’s response
“The First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy,” Rosenworcel, a Democrat, wrote in response. “The commission does not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”
Rosenworcel’s statement, dated Sept. 19, explained that the FCC’s role is to license broadcasting stations in a manner consistent with FCC rules, the U.S. Constitution, and the Communications Act of 1934.
“There are no exceptions,” she wrote.
This isn’t the first time Trump has made comments about FCC licenses.
In 2017, and again in 2018, on the platform now known as X, Trump made similar comments about NBC News.
Currently, Jessica Rosenworcel, Anna Gomez, and Geoffrey Starks make up the FCC’s Democratic commissioners.
Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington are the two Republican commissioners on the FCC.
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