Trump’s FCC goon demands talk shows give Republicans equal time
After years of President Donald Trump being the butt of jokes from late-night comedians, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr released an official public notice arguing that late-night comedy shows and daytime talk shows must provide equal time for conservatives.
The Trump appointee’s directive, released on Thursday, argues that late-night talk shows have been used for “partisan purposes” and are thus no longer exempt from previous FCC guidance that found entertainment programs did not have to provide “equal opportunities” for a rebuttal to their content during candidate interviews.
|
|
|
The precedent was set in 2006, when “The Tonight Show,” then hosted by Jay Leno, ran an interview with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger but was not required to provide equal time to the Democratic candidate. The Trump administration’s attempt to control the content of talk shows follows years of Trump melting down after hosts mocked him. Hosts like Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel, have been the target of Trump’s ire. His administration has even whined about daytime talk shows and their hosts, like Whoopi Goldberg on “The View.” It was Carr who led the charge back in September to pressure ABC and its affiliates to censor Kimmel and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” That attempt at suppression backfired and roused public support for Kimmel, who triumphantly returned to the air.
Anna Gomez, the only remaining FCC commissioner appointed by a Democratic president, released a statement excoriating Carr. |
|
|
“For decades, the Commission has recognized that bona fide news interviews, late-night programs, and daytime news shows are entitled to editorial discretion based on newsworthiness, not political favoritism. That principle has not been repealed, revised, or voted on by the Commission,” Gomez said.
“[Carr’s] announcement therefore does not change the law, but it does represent an escalation in this FCC’s ongoing campaign to censor and control speech,” she continued. “Broadcast stations have a constitutional right to carry newsworthy content, even when that content is critical of those in power.”
Carr’s notice is the latest front in the administration’s crusade against the free speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Previously, the Trump administration has used the power of the federal government to go after small businesses expressing dissent, major media companies, and journalists.
Because Trump can’t handle being the subject of a punchline—like his predecessors in both parties have tolerated—late-night comedians are back in the crosshairs. Click here to check out this story on DailyKos.com. |
|
|
We're not asking for much The average donation to Daily Kos is just $9.44. These gifts may seem small, but they’re a big deal to us—in fact, they’re our largest source of income. We couldn’t keep going without them. Will you join thousands of other Daily Kos readers and donate $9.44 right now to help us close our funding gap? |
|
|
You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Daily Kos.
To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage which newsletters you receive. |
|
|
|
