Politics · United States · 1 hr ago
FCC Democrat urges broadcasters to resist pressure over poll coverage
Anna Gomez, the only Democrat on the US Federal Communications Commission, urged broadcasters to push back against pressure from the Trump administration.
She made the appeal to the National Association of Broadcasters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, which could decide which party controls Congress.
Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing what he called fake polls or distorted news.
Gomez said the industry’s response has not matched the pressure its members face.
She argued the FCC can act on news distortion only when broadcasters knowingly air false claims about a crime or catastrophe and cause immediate, serious harm to public safety or property.
Reporting poll results the administration dislikes does not meet that standard, she said.
A press freedom advocate also criticised Carr’s remarks, while the FCC did not clarify which polls or broadcasters he meant.
Anna Gomez, the sole Democratic member of the US Federal Communications Commission, urged broadcasters to push back more strongly against pressure from the Trump administration.
She said the agency had suggested broadcasters could face investigations for airing polls that do not fit the administration’s preferred narrative.
Gomez said reporting poll results disliked by the administration does not meet the high standard for actionable news distortion.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr had warned broadcasters against airing “entirely fake polls” and advised them to avoid “News Distortions or running Broadcast Hoaxes”.
The dispute comes ahead of US midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
- Who
- Anna Gomez, the sole Democratic member of the FCC, and broadcasters represented by the National Association of Broadcasters.
- What
- Gomez urged broadcasters to respond more forcefully to administration pressure over poll coverage.
- When
- In a letter sent on Thursday, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
- Where
- United States.
- Why
- Gomez said broadcasters faced pressure and possible FCC investigations over airing polls the administration dislikes.
Anna Gomez
Brendan Carr and the Trump administration
Poll coverage
Anna Gomez
Gomez said reporting poll results disliked by the administration does not meet the standard for actionable news distortion.
Brendan Carr and the Trump administration
Carr said broadcasters could violate regulatory obligations by airing entirely fake polls and advised them to avoid news distortions or broadcast hoaxes.
FCC authority
Anna Gomez
Gomez said the agency needs clear evidence and that news distortion applies only in narrow circumstances involving false information about a crime or catastrophe and immediate, substantial harm.
Brendan Carr and the Trump administration
Carr warned broadcasters that airing fake polls could put their regulatory obligations at issue.
Brendan Carr asserted that broadcasters could violate their regulatory obligations by airing entirely fake polls.
Anna Gomez sent a four-page letter to the National Association of Broadcasters urging it to respond more forcefully to administration pressure.
US midterm elections are scheduled to take place.
- FCC Democrat
- Anna Gomez
- Industry group
- National Association of Broadcasters
- NAB president and CEO
- Curtis LeGeyt
- Election date
- November 3
- News distortion threshold
- Knowingly airing false information about a crime or catastrophe that directly causes immediate and substantial harm to public safety or property
2 sources
What people are saying
Reporting the results of a poll this Administration happens to dislike does not come close to meeting those standards,
I would not be doing my job if I did not say plainly that the volume of that response has not yet matched the scale of what your members are facing,
Broadcasters are advised to avoid engaging in News Distortions or running Broadcast Hoaxes
Brendan Carr is not the journalism police.