FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez again had stern words for her Republican colleagues during her keynote address at the 2025 State of the Net conference, discussing the perceived use of government influence to force media conformity to political narratives.
While acknowledging the FCC’s role as an independent agency, Gomez warned that recent actions suggest the Commission is being used to pressure media organizations and influence editorial decisions. She cited investigations into broadcast stations over politically sensitive content as an example of government overreach.
Gomez previously addressed this topic, criticizing the agency’s investigation, instigated by Chairman Brendan Carr, into CBS over alleged manipulation of a pre-election interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This is a clear attempt to weaponize our licensing authority to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network’s editorial decisions,” Gomez stated. “The good news is that the law and the Constitution are squarely on the side of press freedom. The Communications Act, which established the FCC as independent, clearly prohibits the commission from censoring broadcasters. Similarly, the First Amendment protects journalistic decisions against government intimidation.”
“We are living in a post-truth world, a world where reality and facts are ignored when they inconvenience preconceived notions of our communities, our politics, and our world. We’ve seen some of this before, but the speed and scale at which we’re encountering this is unmatched,” she remarked.
Rather than engaging in partisan politics, Gomez urged the FCC to focus on the need to preserve localism, competition, and diversity in broadcast media while promoting media literacy. “With misinformation and disinformation on the rise, local journalism is as important as ever,” Gomez said.
Before departing the FCC in January, former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel gave a similar warning against political influence at the agency. Without naming President Trump or Chairman Carr, Rosenworcel told Politico Tech that the FCC’s independence is critical to its credibility.
