“The First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly prohibit the Commission from censoring broadcast matter,” the FCC site states. “Our role in overseeing program content is very limited. We license only individual broadcast stations. We do not license TV or radio networks (such as CBS, NBC, ABC or Fox) or other organizations that stations have relationships with, such as PBS or NPR, except if those entities are also station licensees.”

Trump’s call to penalize CBS happened a month after he revealed anger at ABC News argument mediators by stating that ABC ought to have its license eliminated. Rosenworcel slammed Trump in that circumstances.

Rerun from 2017

In October 2017, when Trump was president, he slammed NBC and composed that “network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked.” Democrats on the FCC and in Congress right away rebuked Trump.

Then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican who was Trump’s choice to chair the firm, weighed in 6 days later on. Pai didn’t make any direct referral to Trump, however stated, “I believe in the First Amendment. The FCC under my leadership will stand for the First Amendment. And under the law, the FCC does not have the authority to revoke a license of a broadcast station based on the content of a particular newscast.”

Previously today, Rosenworcel slammed a legal risk that Florida state federal government authorities released to transmit television stations over the airing of a political advertisement that slammed abortion limitations in Florida’s Heartbeat Protection Act.

“The right of broadcasters to speak freely is rooted in the First Amendment,” Rosenworcel stated. “Threats against broadcast stations for airing content that conflicts with the government’s views are dangerous and undermine the fundamental principle of free speech.”