Bill to Bar FCC from Targeting Broadcasters Over Editorial Content
Democrats say Trump’s FCC is targeting broadcasters for political gain
Jericho Casper
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2025 – A bill that would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they air was introduced in the Senate and House on Thursday.
Introduced by Sens. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Edward Markey, D-Mass., the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act comes as concerns mount regarding the FCC’s recent investigations into broadcasters under Chairman Brendan Carr.
The bill would prohibit the FCC from revoking licenses, imposing conditions on transactions, or otherwise punishing licensees based on their editorial choices.
“The Trump administration’s weaponization of the FCC and intimidation of broadcast stations for political purposes is a serious threat to the First Amendment,” Luján said in a statement.
“The FCC and the President should not hold the power to revoke broadcasting licenses and censor free speech simply because they disagree with the viewpoints that are broadcasted,” Luján said.
Reps. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Nanette Barragán, D-Calif., and Jennifer McClellan, D-Va. led companion legislation in the House.
McClellan had previously called for the House to expand its oversight of the FCC in light of Carr’s recent probes into ABC, CBS and NBC, a request that was ignored by House Republicans during an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing last month.
Matsui called attention to President Donald Trump’s role in pushing the FCC to launch attacks on NPR and PBS.
“It is clear President Trump intends to use every available avenue to intimidate and silence broadcast media that challenges his viewpoints,” Matsui said.
The bill has gained backing from media and civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Knowledge, and Free Press Action.
“The First Amendment prohibits the government, including the FCC, from dictating what content the media covers and how they cover it,” said Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel at the ACLU. “Efforts to retaliate against the press for the viewpoints they express is not only unconstitutional, but will make all of us less informed about the world we live in.”
