Federal Communication Fee chair Brendan Carr is a Trump ally. | Jonathan Newton/Pool/Getty Photographs
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Welcome to The Logoff: CBS Information is accusing its mum or dad firm of censoring its protection in an effort to appease the Trump administration, a warning signal for freedom of the press and the First Modification.
What’s the most recent? 60 Minutes journalist Scott Pelley on Sunday advised Paramount, CBS Information’ proprietor, had degraded this system’s editorial independence by means of elevated scrutiny of its content material — together with on tales concerning the Trump administration. Pelley linked the supervision to Paramount’s want to get the Federal Communications Fee to approve the corporate’s proposed merger with Skydance Media.
So what does Pelley imply? The 60 Minutes journalist is suggesting that Paramount is monitoring CBS Information’ journalism to guard its standing with the administration. Whereas he doesn’t say it outright, the implication is that the administration may block Paramount’s merger as a penalty for unflattering protection.
Is {that a} legitimate concern? President Donald Trump earlier this month stated the FCC ought to punish CBS for a 60 Minutes episode he didn’t like. Moreover, Trump is suing CBS and Paramount over a marketing campaign interview with Kamala Harris. Paramount is contemplating settlingalthough many authorized specialists say Trump’s case was flimsy.
FCC chair Brendan Carr is a Trump ally who steadily accuses main networks of anti-Trump bias. Earlier this month, he vaguely threatened one other firm’s broadcast license over its protection of Trump’s deportation insurance policies. Carr’s FCC is engaged in an inquiry into CBS’ marketing campaign protection.
What’s the massive image? If the FCC components CBS’ protection of Trump into its merger resolution, that’s the federal government threatening monetary penalties for disfavored political speech — a violation of the First Modification. It’s additionally paying homage to autocratic regimes elsewhere, which have sought to make use of state energy to stifle criticism and muzzle the media.
We don’t know for positive whether or not that’s taking place, however Trump is asking for the community to be punished for its protection, and it’s telling that Paramount is worried sufficient to “scrutinize” CBS’ content material.
And with that, it’s time to log out…
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