The Grill Room Carr Crash at the F.C.C.
Mar 31, 2026
Jessica Rosenworcel, former FCC chair focused on closing the digital divide and protecting First Amendment safeguards. She warns about aggressive FCC actions toward broadcasters and risks to democracy. Discussion covers supporting local news, combating media consolidation, and protecting kids in a chaotic digital landscape.
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FCC Moves Could Weaponize The First Amendment
- The FCC under Brendan Carr poses a real threat to the First Amendment by reopening complaints against major broadcast networks.
- Jessica Rosenworcel canceled four petitions at end of her tenure to prevent weaponizing the FCC as a speech police and journalism censor.
Push Back Publicly Against Harmful FCC Precedent
- Speak up and push back against agency actions that chill journalism because public pressure can blunt harmful precedent.
- Rosenworcel cites visible pushback to Carr's behavior as reason for guarded optimism about future accountability.
Local News Is The Trust Anchor To Save
- Local news retains higher trust than national outlets and is essential for civic decision-making.
- Rosenworcel proposes tax and policy supports: subscription incentives, hiring credits, and local-scale ad tech to sustain local journalism.