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FCC Commissioner Admits She's Pleased Disney 'Stepped Up' And Sued Her Agency
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FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez had an interesting reaction to the news that ABC is suing the agency for allegedly violating the network’s 1st Amendment rights: gratitude. ABC, which filed the suit on Tuesday, is accusing the FCC of targeting the network and its owned-and-operated stations just because the president doesn’t like the programming. Gomez, the FCC’s only Democratic commissioner, told MeidasTouch reporter Scott MacFarlane that it’s about time a media conglomerate went on the offensive against the agency. “I have long called on companies to push back against this kind of government intimidation, and I’m glad Disney has shown courage and stepped up,” she said. Last month, agency Chairman Brendan Carr suggested that networks like ABC and NBC should have their licenses revoked for acts such as not broadcasting a speech by Donald Trump. Back in April, the FCC appeared to retaliate against a joke made by ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel about first lady Melania Trump by suddenly requiring ABC to file early broadcast license renewal applications for all eight of its television stations. “The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price,” the network said in a filing last month. Carr defended going after ABC on Friday, saying broadcasters have a duty to “operate in the public interest” and the FCC is merely trying to restore that standard, according to the Associated Press. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.