FCC's Anna Gomez Calls It Censorship

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez sharply criticized a recent FCC guidance requiring late-night and daytime talk shows to comply with "equal time" rules for political candidate interviews, calling it misleading and part of an broader effort to intimidate broadcasters.

The guidance, issued Wednesday by the FCC's Media Bureau under Republican Chair Brendan Carr, asserted that such programs—often seen as exempt under longstanding "bona fide news" interpretations—must offer equal opportunities to opposing candidates if interviews are partisan-motivated rather than newsworthy.

In her response, Gomez—the sole Democratic commissioner—argued nothing has legally changed: the FCC has not adopted new rules, interpretations, or policies through proper processes like public comment and a commissioner vote.

She described the announcement as "an escalation in this FCC’s ongoing campaign to censor and control speech" and "government intimidation."Gomez emphasized that for decades, the Commission has recognized late-night programs and daytime news shows' editorial discretion based on newsworthiness, not political favoritism. 

She warned broadcasters against self-censorship, stating: "Broadcasters should not feel pressured to water down, sanitize, or avoid critical coverage out of fear of regulatory retaliation."

She added: "The First Amendment does not yield to government intimidation. Broadcast stations have a constitutional right to carry newsworthy content, even when that content is critical of those in power. That does not change today, it will not change tomorrow, and it will not change simply because of this Administration's desire to silence its critics."

This statement aligns with Gomez's pattern of dissenting against perceived threats to free press and speech under the current FCC leadership, including prior criticisms of government pressure on media outlets.