The FCC‘s threats against Disney over the comments made by Jimmy Kimmel on his late night show are “truly empty,” according to the lone Democratic commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission, Anna Gomez, but that may not be the point:
“We don’t have the ability to actually take these actions, but it’s the threat of the enforcement that is the point. It is to get capitulation as soon as possible,” Gomez said. “And when you see so much capitulation by the corporate parents, it’s really disappointing, because every time they capitulate, rather than show courage, what they are doing is eroding our democracy and our First Amendment freedoms.”
Gomez was a guest at Axios‘ Media Trends summit in New York, with moderator Sara Fischer asking her for her thoughts on the decision by Disney to suspend Kimmel’s show.
“I see this as a part of this administration’s campaign of censorship and control, and what it’s doing is it’s weaponizing its licensing authority in order to bring broadcasters to heel and to really think twice about what they say about this administration,” Gomez said. “It’s not because of the content of these broadcasts, whether it’s the Jimmy Kimmel show or CBS, is actually inciting violence or breaking the law. All it’s doing is speaking about this administration in a way that it does not like that is contrary to the First Amendment. It’s contrary to the Communications Act.”
Gomez was also asked about the FCC’s investigations into various media companies over DEI practices or content concerns, and whether she believes the Commission has the ability to actually carry out those investigations.
Gomez indicated that she is largely kept out of the loop by her Republican colleagues.
“I have very little insight. I am told that it’s sensitive information, which keeps getting discussed on Fox all the time, sensitive information,” Gomez quipped. “And it is true, usually our enforcement proceedings have market consequences, and so we try to keep them confidential. It’s kind of like you don’t go and disclose something until after the grand jury indicts, that type of thing, but, but it’s been different in this administration.”