Threatening broadcast licenses over disagreements about editorial choices in coverage of political speech is chilling and authoritarian — and unconstitutional, too. Journalists need to hold politicians and policymakers accountable; unfortunately, their right and ability to do their job is under attack by some of those same officials at both the state and federal level. As FCC commissioners, you have a huge role to play in protecting the freedom of the press and ensuring that outlets aren’t targeted due to their editorial decisions and reporting — no matter what someone like Donald Trump asks.
Join your colleagues in standing up for the rights of journalists to do their jobs, and reaffirm the commitment to freedom of the press you so readily espouse when any right-leaning media outlet’s accuracy is questioned.