SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
For remaining silent amid threats by President Donald Trump against press freedoms, advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers are calling on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to speak out. (Image: via Free Press)
When FCC Chairman Won't Condemn Trump's Threats Against Free Press: 'Worry'
"When it comes to defending press freedom from this president’s threats, this is mission critical."
Oct 13, 2017
While advocates of press freedom condemned the comments and lawmakers urged the Federal Communication Commission to specifically rebuke them, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has so far refused to denounce President Donald Trump's threats to strip news outlets of their "licenses"--something he himself doesn't have the power to do but which critics say speaks directly to his "authoritarian" tendencies.
But while members from both parties condemned the implications of Trump's remarks--and other FCC commissions assured the public that they would stand in the way of such attempts--many said that Pai's strategic "silence" on the issue is cause for deep concern of its own.
As The Nation's John Nichols said in response to Pai's refusal to speak out: "Worry."
"When it comes to defending press freedom from this president's threats, " Nichols wrote in a column on Wednesday, "this is mission critical for those who take seriously their duty to defend the First Amendment that Donald Trump so casually disregards."
And Bloomberg's Todd Shields notes how "the presidential threat evoked memories of intimidation by President Richard Nixon, who urged his lieutenants to interfere with the renewal of the Washington Post's licenses for Florida TV stations in 1972."
And so why Democrats on Thursday called for hearings over Trump's veiled threats about media licenses, advocacy groups like Free Press did their best to turn up the heat on Pai:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
While advocates of press freedom condemned the comments and lawmakers urged the Federal Communication Commission to specifically rebuke them, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has so far refused to denounce President Donald Trump's threats to strip news outlets of their "licenses"--something he himself doesn't have the power to do but which critics say speaks directly to his "authoritarian" tendencies.
But while members from both parties condemned the implications of Trump's remarks--and other FCC commissions assured the public that they would stand in the way of such attempts--many said that Pai's strategic "silence" on the issue is cause for deep concern of its own.
As The Nation's John Nichols said in response to Pai's refusal to speak out: "Worry."
"When it comes to defending press freedom from this president's threats, " Nichols wrote in a column on Wednesday, "this is mission critical for those who take seriously their duty to defend the First Amendment that Donald Trump so casually disregards."
And Bloomberg's Todd Shields notes how "the presidential threat evoked memories of intimidation by President Richard Nixon, who urged his lieutenants to interfere with the renewal of the Washington Post's licenses for Florida TV stations in 1972."
And so why Democrats on Thursday called for hearings over Trump's veiled threats about media licenses, advocacy groups like Free Press did their best to turn up the heat on Pai:
While advocates of press freedom condemned the comments and lawmakers urged the Federal Communication Commission to specifically rebuke them, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has so far refused to denounce President Donald Trump's threats to strip news outlets of their "licenses"--something he himself doesn't have the power to do but which critics say speaks directly to his "authoritarian" tendencies.
But while members from both parties condemned the implications of Trump's remarks--and other FCC commissions assured the public that they would stand in the way of such attempts--many said that Pai's strategic "silence" on the issue is cause for deep concern of its own.
As The Nation's John Nichols said in response to Pai's refusal to speak out: "Worry."
"When it comes to defending press freedom from this president's threats, " Nichols wrote in a column on Wednesday, "this is mission critical for those who take seriously their duty to defend the First Amendment that Donald Trump so casually disregards."
And Bloomberg's Todd Shields notes how "the presidential threat evoked memories of intimidation by President Richard Nixon, who urged his lieutenants to interfere with the renewal of the Washington Post's licenses for Florida TV stations in 1972."
And so why Democrats on Thursday called for hearings over Trump's veiled threats about media licenses, advocacy groups like Free Press did their best to turn up the heat on Pai:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy