Free Expression Under Fire from the FCC
From Cato Event Podcast by Cato Institute
June 9, 2026 · 1h 0m
About this episode
The episode discusses the FCC's impact on free expression in broadcast media and the challenges posed by its recent actions.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has long exercised significant authority over broadcast media beyond what is typically tolerated under the First Amendment. Under various chairs and presidential administrations, the FCC has overstretched its authority. Recent actions have drawn particular attention, such as when Chairman Brendan Carr publicly pressured and threatened to punish ABC/Disney over a comment on Jimmy Kimmel Live . That incident does not exist in isolation, with friction between the commission and broadcasters steadily rising over the past 12 months over myriad issues including the unprecedented early review of ABC’s broadcast licenses. The FCC points to the public interest standard and policies such as news distortion and the equal-time rule to justify its actions. How should such policies be considered in light of today’s media ecosystem and the broader values of free expression? Please join us for an event that will discuss how the FCC’s actions toward broadcast media are affecting free expression, what challenges these actions might face in courts, and how policymakers could prevent such abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Cato Institute
Topics covered
- free expression
- FCC authority
- broadcast media
- First Amendment
- media ecosystem
- policymaking
Keywords
- FCC
- free expression
- broadcast media
- First Amendment
- Brendan Carr
- ABC
- media policy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Federal Communications Commission, ABC/Disney
Books & works: Jimmy Kimmel Live
More episodes of Cato Event Podcast
- Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago · June 3, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Compulsion in Speech: Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan and Beyond · June 2, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today’s Supreme Court · May 21, 2026 · 1h 0m
- Trump v. Barbara: Birthright Citizenship at the Supreme Court · May 21, 2026 · 1h 0m
- Should the United States Withdraw Troops from Germany? · May 19, 2026 · 1h 28m
- Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse · May 18, 2026 · 1h 2m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Cato Event Podcast podcast page.