Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell used a hearing on media consolidation and free expression to spotlight what she called a glaring omission: the continued absence of FCC Chair Brendan Carr from congressional testimony about the deals reshaping the nation’s media landscape.
Cantwell argued that Carr’s deregulatory approach has cleared the way for a surge in mergers and acquisitions that threatens competition, localism, and the diversity of viewpoints that broadcast licenses are supposed to protect. She questioned why the Chair has not appeared before the Committee to defend ownership decisions that, in her view, tilt the field toward a handful of powerful players.
“When a handful of companies control how information spreads, that makes it easier for any administration to abuse that power with political threats to chill speech,” Cantwell said, pointing to recent approvals from both the FCC and FTC.
Radio ownership limits have become a flashpoint in this debate, particularly in the context of the 2022 Quadrennial Review. Many broadcasters and trade groups have pressed for higher caps to allow larger clusters and more consolidation, arguing that scale is necessary to compete with digital platforms. Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez and other critics counter that further relaxation of the rules risks hollowing out local news, reducing community-focused service, and narrowing the range of voices on the air.
Cantwell framed the issue as more than an economic or technical argument, insisting that the health of the First Amendment is tied to a diverse and independent media sector. “The First Amendment functions as an operating system for our democracy that protects everybody – comedians, protesters, the free press, and obviously people we disagree with,” she said, urging more transparency from the FCC as consolidation pressures intensify.
So far, Carr has offered no commitment to appear before the Committee, leaving Cantwell’s questions about process and accountability unresolved.