FCC Chair Dismisses TV Licensing Complaints to Uphold First Amendment

Jessica Rosenworcel rejects four politically charged petitions, warning against government interference with press freedom as her tenure ends.

Outgoing FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel dismissed four complaints and petitions targeting TV station licenses, citing First Amendment protections.
The rejected cases included three conservative complaints alleging bias in coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris and one liberal petition to revoke a Fox station's license over election misinformation.
Rosenworcel emphasized that using FCC licensing authority to penalize stations for their content would set a dangerous precedent against press freedom.
The FCC clarified that its role does not include policing news content or acting as a government arbiter of truth, as this would conflict with constitutional protections.
The decision comes as Rosenworcel prepares to step down, with President-elect Donald Trump’s appointee Brendan Carr set to take over as FCC Chair.