Apparently it’s now illegal for the press to cover live events that the government doesn’t want them to cover. Good to know:
The Federal Communications Commission is investigating San Francisco-based KCBS for its coverage of immigration enforcement actions in San José last month, sparking concerns from press freedom advocates and drawing right-wing backlash to the radio station.
In an interview on Fox News, Trump-appointed commission chair Brendan Carr said he opened the investigation after KCBS shared the live locations and vehicle descriptions of immigration officials on Jan. 26.
“We have sent a letter of inquiry, a formal investigation into that matter, and they have just a matter of days left to respond to that inquiry and explain how this could possibly be consistent with their public interest obligations,” Carr said.
First Amendment advocates worry the FCC investigation will have a chilling effect on news organizations reporting on the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans.
“Law enforcement operations, immigration or otherwise, are matters of public interest,” said David Loy, legal director for the First Amendment Coalition. “People generally have the right to report this on social media and in print and so on. So it’s very troubling because it’s possible the FCC is potentially being weaponized to crack down on reporting that the administration simply just doesn’t like.”
Loy worried that the move could deter other news organizations from pursuing reporting critical of the Trump administration.
Ya think?
This is certainly an infringement on the First Amendment but that doesn’t matter. It’s being done to intimidate the media into second guessing its coverage of the Trump administration, and Carr is particularly focused on the local press. He knows that’s a place where he can throw his weight around and get to the TV and radio stations that the FCC actually regulates.
These creeps are everywhere.