Press Release
October 26, 2021
Contact: Randolph May at 202-285-9926
Free State Foundation President Randolph May issued the following statement regarding President Biden's nominations of Jessica Rosenworcel and Gigi Sohn to FCC seats:
“I congratulate Jessica Rosenworcel upon her nomination to continue to serve as an FCC commissioner and her appointment to chair the Commission. And I congratulate Gigi Sohn on her nomination to serve as a commissioner. Gigi has participated as a speaker at many Free State Foundation events over the years, and I’ve always welcomed the opportunity for FSF to provide a platform for the presentation of her views. We always have been, and always will be, a forum that values respectful discussion and debate.
If they are confirmed by the Senate, I’m certain that Free State Foundation scholars will not always agree with Chairman Rosenworcel and Commissioner Sohn on the issues, especially with regard to proposals to maintain or impose regulation of communications and information service providers, and the media, in the absence of convincing evidence of market failure or consumer harm. In today’s marketplace environment, there should be a deregulatory rebuttable presumption. And it is important for the FCC to acknowledge that we live in an age of media abundance, not media scarcity. This too, along with the need to be cognizant of the First Amendment's free speech guarantee, suggests the need for application of a deregulatory presumption when considering media ownership regulation and regulatory proposals.
If the Commission looks to the existence or not of market failure and consumer harm as guideposts in considering regulatory issues, along with fidelity to the law, it will promote innovation and investment, and overall consumer welfare, along with the nation’s social and economic well-being. That’s the course we’ll be advocating, with respect, if the Commission is reconstituted."
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