"[Brendan] Carr can't justify his actions ... because the FCC meddling in broadcasters' content is illegal too," the foundation's director of advocacy says

Chairman Brendan Carr thinks his agency should strive to ensure that news coverage is fair and balanced—a role precluded by the First Amendment.

When the FCC approved the Paramount-Skydance merger Thursday, one commissioner blasted the decision, calling it an act of “ cowardly capitulation ” on behalf of Paramount and warning that this could lead to a further “erosion of our First Amendment protections.”

Paramount agreed to pay Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with ... What Paramount’s multi-million dollar settlement with Trump means for press freedom

Trump's legal team lauded the agreement as a win for media accountability. But experts are concerned for the free press.

President Trump has said that he anticipates receiving at least $20 million in advertising, public service announcements or similar programming from incoming Paramount Global owner Skydance as part of a settlement to resolve a lawsuit that 60 Minutes conducted with Kamala Harris.

Skydance has emphasized that the commitments are voluntary. Previously, Skydance and Paramount had argued against conditions imposed by the FCC to mandate benchmarks for viewpoint neutrality, saying that they would be “squarely foreclosed by the First Amendment and Supreme Court precedent.”

Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology.

What Paramount's multi-million dollar settlement with Trump means for press freedom. Paramount agreed to pay Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with ...