Uncanny Valley | WIRED
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Will Fight for Press Freedom—Until Trump Fires Her
23 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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From Wired, this is The Big Interview, where we get to know the people beyond the headlines in conversations that explore the intersection of technology, power, and culture. I'm Katie Drummond, Wired's Global Editorial Director. Today, we're going to be talking about media and the Trump administration's approach to regulating it.
My guest is Ana Gomez, a commissioner with the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC. In May, Gomez wrote a shocking letter to Disney's CEO, warning that the company is the target of a, quote, sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control. She also warned that Disney wouldn't be the only target.
So we wanted to invite Commissioner Gomez on the show to talk about her fears for press freedom, the role of the FCC, and what she thinks comes next.
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Chapter 2: What is the role of the FCC in regulating communications?
She joins me now. Welcome, Commissioner Gomez. Thank you for being here. Thanks. It's great to be here. Now, I want to start, before we talk more about Disney and your letter and all the rest of it, there's so much, I want to ask you a very basic question for our listeners. What is your agency's basic role? Sort of give me FCC 101. What does the FCC do?
Well, the FCC is the nation's telecommunications and communications regulator. In broad strokes, our job is to make sure that everyone in the country is connected, for example, to high-speed broadband, to issue licenses for the airwaves like we do with your cell phones. with satellites, and with broadcasters. To protect consumers, such as our constant battle with robocallers.
The worst, yes.
Yes. To ensure public safety has what it needs to do its job, usually, meaning through the airwaves. And to ensure that innovation can move forward, whether it's by negotiating internationally, again, for the use of the airwaves, so that we can have new products and services.
And so to be clear, the FCC regulates what goes out over the air. So radio, television, but it does not regulate, for example, cable or streaming services or digital content, right? So this podcast, for example, or if you turn on your TV and you decide to watch Netflix instead of deciding to watch a TV channel, those would not be within the purview of the FCC.
Right.
That's correct. Our authority really stems from our ability to license the airwaves to these broadcasters. We have very minimal cable regulations, but for the most part, we only regulate broadcast television.
Now, you've been with the FCC in various roles for many years. You were sworn in as commissioner in 2023. What does a commissioner actually do? Sort of tell us a little bit about your job day to day.
Normally, there are five commissioners, so we are a multi-member agency. And the reason you want that is because you want to have a diversity of expertise and opinions. And what commissioners do is they vote to adopt new rules or they vote to approve major mergers, which is really transfers of control of licenses.
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Chapter 3: How has the FCC's approach to media changed under the current administration?
And they appointed an ombudsperson who's supposed to field complaints about the content of CBS. And they agreed to eliminate their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. All of this was pressured by this administration in order to both settle, I think, the lawsuit, I believe that, and as well as in order to get CBS to change its editorial practices.
We have seen that happen, and yet somehow this Ombudsman person doesn't seem to be doing anything about that.
Sure. I mean, they appear to be very selective in sort of what they are deciding to take action on and what they're not. I'm curious, for you as a commissioner, as you are watching this unfold, let's say you're watching the FCC approve that merger, for example, where are the lines for you in terms of your ability to... fight that, to say we should not be doing this.
I mean, what kind of authority does a commissioner have within the FCC to combat some of what you're seeing?
Well, with Paramount in particular, and in particular the Paramount Skydance transaction, I demanded and was able to get that the full commission would actually approve the transaction, would vote on the transaction, because I dissented on the order that approved the transfer of the licenses. So on one commissioner, right now there's only three. I forgot to mention that earlier.
There's normally five. There's only three of us, and I am very frequently outvoted. on matters where I disagree with where the agency is going. But I am able to speak out, and that is what I am trying to do.
I am trying to raise the alarm bells because what I am seeing in this administration is an absolute campaign to censor and to control speech and to really violate press freedom, which is so important for our democracy. So I, you know, where I can, I dissent. I wrote my letter to Disney on the matter that they are facing before the FCC, which I'm sure you want to delve into. I do.
And I embarked on a First Amendment tour where I'm going all over the country, rural areas, small towns, East, West Coast. I've been all over the country talking to people about why it's so important for us to protect our freedoms and our democracy. And in my case, the First Amendment.
Now, I have to ask, I do want to turn to Disney, but you mentioned that there are usually five commissioners and right now there are three. What happened to the other two? Where are they?
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Chapter 4: What concerns does Commissioner Gomez have about press freedom?
Why? Because the president nominates commissioners and then the Senate confirms them. I imagine it's much easier to deal with two colleagues than four. But I sincerely don't know why they haven't been replaced.
Well, let's talk about Disney. So in your letter, which you wrote to Disney's CEO, you point out several actions the FCC has taken, right? They include targeting Jimmy Kimmel, of course, investigating The View, and calling up eight of ABC's affiliate stations for renewal. That's the one that you called in the letter, quote, the most egregious assault. Can you explain to us what that means?
What does it mean to call up affiliates for renewal and why that specifically is so egregious relative to the other two examples?
Yes. So under normal circumstances, broadcasters' licenses come up for renewal every eight years, and they're staggered. It's a big production for the broadcasters to file for renewal and to show that they are, in fact, serving their local communities and complying with all the FCC's rules.
In this case, Disney's licenses were not coming up for renewal until the earliest, 2028, and the latest, I think, was 2031 or 2032. But the point is, the commission basically, out of the blue, issued an order that said, no, we're going to call up your licenses for renewal. You have 30 days to seek renewal of all eight of your licenses.
The reason this is so egregious is because it's clear that what the FCC is doing is it is retaliating against ABC because it is refusing to capitulate at this point with this administration's demands that it fire Jimmy Kimmel, that it get rid of The View, that it, you know, basically just report things in a way that this administration wants it to be reported.
They are going after the network, which we do not have any authority over, by going after their eight broadcast license stations. There are tons of affiliates all over the country, but they're not all owned. Only eight are actually owned by Disney itself.
Not only that, but this pretext that the reason why they are doing so is because there's been an investigation into Disney's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, and that Disney somehow hasn't sufficiently complied with the many demands that this commission has placed
has given it for more and more documents, even though when Disney very much clearly showed us, they have sent tens of thousands of documents in response to the FCC's enforcement process. It's just so clearly pretextual. It's just harassment.
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Chapter 5: What actions has the FCC taken against Disney and other media companies?
Disney filed its response. Now FCC put that out for comment and is seeking petitions to deny. And so what's going to happen is we're going to have some partisan organizations that already have come in and said, oh yeah, you know, you absolutely should not renew these licenses because Disney's such a bad actor with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
And then there's a chance to respond to that. If the commission decides to take adverse action, then there's further processes because taking away a broadcaster's license is taking away their lifeblood. That is, you know, what they operate under. And so if the commission decides to take some kind of adverse action, there would have to be a vote by the commission
to send it for hearing, that would go to hearing, then the commission decides to take any kind of adverse action, then they get to appeal. And this is what I have been saying, which is why I'm so glad that Disney is actually pushing back and fighting on this, because if it gets appealed, they will win. Because what this administration is doing is contrary to the law,
It's contrary to the Constitution, and it's very obvious. And the FCC and the administration have created a very public record of their demands to have control over what these broadcasters are saying about the administration. So it's so clear that it's pretextual. They will absolutely win.
When Disney filed its response, their response not only had a top telecom attorney in D.C., but also a former solicitor general who was very well-known, one of the top Supreme Court appellate lawyers. So they are clearly signaling that they are going to fight this, and I'm glad they are, because they are choosing to defend the First Amendment and press freedoms rather than weaken it.
Writing this letter... Seems like it would come at the expense of personal and professional risk for you. I'm curious about what your considerations were as you sat down to write it, as you made the decision to write it.
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Chapter 6: How does Commissioner Gomez view the relationship between the FCC and media companies?
What were you maybe worried about? What were you thinking when you decided to write this letter and to make it public?
Honestly, this has not been that hard for me because I really strongly believe in protecting our constitutional freedoms. I'm relatively at the end of my career. And again, just the public interest of standing up for our constitutional rights is something not only that I swore to do when I was sworn in as a commissioner, but also just I believe very strongly for the protection of our democracy.
So I recognize that this administration likes to retaliate against its critics, and that certainly is something that may happen, but it was so important to me to help not just Disney, but all broadcasters understand what their rights are and that this commission does not have the authority to do what it is doing, that this administration is violating the Constitution, and I wanted them to strengthen their spine
And Disney has come forward with a strengthened spine. They have decided that it is in their interest to fight this. And that is what I had hoped for. And I am glad that they are doing that.
We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back.
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Now, I did want to ask you a little bit about your job and your job security. So my understanding is that your term is actually up at the end of June. You can then stay on, I believe, for a year and a half following the end of that term. At what point can the president fire you? Can he fire you today if he wants to? Or is it easier for him to fire you after your term is up?
So under normal times, the president would only be able to fire me for cause. But he has declared that he has the right to fire anyone at whatever time he wants. And unfortunately, that's being litigated in the Supreme Court, which any day now, maybe any week now, we will see a decision in slaughter versus execution.
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Chapter 7: What impact does the current political climate have on media regulation?
I'm curious about your relationship with your fellow commissioners, especially the FCC chairman, Brendan Carr. I mean, as you said, you're the only Democrat on this commission. Is that isolating? Is that lonely? Is that alienating? I mean, how do you work with your your two fellow commissioners here?
Well, you know, interestingly, there's a lot that we work on together very well. We often agree on things like how to allocate the airwaves. Again, robocalls. Everyone's quite united in trying to fight robocalls.
The one thing we can all agree on, robocalls. Yeah.
Yes, and so for a lot of what's on the commission's agenda, we work very well together, and I enjoy working with my colleagues. On a day-to-day basis, it's a very friendly atmosphere.
Now, Brendan Carr has made some very controversial statements. I mean, I would characterize them as outrageous. He has also said that the FCC is not an independent agency. In testimony before Congress, when you speak out against what he says or against the actions that he's taking, is that akin to taking a public stand against your boss? I mean, is that the dynamic at play here?
No, the commissioners are all independently confirmed by Congress.
Okay, so it's like taking a stand against a colleague.
It's taking a stand against the administration and the FCC.
There we go. Is there anything that would make you leave? Do you have a red line?
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Chapter 8: What initiatives are being discussed to improve internet access?
And I can't believe I ever lived without it.
I don't have a driver's license, so I can't relate. But I thought that that was the app that told you like if there were police like doing like a speed check on the highway. Is that Waze or is Waze something else?
Yeah. Waze tells you when there's they tell you when there's a camera. And that's great, too. But being the law abiding citizen that I am.
I was going to say, I can't imagine that you're speeding down the freeway.
I just really find it very helpful, and I can't believe it. I sincerely say it. I don't know how we ever traveled without Waze or Google Maps.
So would you like to control Waze? Is that your control choice?
Yeah, I was trying to think of control. I don't know about that. That's a good point. I just don't ever want to lose it. I can't delete it, is my thing. I suppose if I wanted to control something, my television would show everything I wanted all the time. I'm a big TV watcher, and there's a lot on TV that I don't care about. So maybe having everything I want all the time.
What are you watching right now? What do you want to be able to watch at all times?
So I'm a big competition show watcher, and I'm behind. I know because the season's over, but I've been watching The Voice.
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