CAR President Won't Confirm Plans for Senate Commerce Hearing on Broadcast-Ownership Cap
Center for American Rights President Daniel Suhr wouldn’t confirm or deny Monday night whether he will be among the witnesses at a yet-to-be-scheduled Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the FCC’s 39% national TV station audience reach cap (see 2601120064). Earlier, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy confirmed he will be testifying in opposition to proposals for the FCC to eliminate or ease the cap (see 2512150046). Senate Commerce is looking at late January for its hearing, but lobbyists said the panel may delay it until February.
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“Obviously, we are supportive of providing regulatory relief for broadcasters, but I don’t have anything for you beyond that,” Suhr emailed us.
Meanwhile, American Association for Public Broadband Executive Director Gigi Sohn, a senior aide to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, contradicted chatter that she would also testify. “I've not been asked” to appear, she told us. Lobbyists are eyeing how FCC Chairman Brendan Carr will respond to questions about cap-elimination proposals during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Wednesday (see 2601130067).