The Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) has endorsed Gigi Sohn‘s confirmation to the Federal Communications Commission.
Sohn has been nominated — twice — to fill the empty Democratic seat on a commission that has been at a political tie (2-2) for over a year. There was no vote after her first hearing in December and President Joe Biden resubmitted her nomination January 4.
Also: Padden Says Sohn Is Needed Voice on FCC
Tim Winter, who heads PTC, which has long promoted its definition of family-friendly programming both on television and more recently on streaming services, called Sohn a straight shooter and a careful listener.
Winter said that while they may disagree — or agree for that matter — on specific issues, her commitment to decisions “based on what best serves the public interest,” rather than what is best for a particular industry is “exactly the perspective parents and families urgently need at the FCC.”
Sohn would the first commissioner from a public interest group to serve on the FCC. She formerly headed Public Knowledge, which advocates for fair-use rights to content, a stand that has put her at odds with the major studios and distributors, a position Winter and the PTC have found themselves in as well.
Winter cited that public interest focus in his statement of support for Sohn, which comes on the eve of her second confirmation hearing Wednesday (February 9) in the Senate Commerce Committee, which has yet to vote on her nomination due to Republican pushback and a lack of Democratic votes due to the stroke of Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M).
“Much is said about the revolving door between government regulators and the industries they regulate, and rightly so,“ he said. ”That’s why Gigi’s nomination is so refreshing. Rather than serving the corporate interest, her career has been dedicated to serving the public interest, and to holding powerful industries publicly to account. It comes as no surprise that certain industry sectors are working against her confirmation, or to impose material encumbrances on her if she is confirmed. That opposition underscores the importance of bringing her perspective to the FCC’s leadership team.“
ISPs have taken issue with Sohn's offer to recuse herself from some broadcast issues. They argue her past advocacy for cable issues — a major one being the Title II-based net neutrality rules they oppose — means she should recuse from those, too. ■
