Cheryl Leanza

I'm here in Boston this morning for the appellate court argument on last year's #phonejustice decision at the @FCC.

This billionaire Trump ally and his son are building an unprecedented media empire Larry and David Ellison’s holdings span movies, TV networks, CBS and soon a stake in TikTok, in a paradigm-shifting portfolio with huge influence.

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Weiss's Free Press has campaigned against what it calls “wokeism” in mainstream media, and Weiss, like the Ellisons, is a strong supporter of Israel, but her site has also been critical of Trump.

This billionaire Trump ally and his son are building an unprecedented media empire Larry and David Ellison’s holdings span movies, TV networks, CBS and soon a stake in TikTok, in a paradigm-shifting portfolio with huge influence.

Just what we need ...

David Ellison’s appointment of a opinion journalist Bari Weiss to helm the network of legacy broadcasters Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite has set the stage for a culture clash. ...

Picture of a radio broadcast microphone.

Today on the first day of the next phase of public media, from @uccmediajustice.org

The impact of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting shutting down and what you can do

uccmediajustice.org/public-media...

The Kimmel suspension is a much bigger deal than you know.

It's really about a growing alliance between Trump and the companies that own America's local TV stations - like Nexstar - to turn local TV into Trump propaganda.

1/ Let me tell you the short story. It's chilling.

JOINT LEADERSHIP STATEMENT ON THE SUSPENSION OF JIMMY KIMMEL Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu, Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene released the following s...

Thanks to @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social and the House Dem9cratic Leadership team for this
democraticleader.house.gov/media/press-...

Important words from @agomezfcc.bsky.social
Trump administration ‘weaponizing’ FCC authority, commissioner says
thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Echoes of Fred Friendly: When networks bow to power What is really concerning about Kimmel’s suspension is the role that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendon Carr—and by extension President Trump—played in threatening to pull the broadcas...

FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC affiliates over Jimmy Kimmel’s on-air comments. It’s not the first time networks have bowed to power—and history warns us what’s at stake.

Read our latest blog from UCC Media Justice board treasurer Sara Fitzgerald:

House Democratic leaders issue a joint statement calling on FCC’s Brendan Carr to resign, labeling his actions a “corrupt abuse of power.”

Echoes of Fred Friendly: When networks bow to power What is really concerning about Kimmel’s suspension is the role that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendon Carr—and by extension President Trump—played in threatening to pull the broadcas...

Thanks to @uccmediajustice.org board member and journalist's post on the travesty with Jimmy Kimmel: uccmediajustice.org/when-network...

Commissioner Gomez is the only voice of reason left at the FCC.

Every journalist covering Kimmel’s suspension should be calling her today.

She is an expert and she has stood firmly for upholding the Constitution.

How AI discriminates and what that means for your Google habit: A conversation with internet studies scholar Safiya Noble The UCLA professor who put the study of algorithmic discrimination on the map turns her focus to our AI-powered future.

We’re honored to welcome @safiyanoble.bsky.social as this year’s #ParkerLecture2025 lecturer.

In this 2024 interview, Dr. Noble breaks down how AI systems perpetuate discrimination—and what that means for all of us:

Prison Phone Justice Delayed — What’s at Stake and What You Can Do On September 15, UCC Media Justice helped organize a coalition letter of faith and public interest groups urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to overturn its unjust and unlawful suspens...

📢 Families shouldn’t have to choose between food and hearing a loved one’s voice.

We helped organize a coalition letter urging the FCC to reverse its unjust rollback of fair prison phone & video rates. #PhoneJustice

Read more on our blog:

Great #FCC filing in support of #phonejustice by 8 AGs! Thanks to @agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov @massago.bsky.social @ilattygeneral.bsky.social @oagmaryland.bsky.social @newjerseyoag.bsky.social @newyorkstateag.bsky.social @AGEllison @AGNeronha
www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/...

Before the DOC received $580K annually, NOW the DOC will get $3.75 MILLION annually plus $2.2 MILLION worth of in-kind security technology, including call monitoring software, body scanning devices and (heartless) digital mail technology.

Also this article explains how the Dept of Corrections is exploiting families even further with the blessing of the @FCC with Securus offering astronomical payments (aka kickbacks).

With Little Notice, Oklahoma Prison Phone Call Rates More Than Double - Oklahoma Watch A June 30 FCC order cleared the way for phone call rates, and commission payments to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, to increase.

Families are suffering with the FCC's betrayal of families on #phonejustice. oklahomawatch.org/2025/09/12/w...

Know Peace Online: Know Your Limits Across many faith traditions, the message is the same: stepping away from the scroll creates space to hear more clearly what truly matters.

The internet never stops—but we can.

The final Know Peace Online pillar, Know Your Limits, invites us to pause, step back, and set boundaries that honor our health, our relationships, and God’s Creation.

Read more: buff.ly/VfVk6GK

#KnowPeaceOnline

BIG NEWS: @safiyanoble.bsky.social will deliver the 43rd Annual Parker Lecture, Brandi Collins-Dexter will be honored posthumously with the Parker Award, & FCC Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social will receive the Minow Award.

🎟️ Join us in D.C. or online: buff.ly/zwW1uIK

#ParkerLecture2025

My kids are with you! Much excitement!

Tribal Traditions Still Hold Back a Free Press - journal-isms.com Indigenous Journalists Honor Their Culture, but . . .

@princeeditor.bsky.social contributes another really excellent piece of journalism: www.journal-isms.com/tribal-tradi...

I am sure there are many views on this and I would love to hear more. Really interesting piece on the complicated free press issues for native journalists.

Thanks to Rep. Barragán & 22 Reps for urging the @FCC to reverse its unlawful decision to halt implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Act.

barragan.house.gov/wp-content/u...

Know Peace Online: Know Your Facts As we navigate the digital landscape, each of us needs to steer carefully, developing the skill to ask questions, evaluate, and double-check the veracity of the information we encounter.

Facts are sacred.

This week’s #KnowPeaceOnline pillar—Know Your Facts—invites us to slow down and take stock of what we're seeing on our feed.

UCC Media Justice board member and educator Marti Weston explores how faith communities can respond to "information disorder" with care and clarity:

Coalition Urges FCC to Reverse Illegal, Unjust and Mystifying Prison Phone Justice Rollback Last night, UCC Media Justice joined a coalition of public interest groups that filed an Application for Review urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to overturn a recent decision by the ...

Read the UCC post:
uccmediajustice.org/fcc-decision...

Groups Challenge FCC's Bureau-Level Order Suspending Prison Phone Rate Cap The groups argue that the bureau's order delaying compliance to 2027 violates federal law.

Glad to see this coverage. But what is up with a photo of me from 2007???

broadbandbreakfast.com/groups-chall...

Read this one! #phonejustice

I hate to harp, but not only is the entire federal government falling into lawlessness, but with increasing frequency, the laws are actually not available. The @FCC's site cannot conduct a search in the electronic docket right now and now this -- ALL of Title 47 of the CFR is down for maintenance??

So grateful that we have @agomezfcc.bsky.social to bear witness and bring to light the depth of the attack on the First Amendment and the public interest. Here is her statement on the Paramount approval.
docs.fcc.gov/public/attac...

See the letter @uccmediajustice.org joined raising the same concerns: www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/...