Jessica J. González

Stop the Merger Madness Rule No. 1 when big deals get announced: Don’t believe the hype

The history of media mega-mergers is all lies, broken promises and strategic blunders. Merger madness only leads to disaster.

Netflix may have won the bidding war. But the losers in these deals are always creators, writers, workers and the rest of us sitting in the audience.

New Pressing Issues!

How FCC Chairman Carr Has Fueled Trump's Authoritarian Takeover Carr has undermined free speech and press freedom as he carries out Trump’s promises of retribution for those who report critically on his actions.

Carr has proved time and again that he’s willing to violate the Constitution and the law to serve as Trump’s censorship czar.

We won’t stop working to bring sunlight to his abuses of power.

www.freepress.net/blog/how-fcc...

Even Senator Ted Cruz, a notorious Trump ally, has called Carr’s actions “dangerous” and “straight out of Goodfellas.”

@freepress.bsky.social and @publicknowledge.bsky.social were outside the FCC Chairman’s dinner this week to demand that Brendan Carr stop using his regulatory power to censor the media.

At the annual fête the chair gives a funny speech, but Carr’s actions are no laughing matter.

Campaign Calls on Univision and Telemundo to Stop Airing Anti-Immigrant Ads Mijente’s latest petition says broadcasting DHS commercials betrays Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S.

Univision and Telemundo are profiting off DHS ads that harm their viewers. This is wrong and I appreciate @conmijente.bsky.social’s work to hold them accountable.

@juliorvarela.com @freepress.bsky.social have the story here: pressingissues.org/campaign-cal...

woman sitting on dais writing

three women smiling wearing glasses and standing next to each other

Panel of people sitting at black table on stage and woman speaking at podium

@riipl.bsky.social & @freepress.bsky.social hosted a panel w. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez at Rutgers-Camden. She joined New Jersey community leaders to discuss government censorship and media control. Read the story, explore photos and watch the replay here: law.rutgers.edu/news/free-sp...
#lawsky

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.

They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

Free Press' @jgo4justice.bsky.social is with Jane Fonda and the Committee for the First Amendment to break down how media capitulation has a chilling effect on media independence and creativity.

Watch the full conversation between Jane and Jessica: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXWJ...

Media mergers are bad for democracy. Join @freepress.bsky.social to fight them.

The Trump administration has routinely abused its merger review authority to shake down media executives for bribes and favorable coverage.

Here are the facts: www.freepress.net/download/fre...

Paramount, Comcast and Netflix Make Official Bids for Warner Bros. Discovery as High-Stakes Fight for the Company Begins The first-round bids were nonbinding, with things likely to evolve over the coming weeks. It was not immediately clear if Saudi Arabia or other Middle Eastern funds were involved in any bid.

Any of these deals would be bad for free expression, creativity and industry jobs.

This is just another in a long line of abuses. You can read about them and how to take action to stand up to this corruption at this @freepress.bsky.social fact sheet: www.freepress.net/download/fre...

This administration is exploiting its merger review power to silence people who report facts the president doesn't want known. Here's the latest example.

Today is worse than usual in Washington.

Former California Lifeline recipient here, calling on Brendan Carr to butt out. This is nothing more than a politically motivated scheme to make it harder for poor Californians to access phone and internet service, dressed up as preventing fraud. It's disgusting. docs.fcc.gov/public/attac...

As Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said last week: "Capitulation breeds capitulation."

Disney/ABC's $16 million dollar payout to Trump in December didn't earn the company any special favors today.

More from the "standing up to bullies works" department: the 11th Circuit has tossed a defamation case that Trump brought against CNN.

Media companies: stop giving away your power and capitulating to this lawless administration!

s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

Free Press Action's Mike Rispoli Testifies Before the New Jersey State Senate on Behalf of Public Funding for Public Media Rispoli called on lawmakers to affirm and expand their decades-long commitment to the essential role that public broadcasting plays in the lives of their constituents.

Free Press Action's Mike Rispoli testified before New Jersey's Senate Legislative Oversight Committee on the future of public media in the state.

Our statement: https://www.freepress.net/news/free-press-actions-mike-rispoli-testifies-new-jersey-state-senate-behalf-public-media-funding

Forbes headline Nov. 18, 2025: "Serious $1 Trillion Crypto Price Crash Warning Sparks Panic As Bitcoin Drop Suddenly Accelerates"

BBC headline from Nov. 18, 2025: "Google boss says trillion-dollar AI investment boom has 'elements of irrationality'"

Financial Times headline from Nov. 18, 2025: "Fund managers warn AI investment boom has gone too far"

Guardian headline from Nov. 18, 2025: Crypto market sheds more than $1tn in six weeks amid fears of tech bubble

starting to think that repeatedly sinking trillions into Silicon Valley's new favorite toy while tech companies spend millions to kill any meaningful regulation is actually not going to end well

Trump's censorship czar Brendan Carr often says his decisions to go the "hard way" against broadcasters that don't appease Trump are motivated by their "unique obligation to operate in the public interest."

But a vast majority of the actual public disagrees. 🧵

www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...

FCC's Carr Makes Familiar Moves to Censor NBC’s Seth Meyers FCC Chairman Brendan Carr continues to abuse his powers to silence dissenting voices in the media.

Yet another unlawful, unconstitutional and unethical attack on free speech from an unserious FCC chair. Brendan Carr is making a mockery of himself just to keep the Mar a Lago invites rolling in. It'd be pathetic if it weren't so dangerous.

www.freepress.net/news/fccs-ca...

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight Public Media: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Don't miss John Oliver's brilliant season finale on the plight of public media.

Come for the Bob Ross jokes, stay for the powerful stories of how essential public media is to local communities.

Lucky to play a small role in helping to shape this one.

Brendan Carr Reposts Trump’s Comments Calling for ‘Late Night’ Host Seth Meyers to Be Fired This comes nearly two months after 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' was briefly suspended by ABC when Carr criticized host Jimmy Kimmel's remarks in September.

The FCC chair once again amplifies the president’s attack on free speech.

This is unlawful, unconstitutional and dangerous.

These bullies won’t stop unless we stand up to them. In courts of law and the court of public opinion.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/b...

Judge blocks Trump administration push to fine UCLA $1.2 billion for alleged antisemitism A federal judge late Friday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from imposing a $1.2-billion fine on UCLA for alleged civil rights violations over antisemitism, its recog...

Time after time we see that capitulation to the administration doesn’t work, but when we stand up to the bullies, we can win.

This is a huge win for academic freedom and free expression.

www.latimes.com/california/s...

What a great night.

Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social: "Free Expression is non-negotiable. It marks the line between freedom and repression. Therefore, we must defend it without compromise."

Catch her remarks and the full event here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JJ0...

More corrupt self-dealing at the expense of immigrants. Disgusting.

Hollywood Is Ready to Fight for the First Amendment Learn how Jane Fonda, Free Press and FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez are working to protect free speech — and confront the Trump administration’s abuses.

This week @janefonda.com graciously invited me and @agomezfcc.bsky.social to address the @1acommittee.bsky.social to discuss how media consolidation limits free speech.

I left feeling inspired that many in Hollywood are ready to advocate for free expression. www.freepress.net/blog/jane-fo...

This is the second event Free Press has hosted on the Tour. First stop was Los Angeles and we learned a ton.

bsky.app/profile/free...

Tomorrow @freepress.bsky.social hosts @agomezfcc.bsky.social in New Jersey for a community conversation about threats to free speech and local news.

We’re happy to be part of the Commissioner’s First Amendment Tour to Challenge Government Censorship and Control.

Here’s @freepress.bsky.social’s new fact sheet about how media mergers are undermining free speech, creativity and media independence.

Learn what’s happening and what you can do to help. www.freepress.net/download/fre...