Congressional leaders urge FCC to perform equity audit

Congressional leaders and advocacy group Media 2070 urged the Federal Communications Commission to examine how policy decisions and programs have disparately harmed Black Americans and other communities of color in a letter to Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on June 28. Rep Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rep Yvette Clark (D-NY), Rep Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), and Free Press’s Media 2070 asked the FCC to “assess and redress” the harm the agency’s policies and programs have caused Black and brown communities, and identify the “affirmative steps the agency commits to taking to break down barriers to just media and telecommunication practices.” In total, 25 members of Congress signed onto the letter including Rep Karen Bass (D-CA), Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Media 2070, an initiative created by the Black caucus of the nonpartisan organization Free Press, has called for media reparations for the Black community and the FCC letter is part of its efforts.