McNerney said he isn’t expecting a response to the letters before March 8, but said the subcommittee might ask to talk to the cable providers as well as representatives from Fox News, Newsmax and OANN.
Lawmakers on Wednesday will hear from media experts such as journalist Soledad O’Brien, host of the Hearst Television political magazine program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” and also formerly of CNN, MSNBC and NBC, and other outlets; Emily Bell, director of The Tow Center for Digital Media at Columbia University; Kristin Urquiza, the co-founder of the group Marked By COVID; and Jonathan Turley, professor at the George Washington University Law School, who is also an opinion contributor to The Hill.
By Colby HallFeb 24th, 2021, 9:30 am
The House Sub-Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding what will likely be a contentious hearing called “Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in the Media.” The hearing comes at a time when the nation is bitterly divided, largely by media consumption habits, and allegations of disinformation are flying on almost a daily basis.
Chaired by Rep.
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), the Democratic-controlled sub-committee is certain to take a critical look at conservative media outlets, such as OAN, Newsmax, and Fox News, in light of the amplified “stolen election” conspiracy theory that seemed to inspire the deadly insurrection led by Trump supporters on Jan. 6.
The Democrat-led rush to sideline media outlets such as Fox and Newsmax that they accused of disseminating "disinformation" ran into strong opposition Wednesday from Republicans and free speech advocates who warned that the push puts the nation on a slippery slope toward state-controlled censorship.