Venture Capitalist David Sacks Calls Out Mainstream Media — Says Major Networks Should Lose Free Public Spectrum Licenses Since They Failed the Requirement to Serve Public Interest

Venture capitalist and tech entrepreneur David Sacks has called for a reevaluation of the broadcasting licenses held by major networks.

Sacks contends that these networks have blatantly failed in their duty to serve the public interest, a requirement tied to their access to the public airwaves.

According to the Federal Communications Commission:

Before we can renew a station’s license, we must first determine whether, during the preceding license term, the licensee has served the public interest, has not committed any serious violations of the Communications Act or the FCC’s rules, and has not committed other violations which, taken together, would constitute a pattern of abuse.

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The FCC cannot prevent the broadcast of any particular point of view.  In this regard, the Commission has observed that “the public interest is best served by permitting free expression of views.”  However, the right to broadcast material is not absolute.  There are some restrictions on the material that a licensee can broadcast.

[…]

We also do not review anyone’s qualifications to gather, edit, announce, or comment on the news. These decisions are the station licensee’s responsibility.  Nevertheless, there are two issues related to broadcast journalism that are subject to Commission regulation: hoaxes and news distortion.

The FCC has stated that “rigging or slanting the news is a most heinous act against the public interest.”  The Commission will investigate a station for news distortion if it receives documented evidence of rigging or slanting, such as testimony or other documentation, from individuals with direct personal knowledge that a licensee or its management engaged in the intentional falsification of the news.  Of particular concern would be evidence of the direction to employees from station management to falsify the news.

In 2016, Donald Trump’s presidential victory did more than shake up Washington—it exposed the blatant bias and partisanship of the mainstream media.

This has left millions of Americans questioning whether they are being served objective news or force-fed a left-leaning agenda.

The Hunter Biden laptop story, for instance, exposed critical issues surrounding the Biden family, from questionable business dealings to potential national security risks. Yet, the mainstream media either ignored it entirely or dismissed it as “Russian disinformation” to protect their preferred candidate.

The story was sidelined, the facts brushed under the rug, and the public kept in the dark—all while a monumental cover-up unfolded before our eyes.

It doesn’t stop there. As President Biden stumbles through speeches, showing concerning signs of cognitive decline, the media’s silence is deafening. Rather than asking tough questions about his fitness for office, they treat these signs of decline as a “quirk” or “Biden being Biden.” Imagine if these behaviors came from a conservative figure—the relentless media assault would be swift and unforgiving.

On top of that, stories of vaccine injuries, an issue impacting thousands, have been either downplayed or ignored altogether. Instead, the media cherry-picks stories that fit their pro-establishment narrative, leaving Americans searching for alternative sources just to get the full picture.

Meanwhile, any conservative, especially President Trump, can expect scrutiny of the harshest kind. From Russia collusion theories to impeachments, mainstream networks showed an insatiable appetite for stories that damage Trump.

They are the public relations arm of the Democratic Party, amplifying left-wing talking points while censoring or outright attacking anything that threatens their narrative.

CBS News, in particular, has been accused of “significant and intentional news distortion” in a formal complaint filed by the Center for American Rights (CAR) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

CBS selectively edited Kamala Harris’s interview to make her sound more coherent and lucid.

“60 Minutes is a major part of the News Organization of CBS, which has just created the Greatest Fraud in Broadcast History,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “CBS should lose its license, and it should be bid out to the Highest Bidder, as should all other Broadcast Licenses, because they are just as corrupt as CBS — and maybe even WORSE!”

Mainstream media operates on licenses granted by the FCC to use public broadcast spectrum, in exchange for meeting obligations to serve the “public interest.” But has the mainstream media kept its end of the bargain?

Venture capitalist David Sacks thinks it’s time to reconsider this model. In a recent statement, Sacks criticized major networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC, claiming they have long abandoned their duty to serve the public interest.

Sacks wrote:

The major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) operate on free licenses of public spectrum in exchange for requirements to serve the public interest. They no longer do, and this is an obsolete model anyway.

The spectrum should be auctioned off, with the proceeds used to pay down the national debt. Of course, the networks can bid on the spectrum, and they will win if broadcast networks are still the most highly valued use.

What’s more likely to happen is that valuable spectrum will be reapportioned to the next generation of wireless applications, unleashing many more interesting options for consumers and businesses. The networks can continue to operate on cable, like hundreds of other redundant channels.

Great idea https://t.co/jLaY1Zg9Vq

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 27, 2024