More than 20 conservative, free-market and/or pro-innovation organizations today sent a letter – led by the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) – to Federal Communications Commission Chairman (FCC) Brendan Carr expressing support for his deregulatory efforts in the communications sector and respectfully urging him to avoid advancing proposals that would regulate programming rates in the market negotiations between broadcast networks and broadcast affiliates. Such rate regulation could undermine competition and investment in a broadcast sector that the FCC is otherwise working to deregulate.

“We, the undersigned conservative, free-market and pro-innovation organizations, write in support of your efforts to reduce government regulation and involvement in the communications sector. Your work to delete rules that are stifling growth and investment in the sectors overseen by the Federal Communications Commission will help unleash a golden age for America’s economy,” reads the letter.

“It is for that reason that we respectfully urge you to avoid intervening, either directly or indirectly, in the free-market negotiations between broadcast networks and affiliates. Intervention risks de facto rate regulation and other market distortions that would undermine the streak of deregulatory wins that you have championed as FCC chairman,” the letter continues.

Leaders and representatives of the following organizations signed the letter: Center for Individual Freedom, American Commitment, Americans for Tax Reform, Beacon Center of Tennessee, Center for a Free Economy, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), Competitive Enterprise Institute, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy, Consumer Choice Center, Digital Liberty, Frontiers of Freedom, Innovation Economy Institute, CAGW's Innovation and Technology Policy Center, Institute for Policy Innovation, The James Madison Institute, Jersey 1st, Market Institute, National Taxpayers Union, Pelican Institute for Public Policy, SBE Council, and Taxpayers Protection Alliance.  

Read the full letter here (PDF).