Talk radio is likely to come under fire during a hearing in Congress next week. House Democrats have said they plan to examine “traditional media’s role in promoting disinformation and extremism” during a planned Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing next Wednesday. A notice released about the virtual event says it will look at how media outlets are “fanning the flames” of disinformation and extremism.
“Some broadcasters’ and cable networks’ increasing reliance on conspiracy theories and misleading or patently false information raises questions about their devotion to journalistic integrity,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) in a joint statement.
No witnesses have been announced so far, and how much of the focus will be on radio is not yet clear. Committee staffers did not respond to Inside Radio’s email seeking clarification.
But the notice said lawmakers would hear from “media experts” about what could be done to address what is seen as a “growing problem” among many in Congress. “The prolonged severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attack on our Capitol on January 6 have driven home a frightening reality: the spread of disinformation and extremism by traditional news media presents a tangible and destabilizing threat,” said Pallone and Doyle.