In what appears to be a developing trend, congressional leaders have asked the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a racial diversity and equity audit. Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), and Brenna Lawrence (D-Mich.) penned a letter to the FCC requesting an assessment of whether the agency’s policies and practices promote inequality or create barriers to those in minority groups.
The FCC is an independent governmental agency that is responsible for regulating the nation’s communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. In total, 25 members of Congress signed onto the letter.
Diversity advocates have long been concerned with the underrepresentation and lack of diversity among owners and leaders at companies in the media industry, as well as the portrayal of people of color in the content created by such companies. Given the number of exclusionary policies that have existed in the past, Black Americans have struggled to have a say in the narrative spun by media outlets and other forms of communication, the letter asserts.
“Although many journalists and artists of color have used their talent to ensure critical stories about their communities are being told, our nation’s big media companies nevertheless continue to stereotypically depict people of color as being a threat or a burden to society,” the lawmakers wrote in their joint letter to Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Historic federal policies are a primary reason why structural inequities exist in our nation’s media and telecommunication systems today. FCC policies, license decisions and inaction have had the result of effectively excluding people of color from media ownership opportunities.”
The call for an audit partly stems from an executive order by President Biden directing federal agencies to investigate how their policies have exacted harm upon communities of color. Agencies were instructed to identify potential barriers that minorities face trying to access contracting opportunities, and whether additional steps need to be implemented to further advance racial equity.
Lawmakers also recently called on Google to conduct a racial equity audit in an attempt to uncover whether its products perpetuate racial bias. Government agencies and corporate conglomerates are coming under increasing pressure to evaluate their racial diversity and equity practices, and more boards are asking internal audit functions to explore the potential for conducting a diversity and inclusion audit. 