Pentagon reviewing military discharges over COVID vaccine; FCC chair says agency isn’t independent
In this Media Miss Minute, the Pentagon moves to reexamine the discharge records of thousands of service members removed from the military for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. Plus, the FCC’s chairman raises new questions about whether the agency operates independently of the Trump administration.
Media Miss by the left: Pentagon to review discharges of 8,700 troops who declined COVID vaccine
The Pentagon has ordered a review of more than 8,700 military discharges tied to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed during the Biden administration.
The mandate was in effect from August 2021 through January 2023. Under the new review, each branch of the military has up to one year to review its discharge records and upgrade those applicable from general to honorable discharges.
An upgrade could restore key benefits for affected service members, including access to health insurance and the GI Bill.
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Media Miss by the right: FCC removes ‘independent’ label from website after chairman’s comments
The Federal Communications Commission has removed the word “independent” from its website description after Chairman Brendan Carr told lawmakers that, legally speaking, the agency does not operate independently.
Carr made the comments during a Senate hearing this week, responding to questions from Democrats about whether the FCC can oversee major media organizations without influence from the Trump administration.
“Congress did not include for-cause removal in the Communications Act, so, formally speaking, the FCC is not independent,” Carr said.
Carr also told lawmakers that broadcasters have an obligation to air content that serves the “public interest,” adding that companies meeting that standard “are not at risk” of scrutiny from the administration.
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Straight Arrow News identifies Media Misses based on coverage data available at the time of publication. Some outlets may choose to cover a story after our analysis is published. Our methodology prioritizes timely, prominent coverage across a range of sources, but we continually review and refine our approach to ensure balance and accuracy.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
