She toured the U.S. in defense of the First Amendment on the belief that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr was abusing his position on behalf of President Trump, reinstating three “news distortion” complaints filed by the Center for American Rights.
Now, the NAB Show is giving Anna M. Gómez a platform, along with other Carr detractors.
In a somewhat surprising announcement just three days before the 2026 NAB Show is to officially open at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the association representing broadcast media leaders seeking regulatory reform and rule “modernization” is adding a Monday morning session with the title “The First Amendment and Press Freedom in Today’s Media Landscape.”
It is part of the “Broadcast Management and Monetization Conference” embedded in the NAB Show agenda, and will be held at N254LMR in the North Hall of the LVCC at 11:30am Pacific on April 21.
On the official NAB Show agenda, the association offers the following language when describing the hourlong roundtable discussion:
Across the political spectrum, news media face both praise and criticism. Some argue that the government should play a larger role in ensuring that news outlets avoid perceived bias. Others contend that in a diverse media environment, the remedy for speech one disagrees with is simply more speech.
What role, if any, should the government play in addressing public concerns about news content? When does oversight become overreach? And do the distinct legal standards that apply to broadcast stations still make sense in today’s media landscape?
Join leaders in journalism, academia, law, and public policy for a conversation exploring these questions and the evolving relationship between the First Amendment, government authority, and the news media.
To be clear, Gómez is serving as the moderator of the discussion and is not listed as a Speaker. That said, the speaker list provides Gómez plenty of ammo in her defense of press freedom, expressed in a “First Amendment Tour” conducted shortly after the return of President Trump to the White House and selection of Brendan Carr as Chairman.
Participating as speakers are American Enterprise Institute nonresident senior fellow Clay Calvert, Stand Together VP of Legal Strategy Casey Maddox, The Wall Street Journal‘s Joe Flint, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Senior Staff Attorney Mara Grossman, and Robert Corn-Revere, Chief Counsel of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Corn-Revere’s presence is particularly intriguing, as Gomez’s Strategic Communications and Policy Advisor, Jonathan Uriarte, shared via e-mail on Thursday a scathing Substack “Open Letter” to Chairman Carr penned by Corn-Revere. Appearing in “Checks & Balances,” the essay is billed as “an unsolicited plea for dignity, from a former FCC Chief Counsel.”
The NAB all but clandestinely shared the news in an afternoon communiqué, in which it shared such newly announced speakers as actor and comedian JB Smoove; MS NOW anchors Jen Psaki and Ari Melber; Marcus Jones, All-Pro cornerback for the AFC champion New England Patriots; and Eric Robles, showrunner of Netflix’s upcoming spinoff series “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85.”
Taking second fiddle along with Gomez are Oscar Sanchez, head of host broadcast production at FIFA; and Charlie Beller, acting deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, “reflecting the growing intersection of media, finance, policy and emerging distribution models.”
Karen Chupka, Executive VP of Global Connections and Events at the NAB, commented, “These additions reflect where media is headed: a convergence of creative talent, business strategy and the technologies powering both. The 2026 NAB Show brings together the people shaping how content is created, how audiences are reached and how those ideas turn into sustainable businesses.”
