Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a rare and striking admission by publicly agreeing with Senator Ted Cruz over concerns surrounding FCC Chair Brendan Carr and alleged censorship of the news media.

The only Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission says chairman Brendan Carr's belief that the FCC isn't independent leaves news media vulnerable to political pressure.

For the most part, it was Democrats who hammered Carr on his Kimmel comments, but Cruz reiterated his critique at the start of the hearing. He also, however, accused his Democratic colleagues of hypocrisy over their silence over alleged jawboning during the Biden administration. Cruz called on his Democratic peers to join him in passing reforms.

Hours before the Kimmel suspension, Carr warned that local broadcasters who aired Kimmel could face fines or loss of licenses and said "it's time for them to step up."

Texas, grilled Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday over his push for broadcasters to take ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel off the air.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr testifies after suggesting ABC licenses could be pulled over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk assassination.

At the same time, consumers have warmed to the idea of advertising as an embedded part of their media experience. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) say they appreciate advertising that entertains, according to Amazon Ads’ From Ads to Zeitgeist report, and 63 percent believe that advertising has the power to shape and create culture.