The Independent Media Council (IMC), representing more than 125 million Americans weekly through a coalition of conservative and independent media outlets, has joined forces with the CPAC Foundation Center for Regulatory Freedom (CRF) to file a formal comment with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opposing the proposed merger between Omnicom Group Inc. and The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG).
The comment — submitted on July 28, 2025 — urges the FTC to suspend or nullify its recent Consent Order approving the merger and calls for a full investigation into the merger’s implications for free speech, viewpoint discrimination, and ideological suppression through third-party “brand safety” and “misinformation” tools.
“This merger is not just a threat to competition; it’s a threat to the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans,” said Christine Czernejewski, director of the Independent Media Council.
“By consolidating the power of two global advertising giants, the FTC is allowing a larger and more dangerous system of censorship and discrimination to take hold — one that targets dissenting voices under the guise of 'misinformation' and ‘safety.’”
The IMC includes more than a dozen major media and advocacy organizations representing one of the most influential networks of conservative and independent media voices in America.
Andrew Langer, director of the CPAC Foundation’s Center for Regulatory Freedom, added: “This merger cements the power of unaccountable gatekeepers who silence Americans based on political beliefs. The FTC has a duty to uphold the Constitution and ensure that no corporate consolidation comes at the expense of liberty.”
The CRF is part of CPAC’s non-profit research and education foundation, engaging in thoughtful analysis of public policies that impact the daily lives of Americans. The Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC) is America's premier grassroots organization uniting and amplifying the voices of constitutional conservatives to defend freedom, limited government, and traditional values.
The joint comment outlines several critical concerns with the FTC’s current approval of the merger:
1. Third-Party Rating Agencies as Tools for Censorship
The IMC and CPAC argue that agencies like NewsGuard and the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) are being used by Omnicom and IPG to blacklist conservative media outlets. These agencies claim to measure “brand safety” and “reliability” but instead systematically defund or suppress non-establishment viewpoints.
2. Bias and Political Connections
NewsGuard, a prominent third-party rater used by both companies, was co-founded by Democratic political activist Steven Brill. Studies and analyses by the Media Research Center and others have documented consistent bias in its scoring system favoring liberal media, while disproportionately punishing conservative sources.
3. Discriminatory DEI Frameworks
Both Omnicom and IPG publicly support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which the IMC and CRF argue often cross legal boundaries — promoting discrimination based on race, sex, and ideology. The FTC's failure to address these frameworks violates recent Trump administration directives, including Executive Orders that prohibit race-based stereotyping and censorship in federally connected organizations.
4. Violation of President Trump’s Executive Orders
The comment points to President Trump’s January 2025 Executive Order “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship,” which bars federal approval of partnerships that infringe on free speech rights through censorship mechanisms like misinformation monitoring. The FTC’s approval, according to the IMC and CPAC, is in direct violation of these orders.
To protect the integrity of free speech and restore public confidence in regulatory oversight, the IMC and CPAC are demanding:
- Immediate suspension of the merger approval until a thorough public investigation is completed.
- A full audit of both companies’ use of third-party media monitors and DEI frameworks that may violate federal law.
- Formal acknowledgment by Omnicom and IPG of any improper censorship or discrimination practices.
- Creation of a corporate reform plan to eliminate DEI-based exclusion and ideological gatekeeping.
- Appointment of a long-term FTC monitor to oversee compliance.
- Establishment of a $300 million restitution fund for harmed media outlets suppressed by biased brand safety tools.
The IMC and CPAC assert that media freedom and advertising equity are at stake in this merger. In an increasingly digital world where advertising access determines visibility and viability, they stress that partisan control over advertising tools must be eliminated to preserve democracy and ensure all voices can be heard.
“This merger allows a few powerful hands to tighten their grip on the nation’s information flow,” Czernejewski said. “We cannot allow corporations, acting as ideological enforcers, to dictate who gets to speak and who gets silenced.”
The joint comment represents a growing wave of opposition to institutional censorship generally and the Omnicom-IPG merger specifically.
See IMC/CRF FTC Filing
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