FCC chair threatens TV broadcasters

The Guardian -   Donald Trump reinforced comments made by Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), threatening the broadcast licenses of news organizations that report unfavorably on the war in Iran.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump said he was “thrilled” that Carr was “looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic ‘News’ Organizations. They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES …”

Carr wrote in a post on X on Saturday that broadcasters “that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up. The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”

Carr’s comments drew a rebuke from both Democrats and Republicans noting the first amendment protects news organizations from government censorship. Trump’s comments suggest he will widen his campaign against the media.

The Hill -Carr has gotten a lot of backlash for this warning. Several Democrats quickly slammed Carr, calling it “authoritarian,” “unconstitutional” and “totalitarian takeover.”

Even Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) is concerned about Carr’s threat. “I am a big supporter of the First Amendment,” Johnson told Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing.” “I do not like the heavy-handed government, no matter who is wielding it. … I would rather the federal government stay out of the private sector as much as possible.”

Bendan Carr, Wikipedia -   As chair, Carr investigated companies over their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, threatening to block business decisions if organizational hiring practices were not changed. He was involved in the merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global, securing an ombudsman to ensure a "diversity of viewpoints"; Carr's role in the merger led to ethics concerns... In September, Carr threatened broadcasters to suspend the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, leading to broad criticism.