FCC’s Carr warns broadcasters while reposting Trump comments on Iran reports

By Dan Catchpole

March 14 (Reuters) – U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday renewed his criticism and threats against broadcasters over their content, but this time with President Donald Trump’s criticism of Iran war reporting as the backdrop. 

Broadcasters who air “fake news” must “correct course before their license renewals come up,” Carr posted on X, in remarks accompanied by a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post earlier in the day accusing the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and “other lowlife ‘papers’ and media” of “terrible reporting” on the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran.

“Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not,” Carr wrote.

The FCC issues licenses for television and radio broadcasters. The agency does not regulate news outlets that have only online and print distribution, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. 

Carr has repeatedly said he wants to enforce the FCC’s public interest obligation for broadcasters that use the public airwaves, which he says the FCC has failed to properly deploy for decades. 

On Saturday, he wrote of “hoaxes and distortions” during the 2024 presidential campaign and said “the public has lost faith and confidence in the media.” By including Trump’s post, Carr for the first time extended his own criticisms to wartime coverage.

Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying when they run stories that he sees as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair. 

Democratic lawmakers and a few prominent Republicans have criticized the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against broadcasters. Carr has argued that polls showing widespread distrust of the media support his stance. 

(Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Editing by Sergio Non, Rod Nickel)