FCC chair threatens to throttle news broadcasts over ‘hoaxes’ about Iran war

AI Summary

FCC Chair Brendan Carr has threatened to revoke the spectrum licenses of US broadcasters he accuses of spreading 'hoaxes and news distortions' related to the Iran war, framing it under public interest obligations in broadcasting law. The move is widely seen as a political pressure campaign by the Trump administration against critical news coverage. The threat raises significant First Amendment and press freedom concerns.

Brendan Carr posts that he may cancel spectrum permits of ‘mainstream news’ outlets for ‘misleading’ coverage The Trump administration’s communications licensing tsar fired a warning shot over the US broadcasting industry Saturday, threatening to cancel the spectrum permits of broadcasters pushing what he termed “hoaxes and news distortions”. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr posted on social media that broadcasters running “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.” Continue reading...