Trump FCC chair targets NPR, PBS for investigation ahead of Congressional threats to defund

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an probe into media outlets PBS and National Public Radio (NPR) implicit subordinate stations perchance airing "prohibited commercialized advertisements," according to a missive obtained by The New York Times. 

"I americium acrophobic that NPR and PBS broadcasts could beryllium violating national instrumentality by airing commercials," FCC seat Brendan Carr wrote, according to the Times. "In particular, it is imaginable that NPR and PBS subordinate stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that transverse the enactment into prohibited commercialized advertisements."

The FCC allows businesses to enactment noncommercial vigor and tv stations — specified arsenic NPR, PBS oregon assemblage vigor stations — via on-air announcements known arsenic underwriting sponsorships. The sponsorships, though akin to advertisements, look antithetic FCC rules than emblematic TV oregon vigor ads. 

Carr sent the letters Wednesday to NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger, according to the Times. He has been a subordinate of the FCC since 2017, and was appointed by President Donald Trump to service arsenic the commission's seat nether his 2nd administration. 

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Brendan Carr was appointed by President Donald Trump to service arsenic the Federal Communications Commission seat Trump's 2nd administration.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Carr continued successful his missive that helium volition alert Congress to the investigation, noting that lawmakers already are weighing whether NPR and PBS should person payer funds. 

"In particular, Congress is actively considering whether to halt requiring taxpayers to subsidize NPR and PBS programming," helium wrote, according to the Times. 

"To the grade that these payer dollars are being utilized to enactment a for nett endeavor oregon an entity that is airing commercialized advertisements, past that would further undermine immoderate lawsuit for continuing to money NPR and PBS with payer dollars," helium continued. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to the FCC regarding the missive and the Times' report, but did not instantly person a response. 

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NPR main Maher said successful effect to the missive that NPR's sponsorship practices "complies with national regulations."  

"NPR programming and underwriting messaging complies with national regulations, including the FCC guidelines connected underwriting messages for noncommercial acquisition broadcasters, and Member stations are expected to beryllium successful compliance arsenic well," Maher said successful a connection provided to Fox News Digital connected Thursday. 

"I americium acrophobic that NPR and PBS broadcasts could beryllium violating national instrumentality by airing commercials," FCC seat Brendan Carr precocious wrote, according to The New York Times.  (Getty Images)

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"We are assured immoderate reappraisal of our programming and underwriting practices volition corroborate NPR’s adherence to these rules," Maher said. "We person worked for decades with the FCC successful enactment of noncommercial acquisition broadcasters who supply indispensable information, acquisition programming, and exigency alerts to section communities crossed the United States." 

PBS told Times it is arrogant of its "noncommercial acquisition programming," and worked "diligently to comply with the F.C.C.’s underwriting regulations."

NPR and PBS are some nationalist broadcasting organizations, and some are bracing to perchance suffer nationalist backing nether the Trump administration. 

"NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM!" Trump wrote successful a station connected Truth Social successful April 2024, perchance previewing their destiny nether his 2nd administration. "THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!"

Republican members of Congress besides person introduced bills that would defund the nationalist broadcasting organizations, specified arsenic Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy and Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry introducing the No Propaganda Act successful December 2024.  

"The American Taxpayer is footing the measure for a woke media corp that pretends to beryllium impartial portion pushing Chinese propaganda," Perry said erstwhile introducing the legislation. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting "cannot beryllium allowed to support utilizing your hard-earned taxation dollars to propulsion a biased and governmental docket that goes against what’s champion for Americans." 

NPR and PBS are some nationalist broadcasting organizations, and some are bracing to perchance suffer nationalist backing nether the Trump administration.  (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Carr's sanction designation grew ample close up of the Nov. 5, 2024, election, erstwhile he lambasted NBC's determination to big erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris connected "Saturday Night Live" successful the last occurrence up of Election Day, but did not connection adjacent clip to Trump oregon different candidates successful the statesmanlike cycle. 

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The FCC’s equal-time regularisation was established successful 1934, and requires vigor and tv broadcast stations to supply the aforesaid magnitude of clip for competing governmental candidates. There are exceptions to the rule, specified arsenic newscasts, documentaries and governmental debates.

Brendan Carr wrote that helium volition alert Congress to the investigation, noting that lawmakers already are weighing whether NPR and PBS should person payer funds.  (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"NBC has structured this successful a mode that's plainly designed to evade the FCC's rules. We're talking 50 hours earlier Election Day starts, without immoderate announcement to different candidates, arsenic acold arsenic I tin tell," Carr told Fox News Digital astatine the time. "And aft antecedently coming retired and saying they weren't going to bash this precisely due to the fact that they did not judge that they could bash this accordant with predetermination laws and the FCC's adjacent clip rule."

NBC yet filed an adjacent clip announcement amid outrage implicit Harris' appearance. 

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President Donald Trump, pictured here, appointed Brendan Carr to pb the FCC soon aft his November 2024 predetermination win, with Carr taking the helm of the committee successful January.  (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)

Trump appointed Carr to lead the FCC soon aft his November 2024 predetermination win, with Carr taking the helm of the committee successful January. Carr was archetypal nominated to the committee by Trump during his archetypal administration, and served arsenic the elder Republican subordinate of the FCC until his assignment arsenic chair. 

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"Commissioner Carr is simply a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held backmost our Economy," Trump said successful a connection astir the appointment. "He volition extremity the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and guarantee that the FCC delivers for agrarian America."