In a move that has sparked concerns over media intimidation, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has initiated an investigation into NPR and PBS. According to Carr, the inquiry is aimed at determining whether these public broadcasters have violated federal law by airing commercial advertisements, which is prohibited for noncommercial educational broadcast stations.
Carr communicated this decision via a letter addressed to the leadership of NPR and PBS, expressing concern that their broadcasts might include underwriting announcements that resemble commercial advertisements. He noted that such announcements should avoid promoting products, services, or businesses and must not contain comparative or qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, or inducements to engage in transactions.
Amidst the investigation, Carr has also urged Congress to reconsider the funding model for NPR and PBS. Highlighting changes in the media landscape since the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, Carr argued that taxpayer dollars may no longer be justified for such entities, especially if they are venturing into prohibited commercial activities.
This call for defunding has been met with opposition from within the FCC itself. Democratic Commissioners Anna Gomez and Geoffrey Starks have criticized the investigation, viewing it as an administration effort to misuse the FCC’s authority to suppress media outlets. Gomez stated, “This appears to be yet another Administration effort to weaponize the power of the FCC. The FCC has no business intimidating and silencing broadcast media.”