Predecessors Claim Carr Is Weaponizing FCC Against Broadcasters

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Chairman Brendan Carr, launched an investigation into KCBS 740 AM, an all-news station owned by Audacy, Inc., in early February 2025. The probe centers on a January 26, 2025, broadcast during the "KCBS Radio Weekend News" program, where the station reported the live locations and detailed descriptions of unmarked vehicles used by undercover U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in East San Jose. This area is noted for its association with violent gang activity, raising concerns about the safety of the agents involved.

The ICE operation targeted illegal immigrants, including those linked to violent gangs, aligning with Trump’s campaign promises of rapid deportation enforcement. The broadcast drew immediate backlash from ICE and conservative commentators, who argued it endangered agents by exposing their positions in a high-risk environment.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump in November 2024 and elevated to chair in January 2025, announced the investigation during a February 6, 2025, appearance on Fox News’ "Fox & Friends." Carr described the broadcast as “really concerning,” emphasizing that KCBS had aired “live locations, identifying the unmarked vehicles [ICE agents] were in” in an area known for violent gang activity. He confirmed that the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau had sent a formal letter of inquiry to KCBS, demanding a response within days to explain how the broadcast aligned with its public interest obligations under the Communications Act of 1934.

This act requires FCC-licensed broadcasters to operate in the “public interest, convenience, and necessity,” a standard Carr suggested KCBS may have violated by potentially compromising agent safety. He framed the investigation as part of his broader agenda to ensure accountability, contrasting it with what he sees as the partisan biases of his predecessors. The deadline for KCBS’s response was reported to be imminent—within “a matter of days” from February 6—though no public update on their submission has surfaced as of February 22.

This investigation is one of several high-profile actions Carr has taken since assuming the chairmanship. In his first month, he also revived probes into NBC, ABC, and CBS over alleged election bias, targeted NPR and PBS for supposed sponsorship rule violations, and scrutinized Audacy’s ownership structure following George Soros’s 2024 acquisition of a significant stake in the company. The KCBS case, however, stands out due to its direct implications for press freedom and public safety.

Carr’s critics, including former FCC chairs and First Amendment advocates, have accused him of weaponizing the agency to target media outlets perceived as unsympathetic to Trump’s administration. The KCBS investigation intensified these concerns, especially given its timing amid Trump’s mass deportation initiatives.

Audacy and KCBS have declined to comment publicly on the investigation, leaving their defense—if submitted—unreported as of now.

Carr responded sharply to criticism from three of his predecessors regarding his investigations into alleged media bias at major broadcast outlets. This situation has drawn significant attention due to its implications for media regulation, free press, and political tensions in the United States. His repsonse comes aftwe former FCC chairs Tom Wheeler (served under Obama), Reed Hundt (served under Clinton), and Alfred Sikes (served under Bush), collectively condemned Carr’s moves as an overreach of FCC authority and a threat to press freedom.

In response, Carr dismissed his predecessors as partisan figures suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS), a term often used to imply irrational opposition to Trump. Speaking through media channels, including messages to journalist Oliver Darcy, Carr accused Wheeler, Hundt, and Sikes of hypocrisy, pointing to their own past actions—such as Wheeler’s support for Title II net neutrality under Obama, which Carr claims was influenced by Google and Obama’s agenda, or their calls to revoke licenses from Fox or Elon Musk’s Starlink. 

Carr suggested their criticism stemmed from a desire for relevance rather than principle, stating, “I gotta imagine it’s hard when the curtain is closing on your career and yet you’re still yearning for one more moment in the limelight.” He further asserted that, unlike his predecessors, he would ensure the FCC gives “everyone a fair shake.”