Broadcasters Wonder If Carr's FCC Will Go After Licenses

FCC's Brendan Carr

The Trump administration’s FCC, now led by Chairman Brendan Carr, continues to generate significant uncertainty and debate within the media landscape.

To date there are more questions than answers for media which reflects the unpredictable direction the agency has taken. Rather than delivering a clear deregulatory agenda as some might have anticipated from a Republican-led FCC, the commission’s early actions suggest a selective, interventionist approach that has left media companies, broadcasters, and observers grappling with ambiguity.

Under Carr’s leadership, the FCC has moved quickly to assert its authority, launching investigations into major media outlets like CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR, PBS, and Comcast (parent company of NBCUniversal) within weeks of Trump’s second term beginning. 

These probes often center on allegations of bias, "news distortion," or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, aligning with Trump’s long-standing criticisms of mainstream media. 

The unpredictability stems from the FCC’s apparent shift away from a consistent ideological framework. While Carr has framed himself as a “warrior for free speech”—a label Trump echoed upon appointing him—these interventions suggest a willingness to use the FCC’s licensing authority to influence editorial content, a move critics argue contradicts free speech principles. 

Media companies are questioning how far the FCC might go. Will it target broadcasters’ licenses over content Trump dislikes, as he threatened during his campaign? Can it legally extend its authority into editorial decisions without violating the First Amendment or the Communications Act’s prohibition on censorship? The FCC’s historical reluctance to revoke licenses—combined with Carr’s past statements defending newsroom autonomy—clashes with its current trajectory, leaving the industry in limbo.