FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Thursday that national programmers—Disney, Paramount, Fox, and Comcast—have gained too much control over local broadcast television, reducing local affiliates to mere distribution outlets for network content rather than independent community voices.
Speaking during a fireside chat with Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro at CES in Las Vegas, Carr argued that this power imbalance contradicts the original intent of the FCC’s broadcast licensing system, which was designed to prioritize local service and public interest obligations.
Carr emphasized that broadcasters receive exclusive government-granted spectrum licenses and therefore have a unique duty to serve as representatives of their entire communities—not just as extensions of national networks.
The chairman highlighted the critical role local TV stations continue to play in delivering local news—especially as newspapers have closed across the country—calling local broadcast newscasts “the last of the real local gumshoe reporting” in many markets.
He acknowledged growing competition from social media, online influencers, and digital platforms, as well as declining advertising revenue, but stressed that institutional local broadcasters remain a cornerstone of community journalism.
Carr said the FCC is closely examining the future of broadcasting over the next 5, 10, and 15 years, weighing how to best ensure local stations can identify and serve community needs while addressing questions about spectrum efficiency and redundancy in an evolving media landscape.