Talk Radio Apparently Not In Crosshairs At FCC

FCC Chair Brendan Carr stated Thursday that he sees no need to enforce the FCC's equal time rules on radio stations in the same way he is pushing for their application to late-night and daytime TV programs.

The equal time rule requires broadcasters to provide comparable airtime to opposing political candidates if one appears on their programming. Last week, the FCC issued guidance clarifying that many TV talk shows — including late-night programs — do not qualify for the "bona fide news" exemption if motivated by partisan purposes, meaning stations could face obligations to offer equal opportunities.

According to a report from Politico, Carr emphasized that TV broadcasters have long claimed exemptions in ways not seen in radio, leading to what he called a "potential misreading of precedents" on the TV side. "If you’re fake news, you’re not going to qualify as the bona fide news exception," he said at a press conference following the agency's monthly meeting.

Anna Gomez

When asked about applying similar scrutiny to radio — often a platform for conservative talk shows — Carr replied there was no equivalent issue or misconstrued precedent requiring FCC action on that medium, even though the underlying rules apply across broadcasting.

The guidance sparked backlash, with critics accusing Carr of aligning with President Donald Trump's frequent complaints about perceived liberal bias in shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and The View. Late-night hosts, including Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, denounced the move on air, with Kimmel calling it part of efforts by "Trump and his Brendan Carr-tel" to target them.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez downplayed the equal time action itself as "not a huge deal" but warned it fits a broader pattern of the Trump administration pressuring broadcasters over content. "It’s part of a pattern ... of constantly berating the broadcasters and the networks for the content of their programs," she said, adding that such threats create a "chilling effect" on editorial decisions.

"The FCC is now a political arm of this administration," Gomez concluded.

Carr defended the enforcement as even-handed and aligned with congressional intent, insisting the agency would apply obligations fairly to TV broadcasters where exemptions have been improperly claimed.