FCC Chairman Brendan Carr sharply criticized the national media during a press conference Wednesday following the agency's February open meeting, accusing journalists of perpetuating a "hoax" on the public and claiming Americans trust "gas station sushi" more than legacy news outlets.
Carr's remarks centered on a recent controversy involving Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico and his interview on CBS's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Talarico had claimed the FCC pressured CBS to pull the interview from broadcast television over equal-time rules, a claim that led to widespread media coverage and fundraising for his campaign. Carr dismissed the episode as a deliberate "hoax" orchestrated by Talarico to exploit media biases for clicks and donations, insisting no FCC censorship occurred."
Tuesday was a perfect encapsulation of why the American people have more trust in gas station sushi than they do in the national news media," Carr said. He added that reporters "should feel a bit ashamed for having been lied to" and then amplifying falsehoods without corrections.
In the same press conference, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the agency's sole Democrat, urged a full commission vote on Nexstar Media Group's proposed $6 billion acquisition of TEGNA.
The deal would create the largest U.S. local television broadcaster, reaching an estimated 80% of households and exceeding the current 39% national ownership cap set by Congress.
Gomez argued that such a significant transaction, which could require revising or waiving the cap, deserves transparent consideration by the full panel rather than delegated approval at the staff (Media Bureau) level. Chairman Carr has expressed support for the merger and indicated the FCC intends to move forward, though the ownership cap issue remains contentious.