FCC Chair Threatens Media: Fall In Line With Trump, Or Lose Broadcasting Licenses

[littlemissmartypants]

Last edited Sat Mar 14, 2026, 06:31 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Huff Post/The Guardian

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr threatened media stations with losing their broadcast licenses if they don't fall in line producing positive war coverage.

"Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions - also known as the fake news - have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up," Carr posted on X Saturday. "The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not."

Carr was referring to a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump, who whined over negative media coverage of the ongoing war with Iran started by the U.S. and Israel.

Trump claimed reports about Air Force refueling planes hit by an Iranian missile strike at a Saudi Arabian air base were "intentionally misleading."

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/latest-news-live-updates_n_69ae9a51e4b0fe5c2e757cb8/liveblog_69b59fb5e4b09d87d0278807

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2 hrs 35 mins ago
Sebastian Murdock Huff Post

Reference Tweet:
NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE SENT TO XiTTER IF YOU CLICK THE LINK. YOU WIL BE DIRECTED TO THE WEB LINK WHERE YOU CAN READ THE INFO.

Link to tweet

I was waiting for this. I must say it took longer than I expected. But then we're being "governed" by psychopathic incompetents.

The Guardian is now reporting on this as well:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/14/fcc-broadcast-permits-iran-war-news

[Marthe48]

1. Really, what's the difference?

Willingly kiss his ass? Or go down fighting?
I know, fight for freedom of the press.

[rubbersole]

2. A strongly worded letter won't address this nazi shit.

[orangecrush]

20. 2nd that

[angrychair]

3. Wholly illegal and unconstitutional

Even threatening such should trigger immediate congressional hearings but not with this Congress. Bunch of spineless bootlickers.

[purr-rat beauty]

4. Sue the fucks

Violating the 1st Amendment and blackmailing isn't a good look

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Impeach the fucker - this would break the First Amendment

Freedom of the press AND freedom of speech.

[paleotn]

6. Federal court slap down in 3...2...1....

Spewing it doesn't make it so.

[IronLionZion]

7. Soviet Pravda

[BurnDoubt]

9. Doesn't "Pravda" translate to "Truth" (Social)?

So… Yeah?
Where are the irony police?

[IronLionZion]

11. We can always trust anything that puts the word "Truth" in it's name

Because it must be the truth.

[Shipwack]

8. Unconstitutional, but not super-worrisome?

Only 17% of households get their TV only over the air, which the FCC regulates.

If they deny broadcast licenses to ABC, CBS, and NBC, they can still broadcast through cable TV and the internet, no?

Not that the 17% aren’t important, or a significantly large portion of Americans, of course.

[BurnDoubt]

12. I worry...

It’s only unconstitutional until the Six Supremes say it isn’t. This is where they earn their RV’s.
This war business allows for them to try work-arounds and define what “is” is.
The White House has already started to cloak the information and tweeze the spin, down even to enforcing “Vanity Control” on photographers.
I know I might catastrophize, but I wish I was wrong more often.

[Shipwack]

28. Fair. nt

[Cheezoholic]

10. Fuck you Obergruppenfhrer Carr you fascist prick. I bet you have a Free Speech My Ass Tattoo n/t

[Mblaze]

13. Do it Carr

The public will love you for it and that love will brush off on your master. The judicial system is ready and waiting for your authoritarian order. Jump Brendan, jump!

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Gotta control the media and thereby the messaging. Dicktator 101

[James48]

15. "In the public interest"

You know what would be in the public’s interest?

Renewing the “Fairness Doctrine”, with a requirement to air equal access to all political sides in equal time.
And local content requirements, that any station must air at least 25% of the time, locally generated content about their community.

[littlemissmartypants]

16. Reuters has now picked up the story.

FCC's Carr warns broadcasters while reposting Trump comments on Iran reports
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/fccs-carr-warns-broadcasters-while-reposting-trump-comments-iran-reports-2026-03-14/

Thanks to everyone for participating in this discussion. ❤️

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. Fuck you Carr

People are suffering from high inflation due to Trump's tariffs and his illegal war. There's no way you can polish that turd and make it look or smell better.

[dalton99a]

18. Kick

[orangecrush]

19. Haul Barr's ass in to a hearing

To explain himself.

[sakabatou]

21. "Be Fox 'News', or else!"

[Aussie105]

22. The fascist crackdown on 'not approved' news is continuing!

Too bad it doesn't extend to overseas news sources like the UK BBC, Al Jazeera, DW English, etc.

[groundloop]

23. Yep.... If the oligarchs can't buy a news outlet they'll regulate it into submission.

[struggle4progress]

24. "Spell FASCIST ASSHOLE"

Fascist Asshole. B-R-E-N-D-A-N-C-A-R-R. Fascist Asshole.

[onenote]

25. Carr is considered an incompetent doofus by most communications attorneys

Sure he has he head planted firmly up Trump's ass. And sure he is an absolute enemy of free speech. But he's also a moron.

First, by attaching Trump's complaint about NEWSPAPER reporting to his tweet, Carr basically undermines his own argument. It's not a hoax for a tv station to report on what a newspaper -- the WSJ or the NYT for example -- has reported.

Second, Carr seems to be unaware -- or thinks somehow he can scare the big broadcasters with his threat. But the biggest drop owners, such as Sinclair, as well as CBS under its current management, are total suck ups for Trump. And the licenses for the most valuable licenses held by ABC and NBC -- their owned and operated station in NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, etc. -- don't come up for renewal until December 2029, December 2030, or December 2031.

Doofus.

[littlemissmartypants]

27. He is one of the architects of P25 so he's not that dumb.

He's definitely a nat see. He's even growing facial hair now to soften his look compared to the skin head appearance of his previous photos.

Their firehose of lies is a case of diminishing returns and they're getting scared. They are definitely hiding something(s) so they are panicked.

A barking dog is a nervous dog.

Something's up.

[lostincalifornia]

26. If the jackass actually does this he needs to have his ass hauled before the courts.

[Baitball Blogger]

29. FoxNews' time is limited, since it won't be hard to prove they're constantly lying.