FCC Launches Multiple Investigations Targeting Major US News Outlets

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Trump-appointed Chairman Brendan Carr, has been criticized for allegedly using its regulatory power to target media outlets perceived as unfavorable to former President Trump. Investigations have been launched into PBS, NPR, CBS, ABC, NBCUniversal, and Disney, focusing on issues ranging from sponsorship practices to news distortion and diversity policies. CBS News, in particular, faces scrutiny amid reports of internal changes attributed to political pressures, including the departure of a key producer concerned about journalistic independence. Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez condemned the agency's actions as a transformation of an independent regulator into an instrument of political censorship, warning that these tactics chill free speech and punish the press. Gomez vowed to resist these efforts, highlighting the risk to First Amendment protections and noting that with the resignation of another commissioner, she will soon be the sole Democrat on the five-member commission. Meanwhile, the FCC’s aggressive stance coincides with the broader political context of Paramount Global's pending merger approval and former President Trump's ongoing legal and regulatory battles with media companies.