FCC Attacks Public Broadcasting Under Trump

Consolidated corporate media is struggling to meet today’s challenges, often reflecting the interests of right-wing ownership and prioritizing ad engagement over truth.

This results in sanitized journalism easily exploited by corporations and authoritarians. Publicly-funded journalism, a potential solution, faces demonization and relentless harassment.

Trump’s FCC, led by Brendan Carr, is targeting NPR, PBS, and smaller broadcasters with sham investigations into alleged commercial violations during on-air sponsorships. WBEZ and others deny these violations, and Carr offers no evidence.

Critics argue Carr’s actions are politically motivated, aiming to undermine public broadcasting, which challenges the right-wing propaganda machine. This attack aligns with a broader effort to discredit education, academia, and journalism.

With public perception of publicly-funded journalism already low, these attacks may succeed in silencing critical voices.

Filed Under: authoritarianism, Brendan Carr, broadcasting, consolidation, FCC, harassment, journalism, public funding, public media

Companies: NPR, PBS, WBEZ