Movies

In Trump’s first week, FCC chair signals headaches ahead for media giants

BBG News

It was generally anticipated that, under the leadership of Brendan Carr, selected by President Trump to head the Federal Communications Commission, media entities not in line with the president’s agenda might face increased challenges.

As a devoted cinephile putting my thoughts into words, I’ve been reflecting on the recent developments at the agency responsible for overseeing national communications. In my first week at the helm, Carr has indeed taken bold steps, reigniting discussions about perceived bias in the media, a topic that was often brought up during the election campaign. Trump, much like many of us, had vocalized concerns about specific broadcasters, suggesting that the FCC should consider revoking their broadcasting licenses.

ABC, NBC and CBS have all felt Trump’s scorn.

On Wednesday, Carr brought up grievances that had been previously lodged against those three parties. The first issue was centered around NBC for airing a “Saturday Night Live” sketch featuring Vice President Kamala Harris four days prior to the November election, with Carr arguing that NBC wasn’t offering fair coverage to Trump during this time. Secondly, there was an objection to how ABC News managed the September debate between Trump and Harris, as Trump felt that the anchors were biased against him during the event.

In her last week as FCC chair, Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel rejected four complaints, justifying her decision by referencing the First Amendment’s safeguards for broadcasters. Among these dismissals were complaints against ABC and NBC, along with one against CBS for altering a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Harris. Additionally, she declined a request from liberals to penalize Fox Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan for Fox News’ repetition of false claims about the 2020 election by Donald Trump.

Despite backing the removal of the complaint against the Murdochs, Carr quickly reinstated the other cases on the commission’s schedule.

Daniel Suhr, the president of the Chicago-based Center for American Rights, expressed a sense of rejuvenation, likening himself to a “legal resurrected figure” (Lazarus), following the recent changes at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as they pertain to his organization’s complaints against CBS, NBC, and ABC stations over perceived media bias.

Suhr praised the chairman’s move to reconsider the grievances and ensure a thorough examination of what we believe are significant issues regarding potential bias,” Suhr stated in an interview with The Times. “Our goal is to reinstate accountability among these broadcasters to regain the public’s faith in them.

Hollywood Inc.

Traditional news sources like TV networks and newspapers are seeing a decline as audiences shift towards more personalized content such as podcasts, a trend that became evident with Donald Trump’s election win, indicating a waning importance of traditional media in favor of content driven by personalities.

In a turn of events, a Washington D.C.-based lawyer named Carr, aged 46 and serving on the commission since 2017, has been instrumental in dismantling the efforts aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He took action by signing an order that removed the emphasis on inclusion from the FCC’s strategic plan and cut funding for diversity programs from the agency’s budget.

In a statement, Carr expressed that President Trump’s guidance would yield outstanding outcomes for the American public. He further declared his intention to halt the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) efforts towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), instead channeling the agency’s work towards efficiently accomplishing the FCC’s mandate, as legislated by Congress.

These actions propel the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) into the heart of a heated argument concerning whether President Trump might use his authority to penalize media outlets that displease him. Certain media analysts fear that Trump’s language, together with federal officials aligning with him, could lead to a dampening effect on critical journalism.

CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, are feeling the squeeze.

In the autumn, Trump cancelled an arranged interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” expressing disapproval towards the news program’s intention to verify his statements. Following Harris’ appearance on the show, Trump criticized CBS News for manipulating a clip of her interview to portray her favorably. The broadcast displayed Harris providing multiple answers to a question concerning President Biden’s administration’s attempts to end the war in the Middle East.

Trump promptly initiated a $10-billion legal action in Texas against CBS, alleging that they engaged in biased and illegal activities aimed at influencing the election and tampering with voting processes. Some First Amendment scholars view this lawsuit as a publicity stunt.

60 Minutes producers from CBS News provided a larger segment of Kamala Harris’ response during her interview to their show, to the Sunday morning program “Face the Nation” instead. The latter used a different part of Harris’ answer compared to what was aired on 60 Minutes, but it was the same question and the same response overall. CBS News asserts that they did not manipulate Harris’ words.

In a statement, CBS explained that when they’re working on any interview, whether it’s with a politician, athlete, or celebrity, their aim is to be precise, truthful, and concise. They noted that the part of her response during 60 Minutes was particularly succinct.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve been following the news about Paramount’s plan to merge with David Ellison’s Skydance Media for a whopping $8 billion. However, it seems that this deal has given me a bit of a headache, as Paramount is currently navigating through the complex process of obtaining federal approval. Some analysts predict that an FCC complaint could potentially slow down our progress towards finalizing the merger this spring. If all goes well, the Ellison family will take over control of one of Tinseltown’s oldest film studios and networks, which is quite exciting!

Previously, it was mentioned that Paramount’s leaders might be looking to resolve the ongoing case as a means to smooth over the merger process. Neither Paramount nor Skydance chose to provide a statement regarding this matter.

Following the elections, I, being a movie enthusiast, found myself eagerly anticipating the FCC’s response to the proposed partnership between Paramount and Skydance. I made it a point to keep a close eye on this union, ready to scrutinize every detail that might impact the vibrant world of cinema.

In my personal perspective as a movie reviewer, alongside its dispute with CBS, Suhr’s Center for American Rights has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to scrutinize Skydance Media’s ties with the Chinese tech and media conglomerate Tencent. This company happens to be one of Ellison’s investors. Notably, certain members of Congress have also voiced their support for a deeper investigation into this matter.

As a movie buff, I’d rephrase it like this: “On a recent day, I, as the chair of the House China Select Committee (Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich.), suggested that the experts at the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. should give a thorough examination.

A Michigan Republican stated that numerous Hollywood executives have shared concerns about excessive self-censorship, intended to gain approval from the Chinese Communist Party. Considering that this month, the Department of Defense labeled Tencent as a Chinese military company, it is advisable for CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) to carry out thorough investigations regarding the proposed merger.

Hollywood Inc.

Brendan Carr, known for his vocal criticism, often targets tech firms, while also speaking up against broadcasters on Donald Trump’s behalf.

NBC attempted to temper Donald Trump’s anger about Kamala Harris’ “Saturday Night Live” appearance by providing him with complimentary broadcast time during a NASCAR event and high-profile football games, in an effort to create a more balanced platform.

The Center for American Rights filed their third complaint against the local TV station owned by Walt Disney Company in Philadelphia, specifically WPVI-TV. This station aired the highly viewed September debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, which was their only face-to-face encounter.

Previously, in a distinct legal matter, I recently consented to contribute $1 million towards President Trump’s legal expenses and pledged an additional $15 million for his future presidential library as part of a settlement he initiated against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos. This settlement was triggered by statements made by the journalist during a live broadcast, where he claimed that a civil court jury had found Trump “liable for rape” in a civil case. In actuality, the jurors had decided that Trump was responsible for “sexual abuse.

The decision sparked concerns among champions of press freedom, as some believed Disney hurriedly resolved the Stephanopoulos case in order to gain Trump’s administration’s goodwill.

Earlier this month, Rosenworcel stated that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) ought to be cautious about turning into “the agency controlling the President’s public discourse.

She did not elaborate on her decision to dismiss the complaint against Fox.

As a movie critic, I’d rephrase it like this: In my opinion, after Fox News paid a staggering $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems due to false claims about their voting machines during the 2020 election, critics have raised concerns with the FCC. They believe that the 93-year-old media tycoon from Australia and his son, Lachlan, who serves as the CEO of Fox, may lack the required moral character necessary to maintain broadcast licenses.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Patrick Webre, acting bureau chief for enforcement at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), stated that Maureen Rosenworcel’s dismissal of cases involving ABC, CBS, and NBC was made prematurely. This decision, according to Webre, was based on an incomplete investigatory record regarding the specific actions taken by each station.

Hollywood Inc.

In response to George Floyd’s tragic death in Minneapolis, which occurred around four and a half years ago, The Walt Disney Company and its CEO have significantly shifted their focus towards increasing diversity and inclusion within the company.

Despite the action, it’s not clear whether the complaints will actually move forward.

Initially, FCC bureau officials are tasked with examining these cases. If necessary action is deemed appropriate, it will then be put forward for a final decision by the entire Commission during their voting process.

In simpler terms, as a former high-ranking official at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Blair Levin (now working for New Street Research) stated in a recent communication with clients that it’s uncommon for the government to withdraw a television broadcasting license.

Though the President suggested that these companies might face revocation of their licenses, we believe the chances of such an event are extremely slim,” Levin stated in the report.

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2025-01-25 01:02

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