Brandan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman of the FCC, is demanding fealty from local broadcasting networks in line with the president’s “pro-America” agenda.
In a press release on Friday, Carr, 47, announced the FCC’s Pledge America Campaign, which he said is part of “heeding this call” of the White House’s Salute to America 250 Task Force. Through the memo, Carr pressured broadcasters to join in by reminding them of their “public interest obligations.”
Carr suggested broadcasters implement such fun pro-America festivities as “starting each broadcast day with the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ or Pledge of Allegiance,” and offering viewers daily “Today in American History" announcements that explain “significant events that took place on that day in history.”
To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S.’s founding, President Trump, 79, enacted a Task Force that “invites citizens to have a renewed love of American history, experience the beauty of our country, and ignite a spirit of adventure and innovation that will raise our nation to new heights over the next 250 years.”
The FCC’s Campaign, Carr said, “enables broadcasters to lend their voices in support of Task Force 250 and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday by airing patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.”
Carr’s memo comes just days after the chairman attempted to save face on a separate January decree that backfired spectacularly.
On Monday, Late Show host Stephen Colbert told his audience that CBS barred him from airing an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, 36, due to Carr’s decision to enforce the FCC’s “equal time” rule for talk shows like his, which were traditionally exempt.
“I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this.” Colbert, 61, said.
The late-night host instead published the video solely on his YouTube channel, where it has gained more than 8 million views (more than any of his interviews over the past several years) and generated $2.5 million for Talarico’s campaign in 24 hours.
Two weeks earlier, Carr launched an investigation into the daytime talk show The View after it broadcast an interview with the same Democratic politician.
With his new memo, Carr extends his monthslong attack on perceived pro-left bias in national networks. Since his appointment last January, Carr has targeted both local broadcasters and talk shows.
In September, ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after Carr threatened to investigate local broadcasters for “news distortion” for airing his controversial monologue, which included jokes about Charlie Kirk.
Now, Carr is calling on broadcasters to “pledge” their support for pro-American programming and make it visibly known.
Under a bottom-of-the-page “Additional Information” section, Carr suggested that broadcasters could “voluntarily choose to indicate their commitment.”
It is unclear what actions Carr can take if broadcasters deny his request, but he is not one to shy away from open threats.
