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Senate probes FCC enforcement and whether public‑interest rules chill broadcast speech
Summary
Senators pressed FCC Chair Brendan Carr about comments and investigations critics say threaten broadcasters after his warnings over Jimmy Kimmel. Democrats warned of a chilling effect; Republicans defended stricter public‑interest enforcement. Commissioners disagreed on scope and First Amendment limits.
WASHINGTON — Senators pressed Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr on whether the agency’s renewed enforcement of the broadcast ‘‘public‑interest’’ standard has crossed into intimidation of media companies, focusing in particular on Carr’s remark that broadcasters could be handled ‘‘the easy way or the hard way’’ after a late‑night monologue.
The questioning spanned party lines, with Democrats describing a ‘‘chilling effect’’ on local journalism and broadcasters and Republicans saying the FCC must enforce long‑standing obligations attached to broadcast licenses. Senator Ed Markey said Carr’s language ‘‘created a…
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