By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday reinstated complaints about how ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump, as well as appearances by the vice-president. President Kamala Harris on CBS’s “60 Minutes” and “60 Minutes.” “Saturday Night Live” on NBC.
Last week, then-FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the commission rejects complaints that “seek to weaponize the FCC’s licensing authority.” FCC (BME:) in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. » The FCC said in a series of orders Wednesday that the complaints were dismissed “prematurely based on an insufficient investigative record.”
The FCC, an independent federal agency, issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not networks. The complaints name specific stations of the three broadcasters. NBC, Walt Disney-owned ABC and Paramount’s CBS did not immediately comment.
Brendan Carr, who was nominated by Republican President Trump to be FCC chairman on Monday, declined to comment, but he told Fox News Business on Wednesday that a key goal would be to “take a look at the media and ensure that they respect their public interest obligations. “
Carr previously criticized Comcast-owned NBC for letting Harris appear on Saturday Night Live right before the election. Rosenworcel noted that NBC made equivalent time and viewership available to Trump at two sporting events.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said in response: “We cannot allow our licensing authority to be used as a weapon to restrict freedom of the press. The First Amendment is a pillar of American democracy, and our country needs a press free from interference from regulators like me.”
Rosenworcel also said last week that the agency rejected a petition not to renew the license of a Philadelphia Fox television station. The FCC has not reinstated this complaint.
In September, Trump urged the FCC to cancel ABC’s licenses due to the network’s moderation of the September 10 presidential debate.
In October, Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS over the “60 Minutes” interview with Harris that he called “misleading,” and asked the commission to force the network to release a transcript.