A letter from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts was obtained by Newsmax, the conservative Trump-friendly outlet. (What a coincidence!) In it, he announced that the FCC would open an investigation into Comcast and NBCUniversal “to ensure that your companies are not promoting invidious forms of discrimination in violation of FCC regulations and civil rights laws.” Following Trump’s anti-DEI executive order, Roberts claimed to be “starting this broader effort” of rooting out the country’s diversity programs with Comcast because of the “substantial evidence that your companies are still engaging in the promotion of DEI” and because “your companies cover a range of sectors regulated by the FCC.”
Sure, Jan. And it has nothing at all to do with the fact that Trump keeps getting his feelings hurt by Late Night With Seth Meyers. Embarrassingly, Comcast welcomed Carr’s appointment as FCC chair with open arms, saying in a statement that “his extensive knowledge of the communications industry are vital to the continued success of America’s digital future. We congratulate him on his appointment and commend President-elect Trump on his choice.” But the ass-kissing did not save the company from this obviously targeted attack. “We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the FCC to answer their questions,” a Comcast spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday in a statement.
Carr previously announced an investigation into NPR and PBS into possible violations of rules regarding commercials, which both organizations have denied. Earlier this week PBS shuttered its DEI office and laid off its employees to comply with Trump’s executive order. (In different but parallel news, an AP reporter was denied entry to the Oval Office this week over the org’s policy to continue calling it “the Gulf of Mexico.”) Some might call the president using the FCC as a weapon to attack media institutions and punish his enemies “fascistic,” but we wouldn’t, lest we get caught up in this modern-day red scare.
