FCC chairman defends actions against ABC, says broadcasters must operate 'in the public interest'
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr defended the agency's recent actions against ABC and said broadcasters have an obligation to operate in the public interest.
- Carr said broadcasters receive valuable access to public airwaves and, in return, must meet public-interest obligations.
- ABC accused the FCC of trying to chill constitutionally protected speech and of retaliating over the political content of its programming.
- ABC is opposing the FCC's early review of eight ABC local broadcast licenses, which the agency opened in April before the licenses are due to expire.
- The dispute is part of a broader conflict that also involves the FCC's handling of ABC's show "The View" and Trump-related criticism of Jimmy Kimmel.
- ABC said more than 140,000 public comments were posted during the review period, with the vast majority supporting ABC's position.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency's recent actions against ABC are intended to restore broadcasters' duty to serve the public interest. In an interview on Fox Business Network, Carr said broadcasters receive access to public airwaves and should meet that obligation in return.
ABC responded in a filing to the FCC, saying the agency is trying to chill protected speech and is retaliating because it dislikes the content and viewpoints on ABC programs. The company said the review of eight local ABC station licenses, launched in April, is an attempt to target the network before the licenses come up for renewal.
The dispute is part of a wider fight between ABC and the FCC that also includes the agency's effort to apply equal-time rules to "The View." ABC says the show was previously classified as a bona fide news program and should remain exempt from those rules.
Carr also criticized what he described as news distortions and DEI discrimination, while ABC pointed to more than 140,000 public comments submitted during the FCC review period, saying most supported its position and free speech.
FCC主席为对ABC的行动辩护，称广播机构必须“为公共利益服务”
美国联邦通信委员会主席布伦丹·卡尔表示，FCC近期对ABC采取的行动，目的是恢复广播机构对公共利益的责任。卡尔在福克斯商业频道接受采访时称，广播公司使用的是公共电波，因此也应承担相应义务。
ABC在提交给FCC的文件中回应称，FCC是在试图压制受保护的言论，并因不喜欢ABC节目的内容和观点而进行报复。ABC还表示，FCC于4月启动对8家ABC地方台执照的审查，是在执照到期前针对该网络。
这场争议只是ABC与FCC更广泛冲突的一部分，其中还包括FCC试图让《The View》适用平等时间规则。ABC则表示，这档节目早在2002年就被认定为正式新闻节目，理应继续享有豁免。
卡尔还批评了他所说的新闻失实和DEI歧视。ABC则提到，在FCC审查期间有14万多条公众意见提交，称其中绝大多数支持其立场，并支持言论自由。