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In a shocking move, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will be investigating National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) over allegations of violating federal law by airing commercials. This decision comes just days after the FCC’s chairman, Brendan Carr, took office.
According to reports, Carr has written letters to both NPR and PBS informing them of the investigation, citing concerns that their underwriting announcements may be crossing the line into prohibited commercial advertisements. Under FCC guidelines, non-commercial educational broadcast stations (NCEs) are not allowed to air traditional commercials, but they can receive on-air acknowledgements from sponsors.
In response, both NPR and PBS have denied any wrongdoing, stating that their programming and underwriting messaging comply with federal regulations. NPR CEO Katherine Maher emphasized that the organization has worked closely with the FCC for decades in support of non-commercial educational broadcasters and is confident that any review of their practices will confirm their adherence to these rules.
PBS also reiterated its commitment to providing non-commercial educational programming to all Americans, while emphasizing its dedication to complying with FCC underwriting regulations. The organization welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate this compliance to the Commission.
It’s worth noting that President Donald Trump has a history of expressing disdain for NPR and PBS, having threatened to defund both organizations during his first term in office and again during his 2024 re-election campaign. Additionally, Elon Musk, a confidant of Trump, has also discussed eliminating funding for public media outlets.
This latest development raises questions about the motivations behind this investigation and whether it is simply an attempt by the FCC to silence these organizations or if there are genuine concerns about their compliance with federal regulations.
Source: http://www.engadget.com
