President Trump has called on the FCC to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC and NBC after both networks declined to carry his primetime election security address live on Thursday night. ABC, NBC, and CNN chose not to air the speech live on their main channels, although ABC and NBC did stream it on their digital platforms. Fox News, CBS, and MS NOW broadcast at least part of the address. During his remarks, Trump accused the networks of being part of a plot to shield voters from the truth, calling their decision fraud and saying it should result in the loss of their licenses. Legal experts and past FCC officials, including former chair Ajit Pai, have noted that the agency does not have the authority to revoke a broadcast license based on editorial content, since doing so would violate First Amendment protections. The controversy comes amid a broader pattern of pressure on major broadcasters, including ongoing FCC investigations into other network practices, and has reignited debate over press freedom and media accountability in the country.
Trump Demands ABC, NBC Lose Licenses After Networks Skip Live Airing of Election Speech
President Trump has called on the FCC to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC and NBC after both networks declined to carry his primetime election security address live on Thursday night. ABC, NBC, and CNN chose not to air the speech live on their main channels, although ABC and NBC did stream it on their digital platforms. Fox News, CBS, and MS NOW broadcast at least part of the address. During his remarks, Trump accused the networks of being part of a plot to shield voters from the truth, calling their decision fraud and saying it should result in the loss of their licenses. Legal experts and past FCC officials, including former chair Ajit Pai, have noted that the agency does not have the authority to revoke a broadcast license based on editorial content, since doing so would violate First Amendment protections. The controversy comes amid a broader pattern of pressure on major broadcasters, including ongoing FCC investigations into other network practices, and has reignited debate over press freedom and media accountability in the country.
