FCC Investigates Comcast’s Relationships with Local Broadcast Affiliates
WASHINGTON – The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching an investigation into Comcast, the parent company of NBC. This move is part of a wider scrutiny involving major U.S. broadcasters.
In a letter directed to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, which was reviewed by Reuters, FCC Chair Brendan Carr expressed concern over reports indicating that NBC and other networks are attempting to obtain “onerous financial and operational concessions” from local TV stations.
Comcast acknowledged receipt of the inquiry, promising full cooperation. The company stated, “We are proud that for many decades we have supported local broadcast TV stations with world-class sports and entertainment… We will continue to invest heavily in this partnership to keep the broadcast business strong.”
This inquiry follows similar concerns raised by Carr in December regarding Disney, the parent company of ABC. He had addressed similar issues with Disney CEO Robert Iger concerning their dealings with local broadcast stations.
Moreover, U.S. President Donald Trump and Carr have declared their intent to mandate reforms within American broadcast media.
Recently, the FCC voted 2-1 in favor of an $8.4 billion merger between CBS parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media. This approval came after Skydance agreed to eliminate bias from CBS news and entertainment programming, hire an ombudsman for at least two years to handle complaints, and discontinue certain diversity initiatives.
Carr emphasized to Comcast that he aims to ensure that the company’s influence over local broadcast affiliates does not hinder compliance with public interest obligations.
Additionally, in February, Carr initiated a separate examination of Comcast’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, requiring T-Mobile and Verizon to terminate similar initiatives before approving their transactions.
Earlier this year, Carr also reinstated complaints involving a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris and how ABC News handled a pre-election debate featuring then-President Joe Biden and Trump, along with NBC’s decision to let Harris appear on “Saturday Night Live” shortly before the election.
