Carr Criticizes Comcast Coverage of Deportation Controversy
Comcast news outlets' coverage of the controversial deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia could be news distortion that violates FCC rules, Chairman Brendan Carr wrote Wednesday night on X. "Comcast knows that federal law requires its licensed operations to serve the public interest," he said in his post, which was in response to a post by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung criticizing CNN and MSNBC coverage. "News distortion doesn’t cut it," Carr said. Comcast is "ignor[ing] ... facts of obvious public interest" regarding Abrego Garcia and his deportation. Comcast didn't comment Thursday. The FCC under Carr has a pending news distortion investigation against CBS about 60 Minutes' coverage of the 2024 presidential campaign (see 2502050063).
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Freedom of the Press Foundation Director-Advocacy Seth Stern said, “Obviously, allowing the executive branch to determine what news stories serve the public interest would be constitutionally intolerable, and the reasons for that are self-evident when the administration takes the position that reporting on lies used to justify extrajudicial disappearances doesn't serve the public.” He added, “The FCC's public interest requirement does not mean broadcast licensees must only air reports that further the president's agenda.” However, “the FCC's code of conduct does require commissioners show loyalty to the Constitution and the rules of professional conduct do require attorneys to act ethically.” Carr’s “constant groveling to Trump stomps on the First Amendment and makes a mockery of ethical principles.”