Trump ups attacks on ABC as FCC eyes more broadcast oversight
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A string of recent attacks on ABC personalities by President Trump has helped set the stage for the President's media regulator, Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, to introduce heavier oversight measures on broadcast companies.
Why it matters: ABC is particularly vulnerable to the president's attacks because its local broadcast affiliates are regulated by the FCC.
Driving the news: The president on Wednesday urged local syndicates to drop ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
- "Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!," he posted on Truth Social.
- Hours earlier, Carr said he would start a process to review contracts between affiliates and national broadcasters that make it legally difficult for affiliates to drop certain programs.
- He alleged big networks "operating out of New York & Hollywood" are abusing their dominance over local syndicates, disempowering them from meeting their "public interest obligations."
Catch up quick: This issue surfaced in September when local broadcast behemoths Nexstar and Sinclair dropped Kimmel's show following pressure from Carr.
- The FCC chair had slammed Kimmel for comments he made after Charlie Kirk's killing.
- Both Nextar and Sinclair eventually brought back Kimmel's program after missing out on the ratings boost from its return.
- But the companies still face FCC pressure as they explore big mergers. (Nexstar has agreed to buy Tegna and Sinclair wants to buy Scripps.)
Between the lines: President Trump's recent attacks on ABC journalists are especially notable given how vulnerable ABC is to regulatory pressure.
- Earlier this week, he berated ABC White House correspondent Mary Bruce after she questioned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
- In September, he told ABC News' chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl that Attorney General Pam Bondi would "probably go after people like you, because you treat me so unfairly." He added, "It's hate. You have a lot of hate in your heart. Maybe I'll come after ABC."
Zoom out: In an era where media companies are merging to survive, regulatory approval of deals is essential.
- ABC's parent Disney has not indicated any broadcast deal interest recently, but it has floated the idea of selling its linear networks in the past.
- While most big media deals need Justice Department approval, only local broadcast deals require the FCC's blessing.
- The DOJ must prove to a court that a deal is anti-competitive if it chooses to block it. The FCC, which is currently controlled by Republicans, doesn't face as high of a legal burden when evaluating whether deals violate broadcast laws.
The bottom line: This dynamic has made local station owners like ABC more susceptible to political pressure.
- Both CBS parent Paramount and ABC parent Disney have settled lawsuits from President Trump, while newspapers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have vowed to defend their journalists from complaints filed by the president.
