What’s going on: Oscars fashion wasn’t the only thing under intense scrutiny this weekend. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr put news networks on notice: Change your Iran war coverage, or the FCC might revoke your broadcast license. The warning follows a familiar pattern (remember what happened with Jimmy Kimmel?) and comes as President Donald Trump has accused the “Fake News Media” of wanting the US to lose the war. Similarly, on Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered advice during a press briefing on how networks should write headlines and banners to sound more “patriotic.” (Does he miss his old job at Fox News?) He singled out CNN and said he looks forward to Trump-friendly David Ellison taking control of the network. Democrats — and at least one Republican — rebuked Carr’s comments.
Is this even possible?: Media law experts say the FCC can’t easily revoke a broadcast license. Federal communications law deliberately makes the process slow to prevent the government from trying to censor news coverage. Still, even if Carr doesn’t act on his threat, pressure on newsrooms can come from inside the house. Corporate owners at outlets like CBS and TheWashington Post have faced scrutiny over editorial independence. The administration’s attacks on the coverage of the Iran war come as polls show low public support for the conflict. Meanwhile, Trump says Tehran appears ready to negotiate a ceasefire but that he isn’t ready to make a deal yet — a claim Iranian officials dispute.
