The future head of the FCC declares war on the media giants: Brendan Carr criticizes Disney

Brendan Carr, the future chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appointed by Donald Trump, sent a strong message to TV stations and media corporations. In his recent letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger, he criticizes the practices of ABC, which Disney owns. The letter, obtained by CNN, highlights Americans' growing distrust of the national media while emphasizing the need to support local news.

The letter's content and key criticisms

Brendan Carr opens his letter with a comment: "Americans no longer trust the national media to report fully, accurately, and fairly." The criticism is backed up with specific examples, including ABC's recent agreement to pay $15 million to Donald Trump's future presidential foundation as part of a settlement of a defamation lawsuit.

The letter focuses on the differences between national media and local TV stations that are licensed by the FCC. While the national media is facing a decline in trust, local news still maintains a positive public perception, according to Carr. Carr criticizes ABC for alleged pressure practices against local stations during negotiations for affiliate agreements.

Carr stresses the need to maintain rebroadcast revenues that allow local stations to fund their news operations and community-oriented content. This revenue is key to ensuring the independence and quality of local broadcasting. It also criticizes Disney $DIS for its alleged preference for global streaming services at the expense of local and publicly available stations.

The letter suggests that Carr plans to take a more forceful approach than his predecessors. Instead of traditional priorities like digital divide, he is focusing on issues that resonate with conservative media critics, such as alleged censorship by big tech companies.

Carr's letter also makes visible the tensions between the government and large media corporations. While it is likely that Disney is officially ignoring the letter, it does contain warnings about regulations such as station licensing and the retransmission process that fall under the FCC's jurisdiction.

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