Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has dismissed a bipartisan petition from former FCC leaders urging the repeal of the agency's 1960s-era news distortion policy. In a sharp response on X, Carr affirmed that the FCC will continue enforcing the rule to hold broadcasters accountable. The policy, rarely used historically, has drawn criticism for potentially chilling free speech and enabling partisan interference.
On November 14, 2025, a group of former FCC chairs and commissioners, including Republicans Mark Fowler, Dennis Patrick, Alfred Sikes, and Democrats Tom Wheeler and Ervin Duggan, filed a petition calling for the outright repeal of the FCC's news distortion policy. Established in the 1960s, the policy aims to prevent broadcasters from slanting or staging news, but petitioners argued it violates First Amendment principles, chills speech, and has been weaponized for partisan ends. They cited recent threats by Carr, such as warnings to revoke ABC affiliates' licenses over Jimmy Kimmel's commentary, as evidence of overreach. "The news distortion policy is no longer justifiable under today’s First Amendment doctrine and no longer necessary in today’s media environment," the petition stated, recommending investigations only for hoaxes under existing rules.
Carr responded bluntly on X: "How about no." He added, "On my watch, the FCC will continue to hold broadcasters accountable to their public interest obligations." The policy has seen minimal enforcement since 1982, with just one admonishment issued to NBC in 1993 for staging a Dateline segment on GM truck safety. Despite this, Carr has revived complaints against ABC and CBS stations accused of anti-Trump bias from the Biden era, leading Paramount to appoint a "bias monitor" for merger approval. Notably, he did not reinstate a dismissed petition against Fox's Philadelphia station for 2020 election distortion claims.
Critics like former FCC nominee Gigi Sohn questioned Carr's selectivity: "Why didn’t you revive that one along with the others?" Carr countered that opponents had previously pushed the policy against conservatives. Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized the approach: "The Communications Act forbids the Commission from censoring broadcasters, and the First Amendment protects journalistic choices from government intimidation." Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz has scheduled an oversight hearing for December 17, where Carr and Gomez will testify. The dispute highlights tensions over government oversight of broadcast media in a polarized landscape.