Trump's FCC nominee sends Disney warning letter over ABC

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

12/24/24 8:25 AM ET


President-elect Trump’s pick to chair the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sent Disney CEO Bob Iger a letter warning that he would be “monitoring” ABC’s negotiations with local stations to ensure they can serve “local communities.” The letter from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, dated Saturday, focuses on so-called “affiliate agreements” with local stations, which ABC is currently renegotiating with local stations that carry its programming.

“As you know, affiliate agreements establish the contractual terms that govern many features of ABC’s relationship with the dozens of licensed local broadcast TV stations across the country,” Carr wrote in the letter, posted on the social platform X by CNN’s Brian Stelter on Monday. Carr noted these deals included the rights to ABC’s Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, NFL football and Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show, setting the terms for how much local outlets pay for ABC content.

Carr cited reporting that some ABC affiliate agreements were set to expire by the year’s end without new deals, and suggested local viewers could pay the price. “My understanding is that ABC is attempting to extract onerous financial and operational concessions from local broadcast TV stations under the threat of terminating long-held affiliations, which could result in blackouts and other harms to local consumers of broadcast news and content,” he added.

“I want you to know that I will be monitoring the outcome of your ongoing discussions with local broadcast TV stations to ensure that those negotiations enable local broadcast TV stations to meet their federal obligations to serve the needs of their local communities. A fair agreement would do just that,” the letter concluded.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5054847-fcc-commissioner-warns-disney/

[kacekwl]

1. If they bow down

to this threat again the they might as well just hand over the keys to trump now.

[Irish_Dem]

2. The fascist regime is being set up quite nicely. :(

[liberalgunwilltravel]

3. Interesting

If this were coming from any other administration, I would read it as an actually good idea, ensuring local issues get the appropriate coverage, as local newspapers have almost disappeared. However, anything coming from the incoming administration is suspect.

[Tactical Peek]

4. SIFUABS

[Wild blueberry]

5. Send it back

He's just a rando now, pretending he's in charge. I'd send it back with a note, get back to me when you have a real job.
(Yeah, I know that's not how it works, but he's not actually in the job.)

[FightFight]

6. i always thought that there was 1 president and 1 adminstration alllowed to operate at a time

Also abc made a mistake by folding like a lawn chair, one should never appease bullies--

[SpankMe]

7. Two non-rhetorical questions:

1. Has any other FCC chair done this?
2. What role does the federal government have in network/affiliate contract negotiations?

On question 2, I know that there is law requiring that TV and radio stations "serve the public interest". This has been given wide latitude to cover everything from Walter Cronkite evening news broadcasts to right-wing religious radio. The public is encouraged to provide comment to the FCC with complaints as to whether or not the station is serving the public interest. In theory, this feedback is taken into account during broadcast license renewals. Licenses cover only frequency allocation and broadcast power. Not content. The widest possible first amendment latitude is afforded these licensing decisions.

For an FCC to send what is clearly a threat letter like this East German Stasi stuff that is pretty far away from 1st amendment principles. Democrats in congress should agitate for investigation.

Weaponization of government, indeed.

[mdbl]

8. To whom else did he write this letter

You also have NBC and CBS. Are they getting the same scrutiny? Why just ABC. Not that I really care about ABC more than the others, just curious about his motives. As far as serving their local communities, he would do better scrutinizing what Pegasus, Gray or Fox Broadcasting dictates to their local news programming. They are guilty of sending out the same story to all the affiliates they own therefore controlling the narrative from a central location.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

9. What an arrogant asshole. He hasn't been confirmed and he's acting

like he's already in the position. I wish ABC would shred the letter and send it back with a note saying, "Thank you for your letter. Unfortunately, we don't respond to threats from individuals who don't work in government."

They won't. ABC has shown that an earthworm has more of a spine than they do.

Trump tried to get Disney -- which owns ABC -- to muzzle Jimmy Kimmel because his jokes were hurting TFG's feelings. They didn't, and he didn't.

Kimmel got his revenge when he hosted the Oscars. During the broadcast Trump had rage tweeted about how shitty the show was, and reserved his trademark vitriol for Kimmel, who he described as "no talent."

Kimmel carried his phone on stage and read the tweet, ending with, "Thank you, Mr. President. Isn't it past your jail time?"

[onenote]

10. My guess: this is being done for Sinclair's benefit

The Trump loving Sinclair broadcast company is the second largest owner of local television stations and the largest owner of ABC affiliates. I don’t know if those affiliate agreements are up for renewal but if they are this is an attempt by Carr to insert the FCC into the negotiations in order to financially benefit Sinclair. It is wildly inappropriate. And sadly unsurprising.