FCC boss vows to 'rebalance' media, urges more pro-America programming

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr called on local TV stations to "rebalance" the airwaves Wednesday, urging them to move away from some national network programming in favor of patriotic content.

Appearing on the "Pod Force One" podcast, Carr discussed a shifting power dynamic where local stations are reclaiming control from Hollywood. He specifically pointed to last year's local blackout of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" as an example of the shift.

"They've amassed a tremendous amount of power," Carr told reporter Miranda Devine, referring to legacy broadcast networks.

"They've effectively turned those local TV stations into mouthpieces for the foie gras, oftentimes, that they're producing in New York and Hollywood."

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Carr explained that a "north star" for the Trump administration's broadcasting reforms is correcting what it sees as a left-leaning media slant. He noted the agency is looking to "rebalance" that skew.

"We want to empower those local TV stations to actually stand up for their local communities," Carr said.

"And if New York or Hollywood is pushing programming that they don't think is a good fit, then they can take action."

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This local power was exerted in September after comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show was pulled off the air after his remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. 

Kimmel suggested the suspect was a Trump supporter, saying, "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it."

Disney suspended Kimmel for several days but eventually allowed his return. However, ABC affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair continued to pull the program from their schedules in protest. The stations resumed airing the show after a public apology from the comedian.

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"I think that was a really good thing," Carr said of the Kimmel ban. "It was the first sign in many, many years of a local TV station actually pushing back on New York and Hollywood, and we want to see a lot more of that." 

The FCC is also pushing for proactive patriotic content. In February, it launched the "Pledge America Campaign," which encourages broadcasters to feature more "pro-America" content ahead of the nation's 250th birthday.