FCC reinstates complaints over ABC presidential debate, Harris TV appearances

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Fee on Wednesday reinstated complaints about how ABC Information moderated the pre-election TV debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump, and appearances of Vice President Kamala Harris on CBS’ “60 Minutes” and NBC’s “Saturday Night time Stay.”

Final week, then-FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel stated the fee was rejecting complaints that “search to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC (BME:FCC) in a means that’s basically at odds with the First Modification.” The FCC stated on Wednesday in a collection of orders the complaints have been dismissed “prematurely primarily based on an inadequate investigatory document.”

The FCC, an impartial federal company, points eight-year licenses to particular person broadcast stations, not networks. The complaints identify particular stations of the three broadcasters. NBC, Walt Disney-owned ABC and Paramount’s CBS didn’t instantly remark.

Brendan Carr, who was designated by Republican President Trump as FCC chair on Monday, declined to remark however he informed Fox Information on Wednesday one key focus can be “looking at media and ensuring they reside as much as their public curiosity obligation.”

Carr beforehand criticized Comcast-owned NBC for letting Harris seem on Saturday Night time Stay simply earlier than the election. Rosenworcel famous NBC made accessible equal time and viewers for Trump throughout two sports activities occasions.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, stated in response “we can not enable our licensing authority to be weaponized to curtail freedom of the press. The First Modification is a pillar of American democracy, and our nation wants a press free from interference from regulators like me.”

Rosenworcel additionally final week stated the company had rejected a petition to not renew the license of a Philadelphia Fox TV station. The FCC didn’t reinstate that criticism.

In September, Trump urged the FCC to cancel licenses for ABC over the community’s moderating of the Sept. 10 presidential debate.

In October, Trump filed a lawsuit in opposition to CBS over the “60 Minutes” interview with Harris that he known as “deceptive,” and requested the fee to compel the broadcaster to launch a transcript.

(This story has been refiled to appropriate the reference to ‘Fox Information’ from ‘Fox Information Enterprise’, in paragraph 4)