Brendan Carr, the President Trump-appointed FCC chairman, warned the CEOs of PBS and NPR that they “may very well be violating federal regulation by airing commercials” — and that he has ordered an investigation by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau into the matter.

For many years, PBS and NPR have engaged within the observe of airing underwriter acknowledgements to corporations and teams that donate funding. Nevertheless, they aren’t allowed to run industrial messages. Each public media organizations maintained that they adjust to the FCC’s underwriting tips, in response to a letter Carr despatched this week to NPR president and CEO Katherine Maher and PBS president and CEO Paul Kerger.

“I’m involved that NPR and PBS broadcasts may very well be violating federal regulation by airing commercials,” Carr wrote within the letter, dated Jan. 29, which was obtained by the New York Instances. “Particularly, it’s attainable that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting bulletins that cross the road into prohibited industrial ads. It is very important me, as Chairman of the FCC, that [noncommercial educational] broadcast stations keep true to their vital missions and chorus from working as noncommercial in identify solely.”

Carr’s letter didn’t cite examples by which PBS or NPR broadcasts could have aired explicitly industrial advertisements.

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Carr informed the CEOs within the letter that he’ll present a replica of the letter to “related Members of Congress” provided that “Congress is actively contemplating whether or not to cease requiring taxpayers to subsidize NPR and PBS programming. For my very own half, I don’t see a purpose why Congress ought to proceed sending taxpayer {dollars} to NPR and PBS given the adjustments within the media market for the reason that passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.”

Democratic FCC commissioner Anna Gomez, appointed by President Biden, wrote in a put up on X about Carr’s letter to NPR and PBS: “This seems to be yet one more Administration effort to weaponize the ability of the FCC. The FCC has no enterprise intimidating and silencing broadcast media.”

PBS mentioned in an announcement responding to Carr’s letter, “PBS is happy with the noncommercial academic programming we offer to all People by our member stations. We work diligently to adjust to the FCC’s underwriting laws and welcome the chance to reveal that to the Fee.”

NPR’s Maher mentioned in an announcement, “NPR programming and underwriting messaging complies with federal laws, together with the FCC tips on underwriting messages for noncommercial academic broadcasters, and Member stations are anticipated to be in compliance as nicely.”

She continued, “We’re assured any evaluate of our programming and underwriting practices will verify NPR’s adherence to those guidelines. We now have labored for many years with the FCC in assist of noncommercial academic broadcasters who present important data, academic programming, and emergency alerts to native communities throughout the USA.”

(Pictured above: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr)