The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, warned that broadcast stations could lose their licenses if they do not "correct their direction" in news reporting. He shared a post on social media platform X on Saturday, in which Trump complained about unfair media coverage of the US-Israel strike against Iran, and said: "Broadcast stations that spread scams and distort the news - so-called 'fake news' - now have the opportunity to correct their direction before renewing their licenses. The law is clear: broadcast stations must operate in the public interest, or else they will lose their licenses." Hegseth also criticized media outlets such as CNN and the Wall Street Journal for their coverage of the war, saying it made the president look bad. Trump had previously stated that some television networks should be stripped of their broadcasting licenses due to unfair reporting. (However, this licensing system does not apply to cable TV, streaming platforms, or print media.) Carr's remarks sparked anger from Democrats and free speech advocates. Carr responded by stating that broadcast licenses are not "a property right that cannot be taken away," and that the broadcasting industry "involves the public interest," making it different. However, if Carr tries to prevent a media outlet from renewing its license, he would find it difficult to win a legal case. But critics are more concerned that such statements might have a chilling effect on the media.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859794605640778/
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