Trump FCC Chairman Tells NPR and PBS to Prepare for Federal Investigation

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has ordered an investigation into whether or not NPR and PBS member stations recognized financial sponsors on air, which would violate government rules.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr called for an investigation on Wednesday, sending a letter to NPR and PBS informing the stations of these developments.

"I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing
commercials. In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements," he wrote. "It is important to me, as Chairman of the FCC, that NCE broadcast stations stay true to their important missions and refrain from operating as noncommercial in name only."

"That is why, as noted above, I have asked the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, with assistance from the FCC's Media Bureau, to initiate an investigation into the underwriting announcements and related policies of NPR, PBS, and their broadcast member stations," he continued.

A Trump appointee, Carr is the latest Trump ally to target NPR and PBS stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He stated that he will notify Congress of the investigation he is launching and that he did not see a reason for these stations to continue receiving public funding from lawmakers.

"To the extent that these taxpayer dollars are being used to support a for-profit endeavor or an entity that is airing commercial advertisements," Mr. Carr wrote, "then that would further undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars."

NPR's President, Katherine Maher, has reiterated that her organization's use of sponsorships is in compliance with federal regulations.

"We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR's adherence to these rules," Maher said. "We have worked for decades with the F.C.C. in support of noncommercial educational broadcasters who provide essential information, educational programming, and emergency alerts to local communities across the United States."