FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is expressing his dissatisfaction with CBS, and it could have significant consequences for the network, according to sources at On The Money.
The issue at hand revolves around CBS’s recent plea to the Federal Communications Commission and Carr to drop the investigation into alleged violations of the agency’s “public interest rules.” This investigation stems from the controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, which has raised concerns about the network’s ethical practices. It is believed that CBS may have edited the interview with the Democratic presidential candidate in a way that portrayed her in a more favorable light during the 2024 election season.
Not only is this investigation tarnishing CBS’s reputation, but it is also a major obstacle in the approval process for Paramount’s sale to Skydance, an independent movie studio.
In response to CBS’s release of the full transcript of the interview, which the network claims shows no wrongdoing in the editing process, Carr has rejected the proposal, stating that the investigation will continue. Sources close to Carr reveal that he believes CBS has not taken any meaningful steps to address the alleged bias in its programming.
Despite the ongoing investigation, settlement discussions have not been initiated, prolonging the FCC’s inquiry and potentially delaying the Paramount-Skydance deal further.
Skydance, which is vying for ownership of Paramount, is considering potential remedies to expedite the approval process, such as appointing an ombudsman to monitor CBS news content for bias.
Additionally, Paramount is facing legal challenges, including a $20 billion lawsuit from President Trump related to the Harris interview. These issues are significant because the FCC has the authority to deny broadcast licenses and block mergers if there is evidence of news content violating public interest rules by exhibiting political bias.
CBS News has faced criticism from conservative groups for its perceived left-wing bias in programming. The “60 Minutes” interview with Harris has been mired in controversy since its airing, with allegations of misleading editing prompting the FCC investigation that is currently impeding the Skydance-Paramount deal.
