Buddy Carter Urges FCC Review of Network Broadcast Decisions

Representative Buddy Carter requested that the Federal Communications Commission review the broadcast decisions of ABC, NBC, and CBS after the networks refused to air President Donald Trump's July 16 primetime address live on their primary channels. Carter argued that digital streaming is an inadequate substitute for free, over-the-air television and questioned if the networks violated their public interest obligations by limiting access to a speech concerning national security and election infrastructure.

During the address, Donald Trump announced the declassification of intelligence documents alleging Chinese interference and voting system vulnerabilities. He accused ABC and NBC of participating in a plot to protect the radical left and called for the revocation of their broadcast licenses. While ABC and NBC opted for online-only coverage and later aired summaries, CBS News reversed a previous decision to snub the linear broadcast at the last minute.

CBS was the only broadcast network to air the address on linear TV, though anchor Tony Dokoupil provided fact-checking and warned viewers that many of the president's claims about the 2020 election were false. Critics and staffers suggested the sudden reversal by CBS was influenced by the relationship between the White House and Paramount CEO David Ellison.