Public statements and press releases from major broadcast networks

Trump Seeks Unchecked Power to Revoke CBS Broadcast License Over 60 Minutes Edits

Oct 22, 2024, 02:45 PM

Former President Donald Trump has called for CBS to lose its broadcast license over edits made to a 60 Minutes segment. This is not the first time Trump has made such threats; in 2017, he called for NBC to lose its license, although his then-FCC chair opposed the move. Trump’s latest comments have sparked discussions about the feasibility of stripping TV licenses, with some industry experts expressing concern. Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee to the FCC, suggested that it might be possible to revoke a license under the news distortion rule if an outlet replaces one answer with another, a claim CBS denies. The threats have caused unease across the broadcast industry. Trump has been consistent and repetitive on the issue of broadcast TV licenses and seeks unchecked power to take CBS off the air.