FCC's Carr Makes Familiar Moves to Censor NBC’s Seth Meyers
Flickr user Gage Skidmore
The FCC chairman’s latest action echoes his pressure campaign against Disney/ABC, which resulted in the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show
WASHINGTON — On Saturday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr amplified President Donald Trump’s social-media message calling on Comcast/NBCUniversal executives to fire late-night host Seth Meyers. Trump had written on Truth Social that the Late Night with Seth Meyers host “is suffering from an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” adding, “NBC should fire him, IMMEDIATELY!”
In September, Carr drew condemnation from across the political spectrum for following a similar Trump criticism of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel with an explicit, mafioso-style threat to broadcasters to yank Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their evening lineups. Disney, which owns ABC, subsequently suspended Kimmel’s program after major broadcast-television conglomerates Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group pulled Kimmel from their ABC affiliates’ schedules. Kimmel’s show was reinstated in response to widespread public outcry against Carr’s actions.
Free Press Co-CEO Jessica J. González said:
“Chairman Carr proves yet again that he lacks credibility and conscience as a government actor and a lawyer. Apparently he didn’t learn when senators from his own side of the political aisle called his similar threats to Jimmy Kimmel ‘dangerous’ and ‘straight out of Goodfellas.’
“On December 17, Carr will go before the Senate Commerce Committee for a much-needed oversight hearing. The committee should insist that Carr retake his oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution — and should demand that he stop serving as Trump’s censorship czar. Calling for an FCC-regulated entity to fire an employee based on his political speech is unlawful, unconstitutional and dangerous.
“Bullies like Carr and Trump won’t stop trying to silence dissenting voices in the media unless more people stand up to them, in both courts of law and public opinion. This time it’s Seth Meyers; the next time it might be someone who isn’t rich and famous, who doesn’t have a late-night perch from which to defend themselves. Time after time we see that capitulation to the administration doesn’t work, but when we stand up to the bullies, we can win. Free Press urges Comcast/NBCUniversal to reject this brazen attack on free speech.”