60 Minutes has been in the headlines for several weeks. But that doesn’t mean the FCC is preparing to investigate, says Chairman Brendan Carr.
What We Know: After the firings of Scott Pelley and Cecilia Vega, both have stated that they were pressured by CBS News leaders to inject political biases into their stories. A spokesperson for CBS News has denied those accusations. However, as part of its regulatory approval to purchase the network, Paramount Skydance was required to appoint an ombudsman to ensure there would be no political bias at the network. Despite that, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the commission wouldn’t be investigating the allegations.
What They Said: “We’ve not been in touch with the CBS bias ombudsman. I think this is one, though, where thankfully people can judge it with their own eyes. There were transcripts of these communications between the employees and CBS. I think a lot of people, including across the political spectrum, think that they’re reporting on how Scott Pelley behaved was just simply unprofessional. It’s not the type of stuff you get away with as an employee at Taco Bell, let alone at an institution like CBS. I don’t think there’s a lot of people that have concerns that this was about bias. I think it was about unprofessional behavior.” -FCC Chairman Brendan Carr
What Remains Unclear: Whether an investigation will actually occur. Carr was non-committal about an investigation, but also said he was unsure if CBS News would do its own investigation.
What It Means: It appears as if Carr is taking a “hands-off” approach to the situation. The messaging thus far has been that it is a problem for CBS News and 60 Minutes to look at. Not the FCC.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
