Trump takes aim at US television networks NBC and ABC

US president would support revoking licences for 'biased' television networks 

US president Donald Trump said he would support revoking licences for television networks NBC and ABC, accusing them of bias. Picture: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire

US president Donald Trump berated television giants NBC and ABC as “two of the worst and most biased networks in history,” adding he’d support the country's federal communications commission (FCC) in revoking licences to their television stations.

The networks “give me 97% BAD STORIES,” Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, “despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History.” “IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC,” he added. “I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!” The FCC issues licences to owners of television stations, which must be periodically renewed.

The comments come after Mr Trump engaged in high-profile legal tussles with major news outlets. He settled a lawsuit against CBS News in July for $16m (€13.6m) shortly before the FCC approved a merger between CBS parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media. Trump also reached a $15m (€12.8m) settlement with ABC over allegations of defamation.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican, has opened investigations into Comcast’s diversity, equity and inclusion programmes and NBC’s relationships with its local broadcast affiliates.

NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, a Comcast company. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Mr Trump also took aim at NBC during his first term. In 2017, he questioned whether FCC licences should be taken from NBC television stations after the network published a story saying he had called for a bigger US nuclear arsenal, something he denied saying. 

Bloomberg